The Hunter’s Lodge in Trebaljevo – The Story of Vaso Bulatović and the Warmth of Home-Cooked Tradition

The fire crackles, the aroma of home-made food spreads through the room, and cheerful voices echo from every corner.
That’s a day at the Hunter’s Lodge in Trebaljevo, near Kolašin, where mountain man and warm-hearted host Vaso Bulatović greets his guests.
This isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a story of a man’s life, work, and love for people.

A Host with a Big Heart

“I’m a hard-working man,” says Vaso, owner of the lodge in Rovca, known both as a skilled hunter and a master cook.
He inherited his love for hunting from his late father, once one of the best hunters in the region.
Today, Vaso runs the lodge and its kitchen with the help of his daughter.
During the busy season, he rarely finds time to go hunting — his hands are full cooking and caring for guests.

A Place for Friends

Tired skiers, hungry travelers, and locals gathered by the fireplace all agree — there’s no better meal for miles.Clean plates and empty bread baskets speak for themselves. “There’s no better advertisement than a satisfied guest,” says Vaso with a smile.Without billboards or marketing, his lodge became a legendary meeting place — where friends gather, songs are sung, and the old gusle fills the air.

Kačamak by Grandma’s Recipe

The kačamak that made Vaso famous comes from his grandmother Joka’s recipe:
“Put plenty of cheese and cream — that’s the secret,” she used to say.
Besides this Montenegrin classic, Vaso’s menu includes mountain-style stew and smoked pork neck that dries for two days above the open hearth.
“No fast food here — only what’s fresh, local, and real,” he insists.

The Secrets of Meat Drying

As we visit the smokehouse, Vaso shares his methods:
“You can’t dry meat without clean, bark-free beech wood,” he says proudly.
Using techniques he learned from Hungarian butchers, he keeps the flavor rich and pure, without excess smoke or soot.
“Ignorance costs us dearly,” Vaso adds, shaking his head — lamenting how modern shortcuts ruin traditional flavors.

No True Guest Without a Local Guest

Foreign visitors often stop by, but Vaso says his heart belongs to Montenegrins from Podgorica, the coast, and Nikšić.
“There’s no real guest without local guests,” he laughs.
Nothing in his kitchen is reheated or left from yesterday — what’s served to guests is the same food his own family eats.
Upstairs, he even offers free rooms for travelers. “I want them to feel at home,” he says simply — and that’s exactly how it feels.