What’s a Konoba? It comes with dancing, sausage and wine. Attend one Sunday in Tacoma

There will be dancing, live music, wine and delicious Croatian food, most of which you won’t be able to pronounce.

The gathering is called a Konoba, and basically that’s just a Croatian term for a hosted gathering where one eats until you can’t move, with all that food washed down with Croatian wine or beer.

It’s happening from 3-9 p.m. Sunday in Old Town at the hall operated by the Slavonian American Benevolent Society, host of the event and home to the local Croatian lodge.

Admission is $5.

The Konoba is the first of its kind in Tacoma hosted by the organization, which is probably better known for its Daffodil Dinner in the spring around Easter.

Mary Sudar, a member of the Slavonian American Benevolent Society and one of many volunteers helping with the event, said funds raised will support cultural programs supported by the group and go toward the care of the historic Slavonian Hall in Old Town. The organization hosts cooking classes and sponsors language programs for its members.

For fans of Eastern European cuisine, the Konoba is a rare chance to try Croatian food.

“They’re things you often don’t see outside of people’s homes,” Sudar said.

She described cevapcici, a grilled sausage.

“It’s sort of like a kebab,” said Sudar. “It’s a mix of usually ground beef and lamb, garlic and seasonings rolled into a little sausage.”

At the Konoba, it will be served with warm pita and kajmak, “a cheese spread that tastes like cream cheese and butter,” Sudar said. It also will come with the red pepper relish called ajvar.

“It’s mildly spiced. It’s typical street food you’d find in Croatia,” she said.

The cevapcici platter will be $5 with the two spreads and pita. Also served will be a meat platter with Croatian meats, cheeses and olives ($5). A meatless platter with Croatian cheese and olives also will be served ($5). Croatian wine and beer are $5 each.

Pastries are the other coveted food featured at the event, Sudar said. Society members are baking those.

Sudar’s baking miniature versions of her family’s famous sljivovica cakes, which are soaked in a potent plum brandy liqueur. There also will be the walnut bread called povitica. Cvite, an anise flavored cookie that looks like a Mexican wedding cookie, also will be sold, as will homemade baklava and strudel. Boxes of mixed pastries will be $5 each.

The event will be structured much like the annual fall Greek Festival at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church where diners buy tokens that can be exchanged for food (that way, no change is required). Tokens can be purchased with cash or card. The food is served on demand. There are no set seating times or reservations to be made. Hand stamps allow participants to leave and return later.

Other than the food, there will be fund-raiser raffles and live music. The Makedonians will perform music of the Balkans. Dave and the Dalmations will perform traditional a cappela klapa music from the Dalmatian Coast. John Morovich and Sinovi will perform Croatian music, as well.

This story was originally published August 9, 2017 at 6:00 AM with the headline "What’s a Konoba? It comes with dancing, sausage and wine. Attend one Sunday in Tacoma."