BYOB Buzz: Restaurant Sarajevo

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Their eats: Forget those New Year’s dieting resolutions you made three weeks ago. With more than a foot of snow on the ground and last week’s cold snap a not-yet-distant-enough memory, now is not the time to deny yourself a hot, hearty meal.

The Bosnian comfort food at Lincoln Square’s Restaurant Sarajevo is just the thing to combat the winter doldrums. Owner Enes Hubjer came to the United States with his family in 1994, eager to share the food and culture of his native country; for the last decade, he’s been serving Bosnian classics at this corner restaurant. Though it’s a family-run spot, floor-to-ceiling wood paneling, white tablecloths, and black-and-white drawings of old Sarajevo lend a touch of class.

The menu is heavy on grilled veal, sausages and fish. The star is the signature cevapcici, sort of a ground-beef mini-sausage without the casing that’s popular throughout southeastern Europe. It’s served on a fluffy bread with melted cream cheese, onions and tomatoes on the side ($6.35). If you’re going to blow your diet, you might as well do it on a dish like this.

Your drinks: The friendly folks at Lincoln Square’s Fine Wine Brokers are always happy to offer budget-friendly recommendations. To complement a rich sausage like cevapcici, staffer Maria Ritzema suggests a bottle of Artazuri garnacha, a Spanish red with lots of dark, ripe fruit ($12.95). If you’re more likely to go for chicken or fish, consider the Sella & Mosca La Cala vermentino. Ritzema says this dry, medium-bodied Sardinian wine combines pear flavors with citrus notes, making it a perfect choice for lighter entrees ($12.95). Restaurant Sarajevo charges a $5 corkage fee per table.

Emily Hiser Lobdell is a Metromix special contributor. metromix@tribune.com