Pet’s Plates

Sofia Bar & Restaurant
Ir-Rabat Street,
Xlendi, Gozo
Tel: 7921 2190

Food: 7/10
Location: 6/10
Service: 8/10
Value: 9/10
Overall: 8/10

Xlendi off-season, on a cold, quiet night, does tend to look rather bleak. And, in that bleakness, off the seafront, we came across, of all things, a Bulgarian restaurant. It was refreshing to see something new, something that was not another Xlendi seafood restaurant.

Sofia has only opened very recently, but I wanted to give it a go. Ignoring my friend’s reluctance, I pushed open the door into unchartered territory.

And seemed to step straight into Greece... The interior of this casual restaurant is bright and sunny and entirely flooded with the colours of Greece. Everything from the walls to the tables, chairs and light fixtures has been painted white or a shade of blue, reminiscent of the whitewashed walls and cerulean blue that capture the warmth and essence of Greece.

I must confess to knowing very little about Bulgarian culture. In fact, I realised I didn’t know much about Bulgaria in general, except for a very basic history.

I did not know anything about its food or its people. I never imagined that a visit to the fishing village of Xlendi could prove such an eye-opener. The menu at Sofia offers both Bulgarian and Mediterranean cuisine. We were, of course, only interested in the former.

The proprietor, who also lends a hand in the kitchen when the need arises, is a real character, hospitable and friendly. On seeing our interest, he was keen to regale us with stories of his homeland and to educate us as regards local cuisine. All this led to a very warm, personable service throughout the length of the meal, which I thoroughly enjoyed. His passion and national pride were infectious.

Bulgarian cuisine has various influences and Bulgaria itself is quintessentially a melting pot of people, of culture and, as a result, of food.

As a Balkan nation strategically situated directly at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, Bulgaria boasts a rich cultural heritage. Bulgaria fell under oppressive Ottoman rule for five centuries and, with its capital, Sofia, a mere 500 or so kilometres from Istanbul, the impact on the cuisine has been immense.

Along with Slavic and Persian influences, Bulgaria also shares a sizeable border with Greece and the two countries share a great affinity. The menu included typical Bulgarian specialities like moussaka, shopska salad, casseroles, zucchini cakes, stuffed peppers, vine leaves and cabbage leaves and a seemingly endless variety of grilled meats which showed how serious the Bulgarians are about their animal protein. Appetites were not huge that night and so we decided to share a couple of traditional dishes.

For starters, we ordered some deep fried cubes of salty, tangy feta cheese accompanied by fresh salad and piping hot pita bread. Our first course was also accompanied by a little quip from the proprietor regarding the origination of feta. According to this proud Bulgarian, feta is a cheese very much native to Bulgaria, which has been merely adopted by Greece.

At Sofia everything that can be is made in-house. This included the pita bread, which the proprietor also uses as an alternative to pizza dough. Our starter was, of course, the simplest of things to rustle up, but it really was appetising. For the main course we continued with our meal sharing – this time, the Bulgarian classic meal of Meshana Skara or mixed grill, consisting of various cuts of meat, typically in sausage or minced meat form.

Our mixed grill consisted of shishcheta – Bulgarian for skewers of marinated chicken pieces and vegetables, flattened meatball patties made of minced beef, pork and spices known as kyufte and some tender pork steaks topped with diced feta cheese, sun dried tomato and black olives.

The cooking had been simple and uncomplicated, but I couldn’t fault one thing apart from the cheesecake

The meat was served on a traditional, sizzling hot earthenware platter known as a sach and placed at the centre of our table. It rested on short, cast iron legs and was as aesthetically pleasing as it was practical, keeping our food warm throughout the entire meal.

The meat was of good quality and utterly delicious. It was accompanied by a char grilled variety of crunchy vegetables and crisp, homemade French fries, all piled high on the same sach.

Portions were generous. The lyutenitsa salsa beautifully complemented the lavish array, providing a touch of piquant flavour. This is a fiery, red relish made from vegetables, primarily tomatoes and peppers that enjoys tremendous popularity throughout the Balkans.

I suppose I had been caught a little off guard. Perhaps, due to my ignorance, I had not expected the food to taste so good. Seated before the well-stocked restaurant bar we asked to drink a Bulgarian wine, something friend and myself were both unacquainted with. The owner was extremely forthcoming and brought over a selection of four bottles. He imparted some valuable knowledge, informed us of all the bottle prices from beforehand and scurried off, leaving the choice very much up to us.

And so, besides the lovely food, that night I also came to appreciate Bulgarian wine. Although Bulgaria boasts an ancient winemaking tradition, I was totally unaware that the country was such a formidable producer of wine.

We savoured our bottle of Mavrud, the most widely recognised of Bulgarian red grape varieties. It was truly sublime, tannic and characterful. For dessert we chose a lemon cheesecake that was far too sweet and nothing to shout about, along with a typical, Bulgarian rose water and pistachio gateau which was divine.

We ended the meal with some rakia, the national drink of Bulgaria. This potent liquour is made from fermented fruit and has a high alcohol content. We drank it straight, consuming it in much the same way as one would a grappa after an agreeable meal. It was powerful and smooth.

But we were not drinking in a manner befitting Bulgarian culture. Rakia is thought to complement food beautifully and thus, according to Bulgarian tradition, it should be enjoyed from the beginning of and throughout the meal and not as a digestivo. And thus, having slightly teased Bulgarian custom with our rakia faux pas, we left, feeling incredibly satisfied. Never before had a visit to Xlendi been so enlightening.

Often enough, even the simplest of cookery can lead to disasters in a restaurant kitchen. The cooking at Sofia had been simple and uncomplicated, but I couldn’t fault one thing apart from the cheesecake. The proprietor really need not worry himself with the Mediterranean section of the menu. The Bulgarian fare is strong enough to stand alone. The food felt very genuine and authentic, all the more so when we learnt that the proprietor brings in most ingredients directly from Bulgaria, down to the grape leaves and peppers.

Our meal was extremely well-priced and it was definitely very good value for money. This unlikely find in Xlendi had proved a good gamble. It had been a night of surprises and I will definitely be eating at Sofia again when I’m next in Gozo.

You can send e-mails about this column to petsplates@gmail.com.

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