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Hotel apartments in Sofia

by lance1 on April 22, 2012

Sofia

Vitosha Street, Sofia

It’s grey, little known and we grow to like it. Yes, I am talking about Sofia. A seemingly unpromising Capital city. Is this the place to stay? Read on for how to stay in style. Oh and ignore that communist era greyness that lines the road from Sofia airport.

But giving Sofia a miss is like crying off on a party you had an invitation for. So I’ll stick my neck out, and say Sofia is THE up and coming place to be in Europe.

With five shopping malls, and three new malls well under construction, some have huge confidence in the City’s future. I am one of those.

Right now, I’m feeling a renewed vibrancy and confidence in the air. New IT jobs, low personal and corporate tax bring some real attractions for both business and individuals being based here.

Unleashing my Sofia

There has never been more reason to visit Sofia. For music lovers the program is astonishing. Take, for example, The NDK (“The national Palace of Culture”). It’s located just off Vitosha street — one of my favourite places streets lined with cafes, shops, bars and clubs.

NDK hosts world renowned classical, folk and popular artists. Like my favourite, violinst Vasko Vassilev and the hugely popular all girl classical ensemble, “Bond” Both play here over the coming weeks.

From Classical and Opera, at the Opera House, to a weekend rock festival headlining Guns n Roses Sofia has long since emerged as a key place to perform.

City centre hotel apartments

One of many cafes on Vistosha Street

It is somewhat fitting to be I took time out to review apartment accommodation that is well suited for those wanting a city base. Any savvy traveller knows that City apartments offer much better value that a hotel. Just like they often do in Bansko.

So I took a look at some city centre apartments in the heart of the city. The first one Allegra, a business apartment, just off Vitosha Street on the quiet Knyaz Boris Street. One from a selection of central apartments from rentapartment.bg.

In literally two minutes walk there are over fifteen bars and restaurants to choose from. The cafes lining Vitosha Street are a joy to sit at and people watch. Or just stare at the snow capped Vitosha mountain which the boulevard gets its name from.

What makes rentapartment.bg different from other websites is that that for longer stays they come and do a clean every four days. All included in the price. In addition, all the apartments are owned and managed by the same people.

Equipment in all apartments were impressive.

Equipped and ready for business

Nice touches in all apartments are the provision of both filter coffee machines and an espresso machines. I found proper kettles for tea making. All the kitchen utensils. Washing dryer machine. Dishwasher. Air conditioning, toaster, fridge and a spacious bathroom with a Jacuzzi bath.

Nice.

Business made

With a computer with fast internet access. The Allegra apartment makes perfect business sense. The internet phone means phone calls cost from €0.01 per minute.

For relaxation, the 200 channel cable TV is yet another indication that the owners really care about guests. Not only are they making sure the stay will be comfortable but also that they will recommend it — and return again on a future Sofia visit.

Conclusion

I have no hesitation in recommending the apartments on rentapartment.bg as bargains. With Sofia is full of surprises. From shopping, eating out, to music and culture you’ll have more cash to spend on having good times in Sofia.

NOTE: I compared apartment prices and could not find anything of the same size for the price of similar size and standard in this central location.

Recommended.

NOTE: I NEVER recommend something I have not experienced, seen and liked.

Rates

Per night:   30-69 EUR

Per week:     455 EUR
Per month: 930 EUR

Rentapartment.bg for more info

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Chergite Magic

by lance1 on March 18, 2012

Chergite -- an entertaining evening

Cherga means a Bulgarian colourful hand-woven rug. You will see a lot of these if you enter “The magic of chergite”.

Chergite is out of the centre, in a peculiar areas called Students town and hence the young party people all around. A taxi from the central Sofia should be no more than 10 leva. The restaurant is easy to find.

Why go there?

BBQ meats, Chergite

For me, it was the craving for traditional Bulgarian cuisine. But actually my evening delivered rather more than sampling local dishes.

Dancing and mingling with the local crowd – well, this is what travelling is all about. Casting my eye over the  prices saw me do a double take. They’re so reasonable it is enough to make you want to stand up and join in the dance for the horo.

This is the real deal – you’re not a visitor or a tourist here.

The restaurant interior is designed as an old traditional Bulgarian house.  Rugs all around, wooden furniture, an open furnace. Me and my girlfriend are feeling warm glow after the arctic temperatures outside.  Warm smiles, and we were taken to our table. Then after being recommended several different meals, all this in perfect English, we settled into the atmosphere. A very hospitable start.

Menu

The menu is very big as it covers meals from almost every region in Bulgaria. You risk getting lost in the typically Bulgarian names so ask your waiter for advice. But read on for my top recommendations.

Starters

You can’t go wrong with any of the salads – prices ranging from 4 to 7 leva. Shopska is always a safe bet, but I’d give the more interesting ones a go. I was very happy with my Selska salad (4.50 lv) and Chergite salad (7.50), which has a selection of nice dips.

However, salads you can have anywhere. Bulgarian home cooking is what we need. Cabbage leaves (rice and meat wrapped up in a sour cabbage leaf) or stuffed peppers (red peppers stuffed with beans) were all the best I have ever tasted. Melted Bulgarian cheese with honey looked worth a try too too.

Preparing beans is in art form in Bulgaria. These slow cooked butter beans in a copper pot with spices, which go to together like gin goes with tonic with chilly peppers. The presentation of these was amazing:

Chili peppers above a hot bean pot

 

Although the above starters (all ranging from 4 to 9 leva)were enough to make us full, we were also offered another typical Bulgarian mezze – Katino meze (beef in tomato sauce with onion and peppers).

By any means try and slot in some bread with your starters – a real winner – made on a wood grill – plain or with cheese (1.60 to 2.60 leva).

All that was really tasty and substantial. But we had to try the other typical Bulgarian main –chicken, pork and veal pieces and vegetables on a skewer roasted in the fire. If you like me prefer the meat rare, have in mind that in Bulgaria they make meat very well done, so indicate your preference in advance.

There are all kinds of meat, including fish, most of them cooked with vegetables and in the fire. Prices ranging, but rarely above 10 leva.

Desserts

Again some typical Bulgarian desserts, the most popular of which home-made buiscuit cake with honey (3.60 leva) or ox yogurt with forest fruit jam (3.40 leva).

Chergite cake

Show

While enjoying your dinner, there is a band with singers in the background (starts at 8 o’clock) and plays Bulgarian songs. Not too loud and discrete – they do not impose themselves on your table waiting for a tip like in other tourist places.

A dancing show starts at 9:30 – ensemble Chinarite – 4 young enthusiastic dancers in costumes performing on all kinds of music from Bulgarian folk music to Spanish. Again, nice and discrete. All the Bulgarians around got very excited by this performance, stood up and danced as well.

Well, I thought, if the locals find it such fun, it must be.

The good

Authentic Bulgarian food and show, great prices, young diligent staff and a manager who is making sure everyone is happy.  A nice garden for the summer.

The bad

No no-smoking area – smoke was OK only in the early hours (7-9). A bit far away from the centre.

Conclusion

Great value for money (20 leva for a big 3-course meal), worth the trip.

Booking details

Sofia, Studentski grad, block 60

Work hours: 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.

tel. 0879 990 903

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Thinking mehana? The Makedonska Kushta experience

by lance1 on February 12, 2012

Makedonska Kushta

The need for a traditional Bulgarian mehana restaurant requires an all out mehana experience.

And this means loud folk music and a party atmosphere.

Sometimes it is the food that draws you to a particular place, and sometimes it’s the need to have a venue to accommodate a bunch of guys requiring good tasty food.

First impressions

They pride themselves in greeting guests according to old Bulgarian tradition – a warm welcome with homemade bread – traditional SouthWest Bulgarian recipe. Free for every guest. Settling into the evening now.

A non-smoking area on the second floor was offered too.

Starters

We kept it simple.

A good choice of chopped tomatoes, aubergines and peppers, dips  and simple and communal grilled meats and vegetables. All salads seem nice and good price – (4-5 leva).

If you are very hungry, there are much more interesting typical Bulgarian starters, such as calf’s tongue.

Roll out the cart

And that’s what is delivered. A cart full of fine grilled aubergines, chips, chicken and sausage. Nice flat bread included as well. Enough to feed 5-6 people (73 leva). Interesting presentation. If it’s too much for your company, you can choose from a wide range of Bulgarian meat dishes, such as satch, grilled pork or some of the season’s specials.

Homemade wine

Now, I have to confess, that when I am offered home made wine in Bulgaria I make some polite excuse.

Maybe just bad luck, but I have sampled some truly horrendous substances that are passed off as wine. Sour, and oxidised, red stuff turns into nectar when it’s the fruit of one’s own labours. One’s judgement is clouded and all seems somehow okay when it’s homemade – obviously with some exceptions.

The usual homemade offering is however organic and natural. But undrinkable unless it’s the fruit of one’s own labours. This does not cut the mustard. However, we were “sold” the concept to try the restaurant’s home made wine.

Well, whilst no Enira, it was perfectly acceptable. Great value too. I must learn not to judge a book by its cover!

Desserts

The cartful of meat did not leave any room for a anything sweet, but I spotted some interesting ideas on the menu – strained yoghurt with green figs (3.60 leva) or pears in mil-caramel syrup (5 leva).

Music

There was a band and a singer playing Bulgarian folk songs., starts at 8 o’clock. A bit too loud for me.

The good

Hearty authentic meals, big quantities and reasonable prices. Full of locals, which must be a good sign. Nice staff. Go if you want to have lots of Bulgarian food and music.

The bad

No non-smoking area, loud music after 8.00pm. Not central.

Booking details

Studentski grad, opposite block 58

tel. 0879002131  

Work hours: 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.

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Pri Kmeta: real beer in Sofia

February 12, 2012

Sofia real draught beer is here. It is in an oasis called Pre Kmeta (“Mayors Pub”). Real beer and microbreweries are rare in Sofia. The big brand beer corporations dominating the market has been the norm for many years. The taste of beer is due for a big change in the beer drinking world in Bulgaria. [...]

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Kohinoor: Bringing real Indian cuisine to central Sofia

January 29, 2012

Indian food and Bulgaria. Kohinoor. Not a combination that most would think of. But this time I could not ignore a recommendation that has come by me so many times. And it’s not often that a recommendation is so understated as the Kohinoor Indian restaurant in Sofia. Booking was required a few days ahead for [...]

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Viva Espana: Hola to Bodega

December 11, 2011

A bodega conjures up images in my mind of my times in Madrid. Bodegas, often hidden down narrow passage ways and then entering a world of irresistible tapas and highly decorative ceilings. Sofia’a bodega With cravings for real Spanish food in mind, we looked up Bodega. Especially so as Svetlana, my fellow diner, had been eager [...]

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Izbata: a Sofia mehana worth finding

November 18, 2011

Izbata, which means “The Cellar” is on Slavyanska 18. Izbata is easily spotted from the street at night time. A side entrance door to this basement restaurant of a fine house. Slavyanska is a pretty central street — a five minutes walk from Alexander Nevski Church. Mehana magic? I have always been a little quick to [...]

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BeSo Sofia

November 2, 2011

BeSo restaurant, in Buxton has been my local for some time. Always popular and a place to be seen in. So I confess I do enjoy admiring some nicely turned out ladies. But this display they competes with the shiny new Audis, Mercedes, BMW’s  in the handily on display car park. All heads turn when [...]

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