Last night I visited my first of the many restaurants I have booked for Sofia Restaurant Week which is running from 11th-17th September 2016.
Restaurant Arbat is a Russian restaurant in Oborishte. As I’d never been to a Russian restaurant before this seemed like a great place to start!
Sofia Restaurant Week incorporates 25 restaurants who are offering set menus for 25 leva. Each restaurant has two set menus to choose from which include a starter, main course and dessert.
Restaurant Arbat are offering the following set menus this week:
Menu 1
Salad
Vinaigrette /classic/ made with beetroot, carrots, salted cucumbers, sour cabbage, potatoes, peas and oil from Russia
Main dish
Caucasian Shish: an original recipe from the Caucasus using pork neck
Dessert
Russian ice cream
Menu 2
Salad
Herring Shuboy – Herring, beets, potatoes, carrots, egg, mayonnaise
Main dish
Grilled Trout – spicy herb marinade, filleted and served with mashed potatoes
Dessert
Napoleon Cake – the most popular Russian Cake
This was a tough choice but as there were two of us we opted for one of each so we could try everything!
What surprised me the most was the portion sizes, I had thought that a 3 course menu for 25 leva may mean smaller portions but that was not the case at all here. Be prepared to be full!
As for the food, everything was delicious. I like the idea of a set menu as there were things here that I perhaps wouldn’t usually order. Now I’ve tried them I will definitely order them again. For example, the menu 2 salad (Herring Shuboy – Herring, beets, potatoes, carrots, egg, mayonnaise) was amazing! However, from menu 1, the pork shish was incredibly tasty, so this is why I think you need to try both menus!
I was also really pleasantly surprised with Arbat’s venue. The garden is beautiful, it has a very relaxing atmosphere and some quirky decor. There’s plenty of space and live music playing so it would be perfect if you’re looking for a place suitable for a large party.
If you’d like to try restaurant Arbat during Sofia Restaurant Week you can book online here.
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