Review: Vitosha

A new addition to the ongoing Tianzifang gentrification, Vitosha serves up overpriced Bulgarian food that leaves you feeling like you could have easily rustled up something similar at home. Decked out as authentically as it could be on a Taikang Lu side alley, this two-floor restaurant has brightly covered tables made of horse carts. Condiments come to the table in miniature horse carts.

We started with a refreshing tarator (RMB45)–a chilled cucumber, yogurt and dill soup–but the appetizers fell to earth with a bump. The shepherd’s salad (RMB40) features grated feta cheese imported from Bulgaria on the top of an otherwise standard mixed salad with (Chinese!) ham. For mains, we tried an unsubstantial pork and veal moussaka (RMB70) and a chicken sache (RMB97), a sizzling hot-plate of chicken, onions, peppers, chips and mushrooms roasted in a rich, sticky sauce. Both were appetizing, but were plated in such homely fashion that we thought we could have done this ourselves. Unfortunately, their intriguing macaroni dessert was unavailable so we ended on a low with a pair of far too sickly honey and chocolate pancakes (RMB25). Vitosha may look unique to Tianzifang tourists, but it’ll need more than a handful of special offers to please the locals.