Sofia, Bulgaria is one of the most underrated cities in Europe!
Aside from its famous and ultra-fascinating history, Sofia is a superb destination with much to offer. Its eclectic mix of architecture is a true exquisite gem. If you’re a foodie, Cosmos is an enticing restaurant destination that is distinctive and worth a journey for.
During a memorable dining extravaganza I had at Cosmos, I discovered the marvelous owner’s panache for detail. Truly, each and every dish here is willfully breathtaking. Our food may look complex, but the server presented it in a fashion that is personal and dazzlingly meaningful.
My husband and I sat and were offered two charmingly refreshing cocktails featuring a collection of ingredients such as tonic, vodka, skinos or mastisha, with pepper and lemon. Given the introduction, we decided to try the ambrosial taster menu. Our appetizers came in five divine, generous plates.
First was the shopska salad, a palatable Bulgarian salad that consisted of tomatoes, grilled peppers, cucumbers, pickled red onion, sheep & cow cheese, parsley, and grilled hot pepper. It is the country’s most traditional salad served, here in Cosmos, with a twist.
It was greatly evident in its wonderful presentation as its dressing was poured inventively around foam. The ingredients tasted so luscious and fresh. My husband and I couldn’t get enough of this exquisite salad. He usually does not like salads but I caught him devouring it!
The second salad also featured delectable foam, cucumbers and yogurt mixed together, served with soup on side. The soup was also made from cucumbers, with green Tabasco, lemon and olive drops.
Clearly, Cosmos enjoys playing with many simple but optimal ingredients. I love the crunchy texture of the nuts which went very well with the yogurt. Like the shopska salad, the ingredients are splendidly fresh! There were so many flavors prancing gloriously in my mouth!
Next came the cheese cutters consisting of different types of Bulgarian cheese.
The meat variety consisted of prosciutto black pork from Elena Balkan which has the reputation for providing the best prosciutto in the country. Every single piece has its own unique flavor and they all tasted outstanding. The quality, indeed, was superlatively sublime.
The last two came together featuring freshly cooked pear with prosciutto spear mint and smoked eel. There was also splendorous foam in this plate which seems to have come from the fresh pear essence.
The red drops are from the peppers and just by looking at this dish, one can certainly distinguish the namesake of this restaurant— Cosmos!
Yet again, this dish is matchless and delicious featuring a flurry of flavors and textures that seems to standout. The complimentary dish was deep-fried with hot, creamy filling made of bechamel sauce. Truly unrivaled!
We had the pleasure of enjoying two mains at this exceptional restaurant in Sofia. The first is another Bulgarian tradition — but here in Cosmos, this dish was featured in a contemporary way.
It was chicken fillet with truffle mayonnaise rolled with chicken skin alongside chips from the chicken’s skin! This magnificent dish was served with vegetables, cream peppers and mushrooms. The middle portion included poached egg along a jeux sauce. A pleasurable dish that is rewarding and gratifying.
The second dish was served with sultana nuts and meringue yogurt, and features a fulfilling fusion of beef and duck. The meats were cooked via sous vide, all served with rice on the side. This was quite the rich dish of which it uses the other ingredients to try to mellow the richness of the meats. Due to the cooking technique, this dish was so incredibly satiating and soft.
Our mains were paired with Borgule Melnik 55 2013 Bulgaria wine. This particular wine was made in a small Bulgarian village well-known to be a wine specialty community in the valleys of Bulgaria.
Apparently, the village is so representative of a traditional Bulgarian village that a visit here will essentially feel like one is stepping foot into history.
Lastly, we enjoyed two very different, delicate desserts. Apparently, roses are famous in Bulgaria. The first dessert was called the Bulgarian rose. Bulgaria is known to be the biggest producer of rose in the world!
When it arrived on our table, the dessert looked so good-looking, and even more so when the server lit it with a small sparkly flame. What a fragrant show! The heavenly dessert had a combined texture of ice cream and macarons, a pretty perfect balance between sweet and tarty.
The last dessert was a dreamboat of brioche milk with citrus and violet. Graceful and dainty, it was a picture of fresh spring flowers and honey. The ice cream and beauteous cream around the dessert complemented the cake cheerfully. This potentially could be the loveliest and most flowery dessert I have ever had. It’s literally like eating Spring!
Even though we enjoyed the taster menu, the portions are quite considerable. We ended the cosmic experience with Bulgarian mint herbal tea. Much like everything at Cosmos’ menu, I can definitely taste the sultry essence of Bulgarian quality.
Sponsored by Cosmos | Lavele St 19, 1000 Sofia Center, Sofia, Bulgaria | All views, posts and opinions shared are my own.