Smokini and Wine
Whenever traveling, there are certain foods that stand out. For me, they’re usually the basic kind, the ones that are inexpensive and very fulfilling in their simplicity. My guilty pleasure in Bulgaria was consuming generous amounts of the local cheese, Sirene, that is often lovingly baked into a variety of breading styles. Sirene is the most common and widely-known Bulgarian cheese. It’s white and crumbly like feta, but it has a smoother taste and feel. It’s delightfully salty and goes well with pretty much anything. But I digress…
Traditional Bulgarian cheeses from Hemingway Restaurant in Plovdiv
As much as I enjoy eating traditional foods, I like to dip my toes in contemporary cuisine now and then. Reviewing multiple tantalizing options available in Plovdiv, Smokini stood out as an elegant and innovative restaurant that embraces traditional Bulgaria cuisine with a creative twist.
Smokini
Bulgarian restaurants, at least in Plovdiv, seem to have a penchant for jazz renditions of rock and pop songs. Settling in at Smokini, I heard covers of U2, With or Without You, The Church, Under the Milky Way, and Scorpions, Sill Loving You. I also noticed that wines by the glass are not commonly available. However, there are plenty of mini bottle options, for those of us that prefer not to consume an entire bottle in one sitting.
My waiter, Tayen, was vibrant and energetic. In between the myriad of questions I had about the menu and wines, we talked about aylyak, the Bulgarian way of life. Aylyak means to take your time, relax, and enjoy, and is at the heart of Plovdivian culture.
Smokini is the phonetic pronunciation of the word for fig in Bulgarian, spelled смокиня, in Cyrillic. Figs are one of the stars of the menu, and a pleasant accent to select dishes. Jumping straight to dessert, as one might jump to the climactic ending of a great novel, tasteful mini-chunks of fig are added to the nougat ice cream. This creamy and uniquely delicious dessert is made in-house (and if that’s not enough to attract patrons to their door, I don’t know what is).
Nougat ice cream with bits of fig to add texture and flavor
Prior to sinking my sweet tooth into dessert, I opted to kick off my decadent meal with their signature Smokini salad, having had my fill of the traditional shopska salad on other outings. It was a mixed green salad with figs and blue cheese mousse. In between the starter and the main, I couldn’t resist trying other dishes, since this was my last night in Plovdiv. One of these dishes was kachamak, a type of creamy porridge. Normally it comes with beef tongue, but I opted for the tongue-free version.
Kachamak, traditional Bulgarian polenta, with local Misket white wine variety
For the main, I selected traditional Bulgarian meat rolls, made from pork. The meat rolls are served with a savory and mild red pepper sauce called lyutenitsa – a type of relish that is popular in the select regions of the Balkans – and a side of roasted vegetables. The rolls were salty and savory, and were reminiscent of breakfast sausage; a fresh, delicious, high-quality breakfast sausage.
Pork meat rolls with sweet pepper relish and Mavrud wine, indigenous to the Blakans
The local wine selection was generous, as was the case in most restaurants, given the abundance and proud tradition of wine in Bulgaria. Starting light, I decided on the Misket, a local red grape variety used to produce white wines. For the main meal, I opted for one last dance with Mavrud – one of the prized reds of Bulgaria. It ended up being too heavily waited for the pork, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.
Map of Bulgarian wine regions
My experience at Smokini was memorable for the relaxed atmosphere, impeccable service, and scrumptious dishes with companion wines. It’s well-worth a visit for a taste of contemporary Bulgarian cuisine anchored in traditional style.
Restaurant link
Smokini is located in the city center, near the Kapana district: https://smokini.bg/