Address: 10 Ivan Aksakov Str
Tel: 988 12 34
Working Hours: 11am-1am
Credit cards: accepted

I first thought of going to Tambuktu because of an American friend, recently arrived in Sofia, who wanted to have sushi and lived near the restaurant. Not knowing any other sushi restaurant in town, we agreed to go check it out.

Though the address is listed as Aksakov Street, it is actually on the corner of Rakovski and Aksakov - Aksakov stops and turns into a pavement right before the restaurant, and then resumes on the other side of Rakovski. The restaurant itself is highly visible - all seating is in an enclosed balcony or overhang of sorts underneath which runs the pavement, and in addition to the conspicuous architecture, numerous brightly lit signs leave little doubt that this is, in fact, Tambuktu Fish Restaurant. Much as the phrase "you can't miss it" is used inaccurately, if at all, of anything in Sofia, you really can't miss it.

The door is underneath the overhang, between two odd-looking African statues. Once inside, one climbs up the steps to the next floor. There, on the left, just before the doorway with the maitre d', is a tank with live - if somewhat lethargic due to lack of aeration - lobsters. I was impressed - it was my first time to see that most quintessential seafood restaurant device in Bulgaria. Just through the door, there is an extensive display of fresh fish on ice, including several exotic varieties whose names (not to mention appearance) I didn't even recognise in English.

The waiter checked our reservations and showed us to our seats. I do recommend reservations, by the way - the first evening we tried to come, we came without, and were turned away because the entire restaurant was full. It might have had something to do with the fact that it was March 7 - the day before International Women's Day - but in any case it couldn't hurt to call ahead when coming in the evening. On our one previous visit, on a Sunday afternoon, the restaurant had been all but empty, but like so many places it tends to fill up for dinner.

In addition to the large display of fresh fish on ice, there are numerous aquariums with tropical fish, as well as a large, well-stocked bar, artificial palm trees that stretch up into raised "bubbles" in the ceiling, and other seafood-related decor, such as clever lamps that consist of a lightbulb inside a conch shell. The atmosphere is pleasant, and high-class.

We had come, as I said, for the sushi, though on our previous visit, we had not actually had any - all the sushi dishes are listed on a separate menu that must be specifically requested, and on neither occasion did any of the staff mention this. On that occasion, I had a seafood pasta Sicilian (12.99 leva), which consisted of pasta with bits of crab, mussels, and other "gifts of the sea". This time, however, I asked about the sushi, since it was the point of our visit, after all, and was cheerfully handed a menu that consisted of a pin holding together a number of swatches with pictures and prices of the various offerings. Most of them are between five and seven leva for two pieces, the idea being to mix and match. However, they also offer a Combo Sushi: a good representative sampling of several different sushi pieces that, at 32.39 leva, works out somewhat cheaper than ordering everything separately. We decided to share this, and each have a salad: she a shopska (3.99 leva), and myself a Greek salad (4.99 leva) that were both satisfactory, though as a slight complaint my cucumber wedges were too large to eat at once and too well-oiled to cut with just a fork.

The sushi arrived, and I freely admit that I am not an expert - it generally falls under the category of things that I enjoy without being particularly well-informed about. My friend is somewhat more knowledgeable than I, though, and with her help I was able to formulate a more definite opinion. Our consensus was that it was acceptable, quite good in fact, though perhaps not the best. The best in Sofia? With the caveat that I don't know of any other places that offers it, I would say so. But it's not quite on a level with what one might expect to find in a high quality restaurant in the US ( having only eaten sushi in the US, I can't offer a comparison to other places). The rice was somewhat lifeless, not actually soggy, but suggesting sogginess, and generally lacking the perfection that one might expect in the best sushi. Also, there was wasabi in the actual sushi between the fish and the rice, which my friend informed me is generally not done, as it can make for a bit of an unpleasant surprise as we found out. Still, I enjoyed the meal, and despite being quite expensive relative to other restaurants in Sofia, it is quite reasonable relative to sushi establishments elsewhere.

One complaint would be the amount of food involved. Both times that I have eaten at Tambuktu, I've walked away not-quite-satisfied - not in the quality, but the quantity.

Admittedly, the first time, I only had a main dish without salad or appetiser, and the second time I split a large sushi sampler with a friend, but both times I left with a certain unsettled musing that might be best summed up as: "for that amount of money I could have stuffed myself and had leftovers at X restaurant rather than gone home still slightly hungry". Granted, I could have just ordered more food, but as someone with a high metabolism and limited budget, I've come to prize large servings.

But this is a small complaint, and one that could be applied to most seafood or sushi restaurants anywhere. On the whole, I was satisfied with the experience, though my personal budget precludes frequent repeat visits. The bill for two, not including tip and with only a bottle of water to drink, came to 43.36 leva.