Overall 4/6
Service 5/6
Atmosphere 4/6
Food 3/6
Price $$$ (($ up to 12 leva a person for three courses; $$ 12 to 20 leva pp; $$$ 20 to 35 pp; $$$$ 35 and over pp))

Address:
1 Bulgarska Morava Str, Zona-B5
Tel: 02/ 822 81 28
Open: Open: 10am to midnight
Credit cards: no

The owners of Ostrovcheto avow that "everyone needs a little island where he can stop a bit, take a rest, refresh and enjoy himself before rushing back into the labyrinth of this hurried life. Ostrovcheto, which means „the little island", is yours and we will take care of you". This restaurant in Sofia's Zona-B5, tucked on the corner of two little streets behind Mall of Sofia, provides just that.

The building housing Ostrovcheto used to be an electical power station, the type that is located in between several blocks of flats in panel building districts of the past. Nowadays, most of these buildings have been transformed into supermarkets, cafes or restaurants, such as Ostrovcheto. The space has has been enlarged and the facade has been reconstructed to present a more artistic form. There are several wooden tables and benches in the garden, which provide a perfect place to sit and enjoy a lunch on a sunny autumn day, for instance.

A fireplace, exotic masks on the walls and inexpensive paintings of islands and palms catch the eye on entering through the front or the garden doors, making one indeed relax and smile if s/he is fond of the thought of adventures, sea and, probably, seafood.

But seafood is not on the top of the menu, as one might have otherwise expected. The first position is held by what are labelled "island dishes", such as the butcher's recipe of veal tongue, tripe, pork hearts and onion for about six leva. Other specialities are the skewers with grilled chicken hearts and bacon, about two leva apiece, and the sailor's chicken skewers, made of smoked cheese and chicken.

The regular menu at Ostrovcheto is also available in English. Surprisingly, for a place that has a daily lunch menu, only a few types of soup are available. A friend of mine with whom we dined there once described the chicken soup as somewhat thin; I have not had the chance to taste any of them.

I was quite surprised to see that one of the other specialities of Ostrovcheto is chicken Kiev, as that city is quite far from any island or even a sea. The breaded chicken fillet comes with a "Ukrainian" garnish and costs about seven leva. Typical Bulgarian items, such as pork spindle or kavarma (a hearty dish of highly seasoned fried meat), are served in quite large portions, together with fresh vegetables, rice and beans as garnish, and cost between six and 12 leva.

Being vegetarian, I quite enjoyed the yellow and white cheeses (kashkaval and sirene, respectively) fried in egg and breadcrumbs, which were a bit greasy for my taste but really delicious and made it tempting to reach for one more piece, and one more…

The mish-mash of scrambled eggs with chopped peppers and tomatoes that I ordered for lunch once was made with fresh vegetables and was not overdone, making a perfect, light midday meal. The cook, however, did not much endeavour to make the Shopska salad anything more exciting than the typical chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and sirene cheese.

Another dish that could tempt a vegetarian's palate, and somewhat specific to Ostrovcheto, is the broccoli and cauliflower breaded in egg and breadcrumbs (about three leva). The field mushrooms in butter sauce were also very delicious.

On the list of desserts predominate ice cream creations, which, according to my friend, were very good.

My first-ever impression of the restaurant was at a 60th anniversary party: it appeared a friendly little place, with the salon being divided so that visitors sit in something like compartments, which makes it feel very cosy. The tables were arranged to accommodate the exact number of our party - about 15 - and the waitress was very attentive to all our needs and wishes. Before the guests arrived, the restaurant staff had set the tables by placing salads and cutlery at each seat, as well as non-alcoholic beverages at arm's reach. Service was efficient throughout.

Another pleasant aspect of the visit was that the staff agreed to put on the CD we brought with us, if only for one play. Luckily, this condition suited us perfectly.
Overall, Ostrovcheto is snug and comfortable, an ideal place to chat with friends and dine while being served in a polite and friendly way by the patient waiters.