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

Address:
2 Dimitar Grekov Str (in the building of Sfumato Theatre)
Tel: 02/ 483 06 96, 088/ 416 10 31
Open: every day, from 10.00 (drinks)/noon (kitchen) to midnight
Credit cards: not yet

It was about time someone restored the gourmet dignity of the word "skara", the Bulgarian word for "grill" and the most common way of preparing meat on the Balkan peninsula, in Sofia. In a city where the claim to culinary excellence has increasingly become the domain of fancy fusion cuisine, "skara" sometimes seemed an inferior concept, suited only to second-rate `hood joints. But just when grilled meatballs were beginning to seem endangered species in the world of Bulgarian fine dining, a couple of people spoke to me with true passion about the kyufte at SkaraBar. This was good-enough reason to book a table (making a reservation, it turned out, was a smart idea) in the small restaurant in Park Zaimov.

The first impression of SkaraBar is that the restaurant is…eh, eclectic. It's as if a Mediterranean restaurant met a sports bar somewhere at the heart of the Balkans. The open kitchen looks out on a bright dining area with about eight white wooden tables, covered with branded brown recycled paper. An industrial-looking (and very well working) ventilation system skirts the rough ceiling and hangs over the smooth white walls lined with ancient-looking building plan prints. And it all culminates in a big plasma TV. Somehow, this seeming contradiction in style creates a very comfortable informal atmosphere and comes together into a restaurant that can claim it has a concept.

So far, SkaraBar has resisted temptation to offer this and that, sticking to a short and simple menu. The philosophy behind the selection is that good food need not be complicated or pricey. All it takes is quality products and fresh produce. The decision to bold the word meat in the menu item "meatballs of pork and beef meat" sums it best, while passing a well-deserved judgment on the ubiquitous low-quality ground meat (or whatever it is) products in Bulgaria. If that's not convincing enough, then note the menu lists the sources of meat (the slaughterhouse in the village of Popovo), produce (from the old ladies across the street near the tram stop or the Sitnyakovo market) and wine (selected by Yana Petkova of vinoto.com).

Imagine my disappointment when the waitress told us they had ran out of kyufte for the day. We must have looked crestfallen, because she quickly reassured us she'd talk to the chef and see whether he could prepare some for us. She returned victorious and instantly won us over with her accommodating flexibility. The service remained excellent throughout the meal. The dishes arrived quickly, but coursed-out, and we never felt rushed. The waitress always appeared at the right moment, knew what to offer when, and balanced an attitude both cordial and casual.

The meatballs (kyufte, 6.90 leva) lived up to their fame. They were juicy, grilled to perfection and, yes, meaty. They also arrived with a side of what have to be the best French fries in town - home made and hand-cut into imperfect crescents, they were golden and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. We also tried the homemade lamb sausage (9.80 leva) with 100 per cent lamb meat (also bolded). It was deep red, succulent and delicious, though a bit salty for my otherwise salt-addicted taste. Steak lovers who like their meat prepared rare or medium should definitely check out SkaraBar's beef burger with fois gras and black truffles (17.80 leva), the only item that hinges on the extravagant.

From the appetiser menu, we tasted the grilled vegetables (4.60 leva) and the kyopoolu, an eggplant salad. The combination of grilled courgette, aubergine, onion, pepper and mushroom was prepared just so, each vegetable preserving a crunchy bite. Unfortunately, the portion was disappointingly small and did not offer a good price-to-quantity ratio. The kyopoolu was interpreted differently than the traditional eggplant-olive-oil-and-garlic-only version, with additional vegetables and a fluffier texture. Not exactly what we expected, it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. The grilled halloumi cheese (4.90 leva) is also worth a try. White and with a distinctive layered texture, halloumi, a cheese native to Cyprus, is perfect for grilling due to its higher-than-normal melting point.

For dessert, one can choose between a brownie (4.60 leva) and thick yoghurt with homemade sour cherry jam (3.60 leva). You can't go wrong. The brownie was closer to a chocolate pave than a cake and came in a nice combination with mint ice cream. Unfortunately, it was served at below-room-temperature, while I think it would have complimented the ice cream much better had it been warm.

Some patrons have complained about the limited alcohol menu, but it suited me well. SkaraBar is one of the few commercial establishments in Sofia where one can taste good grape and plum rakiya, typically reserved for household consumption. The red wine, listed simply as coming from the south of France, more than justified its price of 5.50 leva for a glass and 19 leva for a bottle.

To sum it up, I went back and you would, too.