Address: Underpass of the Hilton Hotel,behind NDK, at Bulgaria and Cherni Vruh boulevards
Tel: 865 22 88
Open: Mon-Sat, 11.00-23.30

An underpass is not the first place that I would think to look for a hip eatery. But the lime green decor and clean interior of Boogie Woogie offered nothing to lose. So one evening in search of good food in the vicinity of Sofia’s NDK, we tried it out.

If one is planning on basing the experience on the name, don’t: there are no Honky Tonk Train Blues or Swanee River Boogie here; the modern sound system blasts sounds more appropriate for a club or bar – though not bad music, mind you – which can somewhat inhibit conversation.

Nor is the menu anything retro. Again, not bad, just not keeping with the name. It is a nice variety of salads, starters, main courses, pastas and pizzas, and Bulgarian-influenced items. And is rather inspired, with new flavour combinations, including a discerning use of honey.

Walking in, one notes the creative decor and use of lighting. Modernistic brass chandeliers hang over the long, lime green plastic bar (the entire interior is lime green, but not offensive to the eye); the back wall – where it is not looking in to the glass-walled kitchen – is a stack of evenly cut logs; from the ceilings over the tables (that same plastic material, black in colour) hang fishing line with, at their end, clips that hold seasonal designs (most recently, squares of white card stock each with a large snowflake pattern printed on them). The WC itself deserves mention for its streamlined modernistic approach that continues the visual theme of the restaurant.

The nice thing about the place is that despite its newness (I think it opened sometime in early 2007) and ambitions of cool, it is not pretentious. The service is congenial, the crowd is younger and hip, but not stuck on themselves. The food, too, in most cases lives up to if not surpasses expectation. (I mean, we’re talking about a place where, at certain times, you can feel the ground shake due to the passing overhead of a tram.) Prices are reasonable, though drinks seem a little expensive (4.20 leva for a shot of rum? At least the tea comes with its own pitcher of honey, and is served in mugs, not cappuccino cups).

More so, the food was a pleasant surprise, particularly visually. The carrot salad (2.80 leva) comes as long ribbons of raw carrot, dressed in a honey-lemon vinaigrette and topped with a fan of peeled lemon. Other salads include mozzarella and tomatoes, and one with carrots, cabbage, corn and tomatoes topped with a milk-based sauce. The pizzas (four to seven leva), while nothing stunning, are appealing and taste good. There are a range of topping combinations available and the size is appropriate for one diner’s dinner.

So far, the most impressive thing that we have ordered has been the sauteed chicken livers with honey (about five leva). Though I love chicken livers, I’d have never thought of this successful fusion of flavours. They were not sweet, but had a certain sweetness and a complexity enhanced by the honey. The livers themselves were good-sized whole pieces, not random nuggets, and they were cooked to perfection, thankfully not reaching that off-putting rubbery state. Though listed under the appetisers, they were a good portion, and were accompanied by a serving of steamed baby carrots and slices of lemon.

The only soup that I have had there (and there are typically three or four on offer each day) has been the mushroom soup (1.90 leva), a broth-based soup of sauteed fresh button mushroom quarters and topped with a sprinkling of dill. It was very mild, a bit too mild for me, but nice.

There is also a daily menu of suggestions comprised of selections from the normal menu – we’re guessing it’s the chef’s recommendations of what dishes have ingredients that are in season.

Food comes after not too long a wait, though not always at the same time, as it depends on what has to be cooked, and what can just be sliced and served. When I have been there, the service has been kind and accommodating, though appears somewhat inexperienced in how to set the table and how to take orders. But there have not been mistakes in items served.

During the day, Boogie Woogie makes for a nice cafe, with guests being of a range of ages. I wouldn’t say that it’s the place to take your boss, but if your boss takes you, there’s no reason to complain.