Restaurant VAGABOND
5 Svetoslav Terter Str, Sofia
Tel: 02/ 944 14 65
Mobile: 089/ 948 79 71
Open: 4pm to midnight, Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday

There may be some mild amusement in pondering for a few moments about why the term “home cooking” has a positive connotation.

What about those who grew up in homes where the level of culinary achievement spawned a yearning for the exotic, or if not that, the professional, or failing that, the palatable?

Most of those who speak about the food at Restaurant Vagabond describe it as “home cooking”. Of course, they mean this in the positive sense, because there is no other. After two visits, under differing circumstances, I must agree with them – yes, in the positive sense.

Our first visit was in February and the second in mid-March. The first visit was as part of a group that descended on the place on a Friday evening after a function to make up a table that, if memory serves, added up to about 16. Proceedings were somewhat anarchic but it must swiftly be pointed out that it was the group that caused the anarchy, not the kitchen or the serving staff, who acquitted themselves swiftly and well in the face of a rapid and continuous stream of (sometimes changing) orders. Our second visit was somewhat more serene, a table for four on a Saturday evening, booked in advance (with only 36 seats indoors, booking may be advisable). We had booked for six but one couple was not able to make it, and I noted with approval that the change was received without huffiness. At lesser restaurants in Sofia, I have seen this kind of thing causing rolling eyes, resentment and the general air of St Sebastian having had it easy.

On my first visit, I was tired, hungry and not much in the mood for company and conversation. This lugubrious customer, however, was impressed by the food, especially given that I ordered much more than I am accustomed to; I worked my way through a bowl of borscht, shrimps in avocado, pelmeni, a steak and all but a thimbleful of a bottle of Assenovgrad Mavrud. Through my fatigue and despite the din of the representatives of the chattering classes around me, I noted a homely decor and atmosphere and made a mental note to return.

When we returned, I made notes. The Caesar Salad we ordered to open our meal cost seven leva, the borscht in a capacious bowl that I shared with my wife cost three leva, the pelmeni 4.50 leva and the lamb cutlets with mint sauce that I wanted to order but unavailable was listed as costing 12 leva. One of our number suggested that lambs were being stockpiled for the Orthodox Christian Easter in April. The Moscow cutlet, likely to be affectionately remembered by patrons of the old Russian Club restaurant, with which Vagabond’s owners were involved, costs 9.60 leva. The more expensive items are those on the fish menu: Grilled salmon (18 leva) and stewed salmon with Dutch sauce (21 leva), for instance.

The liquor list is not extensive but gives no real cause for complaint. Most of the wines are in the category of reliable and affordable: Assenovgrad Mavrud, one of my standbys with any meal, costs 13 leva, the same as a Pormorie Chardonnay.
Ours was a convivial quartet, resulting in my not paying much attention to timing the speed of service. However, it is fair to note that drinks and food arrived with reasonable speed, and there were compliments all around for the quality of the food, with the overall impression that it had something of the “home cooked” about it.

Another note. Seated by the fire, and perhaps given what may be described as the nourishing nature and portions of the food, the additional heat generated by the stand-alone heater in the room soon became too much, and it was turned down at our request. Nor was the music too loud to be intrusive. I am not likely to forget, about five years ago in another Sofia restaurant, asking for the music to be turned down because it was drowning out my softly-spoken tones, and this being refused because “the staff like it”. Well then, no customer should intrude on the staff having an enjoyable evening. But with Restaurant Vagabond, were I again inclined to sit down with friends in an atmosphere with a homely and intimate feel, I would return.