In the heart of Plovdiv, in the new art district – Kapana, exotic places for food hide, unexpected by most people, yet favourite of just as many. Eating has been raised to a cult and a special ritual not by one or two culinary connoisseurs. That’s why we’ll introduce you to some of the most interesting places you’d love to try out and then for sure you’d come back for more.
Right across the market hall stands the humble restaurant with no great pretences Pasha. As you can guess from the name, this is a restaurant that offers Turkish food. Until recently the restaurant had two floors, but for about a month a third floor has been available for the clients. You’ll not find fancy dishes in Pasha, as it is in some posh restaurant, but this is not the owners’ concept. They count on a few types of cooked dishes, soups, salads and BBQ. The menu is prepared by Turkish people. As we know well, eating is part of their exotic-to-us culture. One can sense the smell of warm and fresh dishes even before getting inside the restaurant. You can choose them directly from the front window, while about the BBQ, which includes everybody’s favourite meatballs, various types of skewers and the ever-present for our neighbours kebab, you can ask the specialists in this field, who are only occupied with it. And if you’re a fan of chicken wings, then you must order a portion when you go to Pasha. We say a portion, because the dish they will serve you is big enough to easily feed a four-membered family in some poorer regions. The wings, baked on the BBQ, are accompanied by a tomato and peppers grilled on the same device, while colourful pilaf makes them company on the side. All sorts of dishes are made there every day. Chicken kavarma, eggplant kebab with beef, lamb and dolma with zucchini are just a part of the dishes that disappear on the moment. You must try the red lentil soup, which is typical for the Orient, just like the rice one. The bread served with the dishes is for free, but this is not its biggest advantage, rather its taste is.
The people who enjoy eating Turkish dough dishes - iskender kebab, lahmacun, döner kebab –are not ignored.
Well, if you want to sweeten yourself, what’s better than a rice pudding, accompanied by a glass of authentic Turkish tea that will help your digestion? You shouldn’t ignore the fact that for this journey through the deeps of the Turkish cuisine, renowned throughout the world, you won’t have to pay tons of liras. For a lunch with two soups, two main courses, and why not share a Çoban salat with your friend, you won’t leave more than 15 lv.
