Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Stuck in Burgas?
Burgas does not have the great accommodations options of Varna or Nessebar,
but if you find yourself stuck in Burgas, or are here on business, head for the
brand-new
Plaza Hotel
on 42 Bogordi St. (
&
056/846-294;
www.plazahotel-bg.
com; from 146lev/$93/£50 double room).
day. Rates include breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Valet parking.
Amenities:
Restaurant; lobby bar/cafe terrace; wellness
center and fitness center; business services; room service; transport services; laundry; dry cleaning. In room:A/C, TV,
minibar, Internet connection, hair dryer, safe.
WHERE TO DINE IN VARNA
Sofia may be the cuisine capital of Bulgaria, but when it comes to informal dining,
Varna blows the socks off its big sister—certainly in the height of summer. Cafes and
snack bars line the evening
korso
that stretches from Nezavisimost square to the
Slivnitsa before it spills into coast—here, sandwiched between the city's overgrown Sea
Gardens and the long curve of its sandy beach, is a seamless “strip mall” of makeshift
beach restaurants and bars that curve out from the harbor, finally petering out some
5 to 8km (3-5 miles) north of this. You can wander along here and simply stop at the
first place that takes your fancy; the backdrop—a deep sandy beach, lapped by the
gentle waters of the Black Sea—is hard to beat. Rated the best fish restaurant by locals,
BM Zaliva
marks the southern tip of the beach. It's a great informal dive (plastic
chairs; toes in the sand) where you could opt for a simple sesame-encrusted hake, a
hunk of breaded shark, a meaty pan-fried red mullet, or the pricey turbot, fried in gar-
lic and olive oil. But if you've had enough of the thumping beachfront scene, make
sure you sample one of the following.
Orient
TURKISH “Poor quality prepared food will not be paid” [sic] says
the menu, then, “In the event you're met unkindly or without a smile you have the
right to require another waiter.” This unpretentious restaurant, watched like a hawk
by the large and friendly Turkish proprietor, treats the customer as king, and backs it
up by the most wonderful food—even the editor of the food and wine mag
Bacchus,
no doubt bored by faddish decor and so-called haute cuisine, rated Orient as a per-
sonal Varna favorite after a research trip there in 2006. The array of breads—stuffed
or coated like pizzas with cheeses, olives, meats—is fabulous, as are the roasted veg-
etables, stuffed with delicately spiced meats. Menus are illustrated with clear photo-
graphs (with brief English descriptions), so ordering is a relatively easy, though the
huge and mouthwatering choice does not preclude this from being a lengthy, drawn-
out process.
1 Tzaribrod St.
&
052/602 380.
www.orientbg.com. Main courses 2.50lev-10lev ($2-$7/£90p-£3.50). No credit
cards. Daily 8am-11.30pm.
Prodadena Nevesta
BULGARIAN/INTERNATIONAL Owned by
local photographer Nikolai Hristakiev, this restaurant—located opposite the registry
office in an old timber house—is a popular choice with Varna foodies who clamber
up the staircase to the cozy, wood-paneled rooms, almost every inch covered with
bookshelves and wine racks (550 different labels on offer). There is no English menu,
but Anna will hopefully be on duty—a great waitress, she is also one of the chefs, and
will ask you what you feel like (even if it's not on the menu, Anna knows the chef 's
Value
Value
