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San Diego, Bulgaria
Missing carne asada burritos and craft beer
It’s perfectly legal for an adult to walk around here with an open alcohol container. Why shouldn’t it be? Left to right: Dakata, Dominic, Jarod, and Matt
I’ve been living and working in Eastern Europe for the past eight years. Sofia, Bulgaria to be exact. Behind the former Iron Curtain. It’s far from the stark Communist days but still a little rough around the edges. Though full of Balkan character and charming quirks, it’s a place that sometimes feels as if it’s caught in a time warp. Regardless, Bulgaria has become my second home, and I have no intention of leaving anytime soon.
When people find out that I live in Bulgaria but I’m originally from San Diego, their eyebrows usually shoot up and they immediately ask one of these three questions: Why Bulgaria? Where’s Bulgaria? What’s it like there?
The ‘why’ will become more apparent by the end of this article.
The ‘where’ is relatively easy: north of Greece and west of the Black Sea.
What it’s like is more complicated, so let’s start by dropping right in:
Music is universal
The underground basement bar is much bigger than one would assume from the entrance. Loud Bulgarian rock music is being played live in the main room, around the dark corner. But I’m hanging out in the crowded galley kitchen of the bar — or what used to be a kitchen. It’s clearly out of use, and could double as a bomb shelter or a hideout in a post-apocalyptic movie. Dusty, rusty appliances are scattered around the warped counters and shelves. Cigarette and marijuana smoke clouds the air. No way in hell this would be allowed in San Diego. Liability and code violations galore. But I feel fine. I’m sitting next to my friend Matt, an ex-pat from Ohio.
Takoteka is the only Mexican place in Sofia — perhaps in Bulgaria — that can seriously claim to be making actual Mexican food. Even with this glorious distinction on their side, when I go there, I don’t expect it to be very good.
Here's something you might be interested in.
San Diego, Bulgaria
Missing carne asada burritos and craft beer
San Diego, Bulgaria
Missing carne asada burritos and craft beer
It’s perfectly legal for an adult to walk around here with an open alcohol container. Why shouldn’t it be? Left to right: Dakata, Dominic, Jarod, and Matt
I’ve been living and working in Eastern Europe for the past eight years. Sofia, Bulgaria to be exact. Behind the former Iron Curtain. It’s far from the stark Communist days but still a little rough around the edges. Though full of Balkan character and charming quirks, it’s a place that sometimes feels as if it’s caught in a time warp. Regardless, Bulgaria has become my second home, and I have no intention of leaving anytime soon.
When people find out that I live in Bulgaria but I’m originally from San Diego, their eyebrows usually shoot up and they immediately ask one of these three questions: Why Bulgaria? Where’s Bulgaria? What’s it like there?
The ‘why’ will become more apparent by the end of this article.
The ‘where’ is relatively easy: north of Greece and west of the Black Sea.
What it’s like is more complicated, so let’s start by dropping right in:
Music is universal
The underground basement bar is much bigger than one would assume from the entrance. Loud Bulgarian rock music is being played live in the main room, around the dark corner. But I’m hanging out in the crowded galley kitchen of the bar — or what used to be a kitchen. It’s clearly out of use, and could double as a bomb shelter or a hideout in a post-apocalyptic movie. Dusty, rusty appliances are scattered around the warped counters and shelves. Cigarette and marijuana smoke clouds the air. No way in hell this would be allowed in San Diego. Liability and code violations galore. But I feel fine. I’m sitting next to my friend Matt, an ex-pat from Ohio.
Takoteka is the only Mexican place in Sofia — perhaps in Bulgaria — that can seriously claim to be making actual Mexican food. Even with this glorious distinction on their side, when I go there, I don’t expect it to be very good.