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I decided to write a review and not just post on social media, because the event was very high. And how could it not be, involving the wonderful Japanese cuisine of Moshi Moshi and the importer of some of the best wines- Seewines.

The event was an example of the Experience Economy. I hadn’t written about it for a long time, but it’s time to remember it again. According to the authors of this theory, Joseph Pine and James Gilmore…

 

… An experience is unforgettable for the client when it is fun, educational, aesthetic and escapist.

And because it was great organized, I decided to write a review, because each of the professionally engaged participants deserved to be mentioned.

 See ….

…. Koto’s small hall, where I have been many times to their famous brunches, has been turned into a Japanese restaurant, Moshi Moshi, with an open sushi bar. Of course, the main courses are prepared in the kitchen, where the team of chef Georgi Yanev is in action;

…. In the center, on the display table, are the drinks, the occasion for the event, as well as tiny welcome bites – amuse bouche with crab, very tasty, which partnered wonderfully with the welcome cocktail Rakia Sour, masterfully prepared by Koto bartenders, with the latest rakia Arakan by Seewines;

…. The central figure is, of course, the top sommelier of Bulgaria Blagoy Kuzmanski, who is both a host, a lector and a specialist in combining wine and food. From Blagoy you can learn a lot about wine, world wineyards and in a way that makes you another fan, without worrying that you do not understand much, but wishing to learn and try more and more variations of this drink;

…. It became even more impressive when we found out that among those present were something like the Rock Stars of Bulgarian wine production – Milkov and Georgiev from the same name winery. Also present was Todor, the brother of Elena Brooks, who conquered the world with the wonderful wines she makes in Australia. We met another new star – Dragoshinov, whose cellar in the village of Vaglevtsi I have long planned to visit. Dilyana from Seewines presented 2 types of rakia made by them, the first I have already mentioned, the second was commissioned by two IT specialists from Teteven, who our ot purely patriotic reasons, decided to revive the Teteven plum rakia. They provided plums to Seewines, commissioned their production, and now the first liters are available. It has a name, Altan Teteven, it only remains to decide whether it should stay transparent or make it yellow. I hope they continue their mission.

The vision of the food and drinks, the hall with Japanese motifs by Moshi Moshi immediately put a tick on the first criterion – aesthetic, to classify the event as memorable.

Feel ….

…. A casual atmosphere in which both guests and presenters felt well received. There was a pleasant exchange of information about the drinks, feedback and opinions of the small but highly appreciated audience;

…. Great pairing of food and drinks.

We all felt awesome, people who saw each other for the first time talked like long acquaintances, because we shared our affinity for good drinks and food. Everyone’s fun was palpable, so the second tick for a memorable experience was online.

Hear ….

…. We listened to very good jazz, exactly according to the event. From time to time, good retro music came from Koto’s great hall, tempting us to stay at a party after the tasting;

…. Naturally, the interesting information of the presenters, such as why Dragoshinov’s Chardonnay is called “kissed by acacia” or why IT specialists want to make brandy.

We learned many other things, so we immediately put the educational element next to the other criteria.

Movie watching time: 1:53 min.

Smell ….

…. Dragoshinov stunned us with the wonderful Chardonnay Kissed by Acacia- the flavor is unique and far better than all other Chardonnay Bulgarian production. As Blago said, you can just confuse it with Chablis;

…. The rosette from Yane Damyanov’s Shiroka Melnishka, Rosalina is wonderful, with character, with light mineral notes, it was wonderful!

Taste ….

It is clear that the drinks were very high, but the food deserves its own admiration – from amuse bouche to dessert:

…. The sushi they served us with the Chardonnay- Nigiri Kalkan, Guancan with bonito, Aburi sea bass, was both interesting and very tasty. According to Kotzeto, the master of the Japanese cuisine, they used Japanese technology for cooking with Bulgarian fish. Well, what could be better than the fish being fresh and coming from the nearby seas;

…. Extremely tasty catfish, crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside with ponzo rose-colored sauce and marinated multicolored cauliflower, which arrived with a rosette;

…. With a wonderful red wine of the local variety Rubin from Milkov and Georgiev we had the pleasure to try Udon noodles with venison, shiitake, broccoli and pepper teriyaki;

…. And a really strong finish with dessert Matcha halva with white chocolate ice cream, for a cocktail, with a main drink of plum rakia with a strong strawberry aroma.

The match desserts in Koto are emblematic, the best in Sofia for me, and this halva just made me wonder if this was the best dessert I would try for the whole 2022.

My addiction to halva, combined with my favorite scent and slightly tart taste of the match, made the experience absolutely unforgettable. The cocktail was very tasty, but until such a dessert, I just stopped thinking about it.

We didn’t notice when the evening passed, we even wanted to stay and chat. We definitely escaped the worries of the daily routine and so I finally defined the event as an example of the Experiences Economy and the skill to create unforgettable experiences.

There was only one flaw for me personally and only for me in this Japanese cuisine and craft wine dinner, that there were so many good drinks and food that I felt quite full and drunk, but I would not refuse a single sip or a bite of this exquisite feast.

How to get to restaurant Moshi Moshi  in Sofia?

Don’t worry about getting to Msohi Moshi in Sofia. Just use the Google map here by clicking on the red pin of its location and then select directions:

6, Цар Калоян, Център, София, Столична, София-град, 1000, България

A: ul. “Tsar Kaloyan” 6, 1000 Sofia Center, Sofia

T: ++359885505551

Opening Hours: Mon- Sat 12:00-23:00 may vary due to pandemics

If you need to rent a car, you can book it here in the box of the largest booking platform further at the end of the current post.

Where to stay if you are not from the city?

If you plan traveling to Sofia,  you can book your stay right here. For your convenience, I have added a booking.com box, which refers directly to their site. I guarantee you’re going to use all your genius discounts and privileges they would offer to you. Just enter the dates of your trip, then hit the Search button and voila. In addition, booking.com are doing their best to make sure that your expectations as a customer are fulfilled. I’ve described an example about the latter in  my story about our stay in Shangri-La hotel in Singapore.

Booking.com

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Do you ever wonder how some places differ so much from others in service, environment, as an overall experience? This means you are also interested like me in the topic of The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore. I constantly add to my collection reviews about those of them, which practice its principles, regardless of intentionally or accidentally. If you are curious to understand which they are, explore category The Experience Economy.