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March 8 is always exciting and surprising at Ahora, but this time the concept particularly impressed me. Every single dish was named after a feminine trait and was showcased with aromatic and taste characteristics- Gentle Scent, Temptation, Power, Passion, Courage, Devotion.

When we entered, we saw that rose petals were strewed on the tables, which set the stage for a festive atmosphere.

 Amuse bouche – Gentle fragrance

It was preceded by a light sprinkling of rose water on the hands of the guests, to prepare the senses for what was to come. The amuse bouche was small balls, a type of Japanese drop in a solid state, with the aroma of lychee and hibiscus, which bursts into thousands of small droplets as soon as it touches the tongue and palate, or if it is not eaten for 15 minutes, it liquefies itself in the petal. This dessert had gained great popularity in Japan at one time, not so much as a sweet temptation, but as a refreshing water in a solid state. Later, the rose petal theme was continued in the main course- Passion, but in a very different form, aroma and consistency. Read on to find out how.

Cold Appetizer- Temptation

This course amazed us the most with its vision. On top of a rillette of sea bass, green apple and horseradish, which had a caviar consistency, was placed an exquisitely beautiful rose made from red beetroot, which was even made with dew drops of citrus-scented gel. It paired very well with the slightly salty mineral aroma and high acidity of Alvarinho Muros Antigos from Anselmo Mendes, Vinho Verde.

Warm Appetizer – Power

Stump made of one half grilled celery and the other by chestnut risotto. The toasty flavor was enhanced by halved roasted hazelnuts, and the whole pink peppercorns gave it an exotic spiciness. It was topped with very tasty and crunchy celery chips and further flavored with fermented honey sauce and smoked black tea on the bottom. We combined it with Le Deux Albion Blanc-Viognier, Marsan, Claret, Picpoule. Its sweet aromas came into harmony with the chestnuts and honey and contrasted with the smoky variations.

The wine could have been 2-3 degrees warmer to open its aromas faster, because we had to wait for to raise the temperature but meanwhile our dish got cold.

Movie watching time: 2:50 min.

Main course – Passion

Roasted French corn chicken, very tender, with a slightly crispy skin, in a cauliflower puree, surrounded by mushrooms with roasted butter, truffle and Vin jaune sauce. Here we had a continuation of the theme with the rose petals and scented ethereal balls from the amuse bouche in a modified version. Again, we see little balls, but this time they were an extremely delicate Parmesan cream, laid in as delicate as roses toasted onion flakes. A great addition to chicken. This course in combination with Dragoshinov Rosé from Cabernet Franc and Red Musket, turned to be very good. Its milk notes went well with the parmesan cream. Dragoshinov’s wines are wonderful, airy, with well-expressed fruit and are always a good idea to try.

First- dessert- Devotion

We immediately fell in love with it – as soon as it was served. Here Sevda demonstrates her extraordinary creativity. Usually in fine dining restaurants, the tray/plate is a canvas on which the chef arranges her edible masterpiece. Here, Sevda has gone one level higher – she used a print of a mural masterpiece as a basis, and not of anyone, but the most daring rebel, who keeps his identity a secret, because his art shows not particularly convenient truths for society. It is about the iconic Banksy and his painting – Girl with a Balloon. A framed print of the mural served as a tray, and in place of the heart from the painting was a 3D heart, made of white chocolate ganache, pears and juniper. Extraordinary!!!

Final- dessert- Audacity

One more surprise for the final. Another Mimicry as in the Temptation appetizer. Brie Cheesecake, with a soft center, wrapped in Hazelnut praline was served in the form of a small cheese pita, which even had a label for a dairy product. It was accompanied by butter cookies, which with a ristretto coffee made a great duet. We paired the cheesecake with Sherry Oloroso, San Rafael to partner with the tart flavor of the Brie cheese.

I want to stress on the fact that Ahora is one of the few establishments that offers a good wine list, specially selected by Bulgaria’s top sommelier Blagoi Kuzmanski, with many options for high-quality wine offered by glass from a bottle. Few restaurants dare to have such offers on their menu.

All these wonderful experiences were accompanied by a wonderful sound ambience of famous hits in a nice jazz and chill arrangement, so as to predispose to a nice casual gastronomic experience.

This is Sevda – a modern woman, gentle, looking like a little girl with her braids, holding a big balloon of a bright red heart, smiling, tempting us with her wonderful cuisine, with passion and strength she fights the competition in this very male dominated field and with all her dedication wins more and more customers’ hearts

How to get to Ahora in Sofia?

Just use the Google map here by clicking on the red pin of its location and then select directions:

A: bul. “Nikola Y. Vaptsarov” 25A, 1407 Hladilnika, Sofiazechia

T: +359 2 4680570

Opening hours 12:00- 23:00, Sat and Sun 11:30-16:00, 18:00-23:00

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