RATING
OVERALL 4/6
Service 4/6
Atmosphere 3/6
Food 5/6
Price $$$$
($ up to 12 leva a person for three courses; $$ 12 to 20 leva pp; $$$ 20 to 35 pp; $$$$ 35 and over pp)

INFO
Address: 63 Oborishte Str, Sofia
Tel: 02/ 814 48 88, 088/ 594 89 34, bistrolandau.com
Open: every day 10.30 to 23.30
Credit cards: yes

It must be a good sign when, after going on a date with the same person for the third time, you still like him. The same, then, for as many visits to a restaurant. Bistro Landau opened in spring 2008, an addition to the classy Residence Oborishte, which had - at least aesthetically - won my admiration long ago.

This bistro deserves no less regard. Pleasant jazz and big band music floats through the air, reaching the large patio that nearly triples Landau's capacity in pleasant weather; inside, six or so tables are draped in white, setting off the burnt-orange gauze drapes.

The menu presents a limited selection of European classics like beef tartare, carpaccio-style (14 leva; I'm wondering which it is - carpaccio, or tartare), a fish symphony appetiser of various smoked and preserved fishes (16.50 leva), chicken breast baked with mozzarella and tomato (10 leva) and beefsteak with pepper, coffee and brandy (32 leva). The most, the only, in fact, Bulgarian offering is a shopska salata. I've not had it, but can imagine that it has been somewhat deconstructed.

Food here is skilfully prepared, and items of a same course are served at the same time. While I'd like to credit this to well-trained personnel, I cannot help but wonder if it is because there is never anyone else in the restaurant.
In any case, of all the dishes that I've tasted so far at Landau, there has not been one that has been off-putting. The Landau salad (eight leva) comes as rings of pan-grilled Granny Smith apples that have been almost caramelised on one side, these topped by a pile of mixed lettuce and carrot ribbons, accompanied by little triangles of toast nearly soaked in olive oil and topped with ground walnuts.

Now, in this salad, there is Serrano ham. And while it has always been there (it is described in the menu as wrapping the apples), on our most recent visit, there were only three little shards of it hidden in the lettuce. Otherwise, it's good, if not greasy, and the tart sweetness of the apples complements the saltiness of the ham perfectly.

Also good is the grilled salmon (20 leva), which comes on sliced potatoes with sauteed onions, and mixed greens. The potatoes were forgettable, but the salmon was some of the best I've ever had - crisp on the outside, succulently a point on the inside. Flavourful, yet smooth. My fish-hating friend even liked it.

Other dishes tried and liked have been the gazpacho (five leva), which another friend who lived in Spain called the best that he has had in Bulgaria, and the eggs Benedict. The soup tastes fresh, with little onion, is pureed to nearly smooth and comes with a little skewer of two bay shrimp. As to the eggs Benedict (six leva), they were exactly that: two poached eggs on two slices of square white toast, as close to something you'd get at home as a child...except that they were topped with a pinch of truffle butter. Now, having heard eulogies about truffles, I was expecting a spiritual enlightenment or something. No matter that the only effect I saw (or felt) of the truffle butter was little black shreds on top of the eggs. The eggs, though, were perfectly poached, and the whole came accompanied by a pile of what looked like shavings of blond wood, but was cheese.

Served in the recess of a dish thrice its size, the risotto alla Carbonara (10 leva) with grilled courgette was cooked as risotto should be, meaning that it was creamy, and the rice was not mushy. Dots of basil oil around the rim of the bowl added to the visual appeal and provided a tantalising aroma.
For a light meal in itself, one of the sandwich dishes is ideal, with a special nod given to the pork steak (eight leva) with caramelised onion, Fourme d'Ambert and Kaiser ham, served on two little rolls, with a handful of green salad on the side. The combination of salty blue cheese and honey barbeque sauce that has been dolloped on top of the fillings creates a scent that makes you want to sneak a bite off your neighbour's plate.

There are a few bottles of wines on offer, though greatly marked up in price. The selection of hard liquors is more extensive.
Service is kind, calm, responsive to requests and questions, and welcoming. Overall, the prices seem a bit high, but the quality of food at Landau could make it worth it.