Vintage Bulgaria (Старинна България)

Vintage Bulgaria Restaurant & Bar, Hillside, Tanjung Bungah (22 January 2017)


Vintage Bulgaria (GPS: 5.46455, 100.29244), (Bulgarian: Старинна България) is a Bulgarian restaurant and bar at the Hillside neighbourhood of Tanjung Bungah, Penang. As of 2017, the restaurant which opened in 2008 has been operating for close to ten years, and remains the first and only Bulgarian restaurant in Penang.

Vintage Bulgaria has a homey ambience. From the entrance, a short flight of starts leads down to what appears like basement dining. The walls are stout, with exposed stones, giving the cosy feel of dining is an actual Bulgarian house with the frigid winter outside.

The entrance to Vintage Bulgaria Restaurant & Bar (22 January 2017)


The basement dining room of Vintage Bulgaria Restaurant & Bar (22 January 2017)

My Visit to Vintage Bulgaria

My wife and I had an opportunity to dine at Vintage Bulgaria the other day (22 January 2017). It so happens that I know the son-in-law, and so he invited me to join his wife to dine at the restaurant operated by his parents-in-law. This is in fact the second time we visited Vintage Bulgaria (the first time was a few years ago, can't remember exactly when).

Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by Georgi Georgiev, who managed the restaurant with his wife. They moved to Penang from Bulgaria after their daughter Silviya married an Penangite. In fact it was Silviya and her husband (the friend of mine) who opened the restaurant for Silviya's parents.

Ironically, Georgi led us to the very same table we occupied the first time. This time around, we have the benefit of the warm hospitality of my friend and his wife. They were the ones who created the menu, and having them to recommend what to try, we leave the ordering in their hands.

And what a glorious spread of food awaited us!

We started our meal with the Orley Wraps, Bulgarian Banica and Shopska Salad. The Orley Wraps (RM20.20, all prices as of Jan 2017) are a traditional Bulgarian dish. It is cheese wrapped in bacon, and then skewered and grilled. This is eaten with the Garlic Bread, which is not like any garlic bread I have seen. It looks like small loaves or buns joined together.

Orley Wraps - cheese wrapped in bacon, and served with julienne purple cabbages, carrot and cherry tomatoes. (22 January 2017)


Bulgarian Banica - crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. (22 January 2017)


Going nicely with the Orley Wraps and Bulgarian Banica is a plate of Shopska Salad (RM15.90). This is a salad of fresh tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, capsicum and olives, topped with shredded feta cheese and drenched with a traditional dressing.

Shopska Salad at Vintage Bulgaria. (22 January 2017)


For the soup, we had the Fish Chowder (RM9.50), which is a rich, creamy soup with chunks of fish and vegetables.

Fish Chowder at Vintage Bulgaria. (22 January 2017)


Fish Chowder at Vintage Bulgaria. (22 January 2017)


Meanwhile, my friend had the Oxtail Soup (RM17). This is how it looks like. Though I did not take this item, I can see that it must be very delicious, with big chunks of oxtail.

Oxtail Soup at Vintage Bulgaria. (22 January 2017)


Then comes the main course. The pièce de résistance must surely be the Crown Roast Pork (RM76.30). This is roast pork ribs in their special homemade barbecue sauce, and prepared in the traditional Bulgarian style. When it was brought to our table, the Crown Roast Pork was the grandest sight. The ribs are made to stand upright, forming what looks like a stylised crown. It has been cooked until the flesh is tender and easily comes off the bone. But it's a lot to eat. Even between my wife and me, we could not finish it, especially when there are other items to tackle.

Crown Roast Pork at Vintage Bulgaria. (22 January 2017)


Another view of the Crown Roast Pork. (22 January 2017)


Like that's not enough food, but our friend then gave us yet one more item to try. It is the Bulgarian Sausage Platter (RM33.90). It comprises homemade kebapche, grilled spiced mince pork and beef, meatball called kyofte and a pork-and-beef spiced sausage called karnatche. This is taken with the sauce which I find to be very pleasing.

Crown Roast Pork at Vintage Bulgaria. (22 January 2017)


The meal was getting too heavy for us, and we have to pack more than half of it home (which means we got to get Bulgarian food twice!)

Meanwhile my friend had the Ribeye Steak (RM44.50). This is Australian rib-eye steak marinated in a special seasoning, grilled, and served with mushroom or black pepper sauce. His wife had the Spaghetti Carbonara.

Ribeye Steak at Vintage Bulgaria. (22 January 2017)


Spaghetti Carbonara at Vintage Bulgaria. (22 January 2017)


For dessert, we were served the Crème Brule and the Chocolate Brownie. I love the Crème Brule. It is very soft and smooth, with a crisp caramelised layer at the top. The Chocolate Brownie, served with ice cream and wafer, is gorgeous, but was a bit on the dry side.

Crème Brule at Vintage Bulgaria. (22 January 2017)


Chocolate Brownie at Vintage Bulgaria. (22 January 2017)


All in all, it was a thoroughly satisfying meal, made complete with the warm hospitality of the host and hostess. We enjoyed every moment of it.

My wife and I at Vintage Bulgaria Restaurant & Bar (22 January 2017)

Vintage Bulgaria on Google Maps Street View

Address

Vintage Bulgaria Restaurant & Bar
1E, Jalan Sungai Kelian,
11200 Tanjung Bungah, Penang.
Phone: +60 4 898 1890
GPS: 5.46455, 100.29244

Opening Hours: 5:00pm to 12:00 midnight, closed on Mondays.

Vintage Bulgaria is on the Map of Tanjung Bungah, Penang

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