Tsar Ivan Shishman street is for sure one of the streets in Sofia with lots of tiny & trendy bars, restaurants, and take-outs. Hidden behind the Bilkova bar, the outsides of Takoteka show no signs of what expects you inside. If you’ve enjoyed the Disney movie Coco (2017), then you will definitely like the atmosphere in Takoteka. It looks like a really colorful little Mexican house, just enough to fit one big family. The little details that caught our attention were the salt and pepper bottles (that looked like cacti), the napkin holders coming straight from Día de Muertos (The Mexican Festival of the Dead), and the vibrant pictures on the walls.
Although the atmosphere is so vivid, the small space and the open kitchen really brings comfort and a sense of relaxation. The staff were super friendly both of the times we visited and quite aware of all ingredients and dishes from the menu. We trusted our waiter for the drinks both times – although the Margarita Clasico was a hit, the lemonade with Jamaica Hibiscus definitely outdid it. When it comes to the food, the homemade guacamole with fresh nachos was just out-of-this-world good, although it lacks a bit of spiciness (according to Dimitar).
For the main dish, we went for the Beef Fajita with veggies that came on the table in a sizzling pan and tortillas on the side. Dimitar enjoyed most of it, since I am not a big fan of beef and, on top of that, he got to make a burrito by himself. We have tried the chicken quesadilla on another visit, but frankly, apart from the good presentation, it wasn’t anything special. We both liked the 3 Chicken Enchiladas sooo much, that we had to flip a coin on who gets the third one. They came dipped in a very rich tomato sauce with cilantro and herbs, and had cheese on top. The filling was also quite juicy and had fresh veggies and chicken with just the right amount of spiciness.
*The three images above are owned by Takoteka
Overall, Takoteka is a place worth visiting (and revisiting) if you are a fan of traditional Mexican cuisine, and you don’t feel like going to a 2-storey busy restaurant on Vitosha street. Don’t get fooled, though – it might be unpretentious and small, but it still keeps a standard price range for downtown Sofia. Also, with so much good stuff on the menu, it’s really hard to save money when visiting Takoteka.
