Garfield

On Carnegie Street, deep in the heart of the city, so deep you can’t even hear or feel its pulse, in a neat old house, is snuggled one of the culinary jewels of Sofia. Naturally, we are talking about Aubergine, which for a year now has been living a new life, facing the traditions of the place as it was before but open for new horizons which suit him best. The refreshed garden, the light coming through the windows, the short but very rich menu. And the eternal host - the great ginger cat Garfield. On a wonderful afternoon in June, sitting over a rather tempting portion of trout on a plate and a fresh salad, we had a chat with the shaggy cat about the things in life. The most important things of course.

How are you today Mr. Garfield?
Excellent, as always when I’m here (yawning blissfully). But let’s forget the formalities. The fish tastes better when shared with friends, and friends don’t address each other formally.
Agreed! Shall we order from the new beers of the Polish craft brewery Kormoran?
I’ll have a bowl of water but you should get one. It’s no coincidence that these beers are an honorable presence in the menu for the month - 2 of them are in the top 3 of their styles and the third one is in the top 50 in Ratebeer, and that means a lot. Italy, Austria, and now Poland. The suggestions from these countries are a very precise addition to the already established practice of offering only our native craft beers in the restaurant. I am curious to see which breweries we’ll be hosting in the coming months.
How do you know so much about beer?
Laying around all the people who eat here, I learn a lot. The Wi-Fi is fast and everybody pokes around their phones when they come across something they don’t know. If it’s a group of friends they usually discuss what they’ve just learned. And the world of craft beer is a vast subject.

Are you here often?
What can I tell you - if you had an ergonomic bed which is 50m² in the center of Sofia, but protected from the daily street noise, haste and vanity, with a spacious yard, abundant vegetation and a magnificent cuisine, I suppose you wouldn’t be absent from it for too long either.
What makes Aubergine a loving home for a cat?
The shade in the garden which keeps you quite cool on a hot day. At the same time it lets in a ray of light exactly where I like to take a nap. Besides, after the renovations, even when it is windy or raining, the garden stays dry and cozy. Oh and the food. Yasen Krustev surely knows what he’s doing and everything that comes out of the kitchen is worthy for an aristocratic cat.

And how do you spend your free time here?
I usually come early in the morning. I stretch and do my morning workout. The solid beams are perfect for climbing and scratching. I am not too hot, nor do I get wet if it’s raining. And if you think the Sofia cat bourgeoisie is interested in obsolete traditions like chasing mice, you are dead wrong. We’re in the big city, not in the field. I can easily lay around the yard or on the fence and admire my fur (licks his paw and wipes his face with it). And when the guests arrive I welcome them with an elegant bow and go back to my wooden box with straw, which Deyan and Ivo gave me. It‘s soo purring good, meeeoow!
Sports, food and taking naps - isn’t that a bit boring even for and elegant lazy cat like you?
Watch your language, young man! I might not be a big fan of the unnecessary dynamics, but I am anything but lazy. Actually I am not only a fan of good food and sunny coziness, but I enjoy visual arts as well, you can see the paintings and photographs along the walls of the restaurant. Besides, I admire the calm and enjoyable background music. There is also a book case and I spy on people from the window still when they go through the pages of François Villon, Oscar Wilde, Marquez or Remark, while waiting for their lunch with a glass of good wine or beer in their hand. I recently started seeing some of the young Bulgarian poets… I wonder if their names might start appearing in Aubergine’s little library.

When is the best time to be around?
Look now. It’s quiet in the mornings and I can go about my usual business, while the guests have a cup of coffee and some breakfast. At lunch we have this deal with Yasen, so I inspect what he’s made for the day, whether it’s delicious fish with a side dish, rabbit or beefsteak with mashed potatoes - he knows best. The vegetarian dishes, I hear, are also good but I personally have no interest in them. And at night… well it’s usually crowded, tables are reserved and I don’t want to bother the guests who have come to relax a bit after work. That’s why I retreat to one of my corners and enjoy the quiet music while having a bit of food.
What would make you leave Aubergine?
Leave? I own this place. I’m not crazy - how many places like this do you know in Sofia? Makes you think, doesn’t it? Well now the season is a bit peculiar, so I have to be absent sometimes. Which reminds me - I have to go, because I have a date with a special cat from September 6th Street. I’m planning on bringing her for dinner here someday, then she will be all mine. And you don’t forget to have the cheesecake - it’s legendary for a reason. See you soon! Meow!

Text Ivaylo Alexandrov/ Photography Anton Chalakov