In every good idea there are usually very nice people involved, and we are on their tracks everywhere in town.
"Jenski pazar" in Sofia is a colorful place that attracts with its authenticity. We go there for the good choice of fruits, vegetables and flowers, or because of the exotic spices in the Arabian shops around. Good food has always had the power to bring people together. This time it is the occasion for a wonderful sunny afternoon at this vibrant and colorful place in the city.
Oryza Food Truck is parked in the center of one of the oldest markets in Sofia. Mathea Ilieva is waiting for us there, with a captivating smile and a cup of home-made lemonade. She is responsible for the Marketing and Communication of Oryza.bg project. With her positivism and good energy, Mathea is an absolute ambassador of good. In this case, she tells us about the idea behind Oryza and the message of chef Andre Tokev about the shared emotions around food.
We know Chef Tokev for his mission to deliver gourmet pleasures to connoisseurs of good food. His first step in this direction has been made in a refined style at his restaurant Andre's in Sofia. The following one is Bistro Moments, which has a slightly more relaxed atmosphere and a different feeling. And the latter is Oryza, born as an idea when he decides to create a healthier option for street food that is currently available in our country.
According to him, food has its own language that does not require words. Everything comes to the simple communication of feelings. The joy of sharing dinner after a long day's work. Caring for a loved one. The excitement to learn a family recipe. The happiness of giving food to a person in need. The pleasure to meet nice people gathered around a delicious meal. This is the language of food!
For Oryza, Chef Tokev has mastered all recipes without gluten and lactose, with only Bulgarian seasonal products. The menu is varied and includes a base of three types of rice: white, wholegrain and black Imperial rice, which may be combined with chicken, fish, pork, shrimp or vegetarian recipe.
Choosing the type of rice is a matter of taste, and it is advisable to try each of the different combinations in order to find your favorite one. Talking to Mathea, I quickly discovered my one - wholegrain rice with beef and sauce with 5 Asian spices. I could not miss the dessert either. In fact, the cup of rice with coconut milk and seasonal fruit looked so good that I started my rice feast with it.
Good people are committed to good causes. Mathea tells us about Oryza's other initiatives, such as trying to work without any plastic - only with environmentally friendly and bio-compostable materials. They also organize a work shop where they make seed bombs - balls of clay, seeds and soil that can be planted everywhere. Flowers grow out of them, so that there are more bees in the city. Mathea is happy that she works with a great team and has a lot of followers. The team's message for a more fulfilling way of life, a cleaner city and more feelings in everything we do, reaches so many people in direct contact on the street.
At oryza.bg we expect to find the summer locations of the most deliciously prepared rice on wheels. Apart from the two spots in Sofia, Oryza Food Truck will also be available at several festivals in Plovdiv and at our Black Sea coast.
We wish you a balanced, ricie and splendid summer!