TAJ MAHAL: WELCOME TO A UNIVERSE OF AUTHENTIC TASTES

What happens when an entrepreneurial young man with a passion for travelling to exotic destinations and a love for authentic food decides to open an Indian restaurant in a place where few people have ever tried this cuisine? In many cases, it might be the perfect recipe for disaster. In the case of Martin Mazhdrakov, however, this bold step became the first ingredient in a recipe for success.

For 23 years now, Taj Mahal restaurant in central Sofia has withstood the changes in society, tastes, and fashion, while unwaveringly offering delicious, splendid, authentic Indian food. Made by experienced Indian chefs with specially imported ingredients, Taj Mahal is a love letter to good food, human connection, and discoveries for all the senses. It is hardly a surprise, then, that the restaurant's address has become a favourite haunt for local families, tourists and foodies alike.

Martin Mazhdrakov, the founder of Taj Mahal, is an avid traveller

Martin Mazhdrakov shares more.

You opened Taj Mahal in 2002. How has the restaurant developed over the years? What has changed in it?

When we opened the restaurant 23 years ago, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into or how difficult it would be. Nowadays, in Bulgaria, we are getting used to having foreign workers, and it has become normal for them to be part of our organizations. Back then, it took us nine months just to get a visa for our first chef. Working together with Bulgarian and foreign employees was very difficult because of cultural and language differences.

We probably made every possible mistake in our development at least once.

Now, after 23 years, we have the confidence that we know what we are doing and can offer our clients high-quality and delicious food. We have developed our delivery service, and now anyone living in Sofia can enjoy tasty and warm Indian food at their own table.

We have also created children's menus that are not spicy or heavily seasoned, so that everyone of our customers can provide dinner for their entire family.

How do you always manage to maintain excellent quality in both the food and the service?

That is not easy at all, considering the high staff turnover in the industry. Fortunately, we do not have this problem with our chefs – they have been with us since the very beginning. Our head chef has been with us since the restaurant opened.

We invest a lot of time and effort in staff training so that, in addition to the food being delicious, it is also served properly, and our clients always receive dishes of consistently high quality.

To what extent are the dishes on your menu authentic, and to what extent are they adapted to the European taste?

All the spices used in our dishes are the same as those used in India. We import them directly from there. Naturally, the dishes are not as spicy as in India, but they can be made so upon our clients' request.

We can say without false modesty that most of our clients from other countries who are familiar with Indian cuisine tell us that Taj Mahal is the best Indian restaurant outside of India they have ever visited.

Which dishes from the menu would you recommend if we want something different from beloved classics like tikka masala?

Personally, I really like the variety of our vegetarian dishes. I recommend trying all the biryanis, as well as our authentic Indian bread.

Why do you think people from all continents love Indian cuisine? What kind of experience does it offer them?

Indian cuisine is extremely diverse in terms of flavors. It is also very healthy. Our dishes stand out both with their taste and preparation. For Indians, eating is not just about satisfying hunger – I would say it is the most important part of their daily life. They place great value on eating healthy and always having high-quality food on their table. Over the years, we have tried to provide that same food and authentic experience in our restaurant.

Sofia, 11 Eleventh August St
tajmahal.bg@gmail.com 
bookings: 0876 600 776
tajmahal.bg