Slaviya opened in April in the old LeftBank space, but I hadn’t been until last night. When I walked in, the restaurant was virtually empty – except, of course, for about two dozen people crowded around the dance floor. You see, Tuesday nights are Argentinian “Tango Night” at this (primarily) Bulgarian restaurant.
Slaviya has a good selection of Bulgarian beers. They were out of the Shumensko (there is probably only one distributor in town), so instead I got a good, malty, Pilsner-like Kamenitza ($7 for 500 ml). I sat there, alone at the bar, mesmerized by the dancers.
Not because they were great dancers, but because they weren’t. Anyone with an inkling to tango (it takes two, btw) should not hesitate to come here, even if they’re a raw beginner. When the accordion piece came on, the wallflowers migrated to the floor, and twelve couples were happily dancing in concert.
And, also on Tuesday nights, there’s half-price Balkan Grill from 5:30-10 PM, featuring six different items.