It is unlikely that anyone would think of having lunch or dinner in the restaurant of a sports complex located on a dusty and sad road between a hospital and an amusement park.

In this case, however, there are many reasons for doing so. It is about the "Maleeva" tennis complex, in which Leo's Pizza Trattoria has been located for a month.

We all know Leo's Pizza, the place where pasta and pizza come closest to the truth. And everything you know and like on "Iskar" street is also here. There are over 30 pizzas, available in whole and half versions, the same number of pastas, from the simplest with butter and parmesan to those with artichoke, truffle pasta, asparagus, vodka sauces.

What's different now?

The new comes with the addition of the word Trattoria to the name of the restaurant and the presence of a new name: Adalberto Bianchi, Leo's father, whom everyone calls Papa. The tandem of two different generations does something very valuable: Leo is in charge of the pastas and pizzas, his desire is to experiment and move them in new directions. Señor Bianchi introduces the old classic country and regional dishes, those that are somehow much more representative of Italian cuisine than the long internationalized pizza and pasta. This is important to mention not because they are some inside "kitchen" stories. Firstly, the business is now family-owned, as it is in most real Italian restaurants, and secondly, because there are few people in Bulgaria who go to a restaurant just because of the one who cooks (unless it's a cousin, for example). In general, the owners and visitors are known, and the most important remains in the shadows. It's high time A was brought to the stage.

In his winter menu, Papa has included Melanzane alla Parmigiana – baked eggplants with tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmigiano. The Tuscan masterpiece Bistecca alla Fiorentina, or the kilogram and 200g portion of meat arrived from Italy, served on a hot stone plate. Trippa alla Romana, or tripe in hot tomato sauce, mint, parmigiano and pecorino. Hot Brasato with beef shank and red wine. For the unpretentious, curious and brave - the ancient Fagioli con le cotiche - beans with pork skins. One of Senor Bianchi's favorite recipes, which you can always order in advance, is Brodetto, which is made with 15 types of fish. This is difficult to achieve here, but a slightly more Bulgarian version of the dish with less and pre-boned fish is possible.

Papa has been living in Bulgaria for 22 years. Kind, sparing of words, obviously with a healthy adventurous spirit and nerves after he decided to leave Ancona in 1989 to go to Burgas, where he opened a restaurant. He made every effort, won many battles, all the time procured products from Italy - from flour to fish. However, until the end, the customers persistently ordered either sprats or mackerel.

The place is not for those looking for privacy, but rather for companies and families. It's also here for those who want to challenge their stomachs, study the limits of taste, risk things even when they think they won't like it. And when the opposite happens, just say: Mille grazie, Rapa!