I love trying unfamiliar food from new countries I haven’t tried before. Surprisingly, downtown Fairbanks had a Moldovan restaurant called Soba. It caught my attention because that is also the name of buckwheat noodles. Soba was established in 2018 by a young couple newly immigrated from Moldova. It was warm and cozy, and really busy for such a niche cuisine.
Moldova is located in Eastern Europe, between Romania and Ukraine. Being a formerly Soviet-controlled country like Latvia, I assumed that they would have pierogi. And they did. Pelmeni: Dumplings with minced pork and beef, served with sour cream.
Like the Baltics, the cuisine is also mostly meat and potatoes, as well as Mediterranean vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes. It is also heavy on the garlic and dill. There are a few surprises like crawfish and salmon, which may just be a reflection of the area. Anne ordered Salată de Varză: Salad made with freshly – cut green cabbage, peas and green onions with a light dressing.
She also got a side of mashed potatoes with a creamy mushroom sauce and was in heaven.
There was a mild, nonsugary, nonalcoholic cherry drink, here alongside my iced tea
I chose Mămăligă: corn polenta served with stewed pork, scrambled eggs, sour cream, feta cheese and garlic sauce.
