Food and a home atmosphere aren’t the only things customers will encounter at Boby Mitov’s restaurant downtown – they will also leave with some European knowledge.

Naslada Bistro is a full-service restaurant which first started as a small eatery at Woodland Mall in 2003. After moving to Bulgaria with his wife, it made him create a European experience for everyone to enjoy.

His restaurant lets him show Ohioans another aspect of pure and delicious food, he said.

“I want to educate people with some healthy food,” Mitov said. “I try to have flavor and a healthy meal.”

He said he fell in love with the Bowling Green community which allows students and faculty to have a taste of the European culture.

“I try to give [customers] a different experience, [allowing them] to try something new and exciting,” Mitov said.

The University is one reason why Mitov moved his business closer to the downtown area, he said.

His wife received a job at the University, which made the move more convenient. The fast-paced college town containing fast food restaurants allowed him to create a family restaurant making people feel at home, he said.

Since there were only a few family restaurants in town, he was able to seize the opportunity to create his own restaurant.

“Everything is made from scratch,” Mitov said. “I don’t know anything about pre-packaged stuff, but raw ingredients are used to make your meal.”

He said he supports local farmers and organic foods when cooking gourmet meals because of the great quality. He wants to instill the healthy habits in each customer that visits.

“I support local farmers and whatever I buy is from local farmers markets,” Mitov said. “You are what you eat.”

Trina Friedberg, cook, makes food when she is on duty.

“He loves to know how everything’s made and how everything’s grown,” Friedberg said. “Boby’s outlook on food is that it is an experience.”

Friedberg said that Mitov is a very particular cook. The right pairings of foods and their garnishes are important details. He wants every dish to have the same European flavors so every customer has similar experiences no matter what the meal is.

The restaurant’s main customers consist of faculty and staff due to some high prices. However, the bistro becomes more crowded when students dine with their dates, Friedberg said.

“We get a ton of date nights,” Friedberg said. “It’s a really nice meal and the price is just enough that it’s impressive but it’s not breaking the bank.”

Even though students don’t always visit the restaurant, they are coming across it in different ways.

Senior Liz Nahrstedt happened to stumble across the restaurant after searching for places to eat around town on her smartphone app.

“I really don’t know or have heard a lot about it,” Nahrstedt said. “But I’m sure it’s a cool place.”

While summer classes are still in session, Mitov said he would love to see more students stop by.

“We see more faculty members, which is great but I would love to see more students as well,” he said.

Employee Austin Nickle explained why students should visit and continue to come back.

“It’s quick and convenient and we have a unique blend [for food],” Nickle said. “We also have great panini’s.”

Nickle said that he hates going to fast food restaurants to overpay for food, when students can dine at the restaurant and eat great quality food.

“The variety of options is unlike anywhere else around campus,” Friedberg said.