Fragrant mussels in a creamy garlic and dill sauce are served in paper buckets and cardboard trays, striking the perfect balance between convenience and visual appeal. Inside, tender mussels are generously coated in a rich, velvety cream sauce infused with the bold aroma of garlic and the fresh, herbal notes of dill. The sauce envelops each shell, seeping inside to deliver a deep, satisfying flavor and silky texture.

The dish is accompanied by lemon wedges, offering a burst of citrus brightness to complement the creamy richness. Visually abundant and irresistibly appetizing, it's an ideal choice for street food festivals or cozy outdoor gatherings.

Our plov isn’t just rice with meat - it’s a story carried across countries, markets, and family traditions.
It’s cooked by a man who learned the craft back home, watching his father prepare plov for weddings, village gatherings, and long summer evenings when neighbors would come over without calling first. In his family, plov wasn’t a recipe - it was an event, a ritual that brought people together.
He grew up helping: first washing the rice, then peeling the carrots, then guarding the kazan while the meat browned over open fire. With time, he learned the quiet secrets - how to balance the spices, when to add the garlic, how to listen to the boil to know if the heat is right. Those things you can’t find on YouTube.
Years later, life brought him to the Netherlands. But he brought the kazan with him - and the memory of how plov should smell when it’s done right. At the festival, he cooks it exactly the way he learned: over real fire, in thick cast iron, with deep golden carrots, tender meat, and rice that absorbs every note of spice and smoke.
When you try it, you taste more than a dish - you taste a story, a childhood, and a tradition that survived the journey.

At our festival, you’ll find a shawarma that carries the true spirit of Odessa street food - juicy, bold, and unforgettable.
It’s made by a man who once worked the grill at the iconic “U Zakhara” spot on Tairovo, a place every Odessan knows by heart. Back then, he fed endless late-night crowds, mastering the balance of meat, spices, sauces, heat, and humor - the essential ingredients of real Odessa shawarma.
Years later, life brought him to the Netherlands, but he carried that taste with him - not in a recipe book, but in his hands and memory. Now he prepares this legendary shawarma right here at SaloFest: thinly sliced chicken roasted over open heat, wrapped in a soft lavash, packed generously the way Odessa loves it, and finished with a signature sauce that instantly brings back the warmth of home.
It’s not just food - it’s a story, a nostalgia, and a piece of Odessa served hot.

Our Pumpkin Samsa is a small pastry with a big story behind it.
The recipe comes from the baker’s grandmother, who made these golden triangles every autumn when the first cold winds arrived. She believed that pumpkin carried warmth - not just in flavor, but in spirit - and that a home filled with the smell of freshly baked samsa would never feel lonely.
Today that same tradition lives on here at the festival.
The samsa is made by hand: thin dough folded into crisp layers, a filling of sweet pumpkin slow-cooked with spices, and a buttery top that browns beautifully in the heat of the tandoor. The flavor is both comforting and festive — soft sweetness, a hint of earthiness, and warmth in every bite.
It’s the kind of snack that reminds you of childhood evenings, warm kitchens, and people who cooked with love, not timers.

Our Tatar Belyash is more than just a fried pie - it’s a recipe carried through generations, shared from family kitchens to festive gatherings.
The cook who makes it learned the craft from his Tatar relatives, who treated belyash not simply as food, but as a symbol of hospitality. In their home, the aroma of sizzling dough meant one thing: guests were welcome and no one would leave hungry.
The dough is kneaded softly by hand, the way his grandmother taught him - “don’t rush it, let it breathe.” Inside goes a hearty filling of seasoned meat and onions, packed generously and sealed in a round, warm shape that puffs beautifully in the pan. The first bite releases a burst of rich, savory juice - the trademark of a true Tatar belyash.
Made fresh at the festival, it tastes exactly like it should:
crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of comfort and tradition.

Our pork neck shashlik isn’t just a dish - it’s the signature taste of Vasiliadi BBQ, the one our guests return for again and again.
This is the recipe that built our reputation: thick cuts of pork neck marinated for hours, grilled over real charcoal, and served the way it was meant to be - juicy, smoky, tender, and unforgettable.
But the true essence of this shashlik goes deeper.
It carries a value that has always been at the core of Vasiliadi BBQ: bringing people together.
Back home, this dish was never cooked for one person - it was made for the whole yard, for neighbors, for big family tables, for long evenings when laughter mixed with the smell of fire. It was food that turned strangers into friends and friends into family.
At the festival, that same spirit lives on.
When the aroma of pork neck shashlik rises from our grills, people instinctively gather around. They talk, they smile, they share plates - the fire does what fire has always done: unites.
This is our top dish not only because it tastes incredible,
but because it creates moments, connects people, and reminds everyone that the best memories are made around the grill.

Banosh is one of the most cherished dishes of Zakarpattia - warm, creamy, and deeply comforting.
Traditionally cooked over open fire in a cast-iron pot, it’s made from rich cornmeal slowly simmered with cream or sour cream until velvety and smooth. On top goes crumbled bryndza, a local sheep cheese with a bright, tangy character that melts beautifully into the warm banosh.
For generations, this dish has been the taste of mountain villages - a symbol of hospitality, simplicity, and the richness of local ingredients.
Banosh isn’t just food; it’s the warmth of a Zakarpattia home in one bowl.

Our classic red mulled wine is the very essence of winter comfort.
Slowly heated with slices of sweet oranges, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and a hint of star anise, it fills the air with deep, festive aroma. Each sip is warm and velvety - rich red wine blended with citrus brightness and gentle spice.
This drink isn’t just about flavor; it’s about atmosphere.
It feels like cold hands thawing near a fire, conversations under winter lights, and the cozy magic that only a true holiday market can bring.
A cup of this mulled wine is warmth you can hold.

It is a delicate, refined drink where white wine reveals itself in a completely new way. The gentle sweetness of ripe pears blends with soft citrus notes and a subtle hint of vanilla, creating a flavor that warms you while remaining beautifully light.
Unlike the classic red mulled wine, this version is clear, bright, and incredibly elegant. A touch of cinnamon and clove adds warmth without overpowering the natural fruit sweetness. The drink feels smooth, rounded, almost creamy — perfect for cozy winter evenings and festive markets.
This is the kind of mulled wine people love when they want warmth without heaviness — light, fragrant, and irresistibly pleasant in every sip.

A steaming mug of non-alcoholic mulled cherry drink glows like a ruby in the winter light.
Thick, rich cherry juice fills the air with a bright berry aroma — warm, cozy, and irresistibly inviting. Orange slices, star anise, and cinnamon sticks float lazily in the drink, releasing their spices right in the cup.
This is a drink that warms you not with alcohol, but with atmosphere: soft, fruity, with a gentle tang of ripe cherries and the delicate sweetness of honey or cane sugar. It makes the evening brighter, your hands warmer, and your mood more festive.
It’s the kind of drink you want to enjoy at a frosty festival, by a fire, or simply at home under a blanket — it creates a sense of comfort and winter magic in every sip.

Bograch is a legendary dish of the Hungarian-influenced villages of Zakarpattia - a thick, aromatic stew cooked slowly over open flame in a heavy bograch kettle.
Made with tender beef or pork, fragrant paprika, root vegetables, and spices, it develops a deep, rich flavor that can only come from long simmering and real fire.
This dish was born on shepherd routes and village gatherings, where people cooked together outdoors, sharing food straight from the cauldron.
Bograch carries that same spirit today - hearty, smoky, warming, and full of the mountain character of Zakarpattia.

Our chicken shashlik is all about softness, aroma, and the kind of flavor that feels both light and satisfying.
The cook who prepares it learned this recipe years ago while helping his uncle at family picnics - the uncle who believed that chicken must never be dry and that a good marinade is like a promise: you put your time into it, and it always pays back.
Back then, the marinade was mixed in simple enamel bowls: yogurt or kefir for tenderness, spices crushed right on the cutting board, garlic sliced thin enough to melt on the grill, and onions massaged into the chicken until it absorbed every bit of flavor. The rule was simple - “Let it rest. Good things need time.”
Today, that same philosophy lives on at the festival.
The chicken is marinated for hours, then grilled over real charcoal, developing a light smoky crust while staying incredibly juicy inside. Each skewer comes off the flame tender, fragrant, and full of warmth - the kind of shashlik people reach for first when they want something flavorful but not heavy.
It’s comfort food with heritage -
simple, honest, and made the right way.