Yeon Kwak’s photo
Dimitar Gerov and Heather Gerova welcome diners at Border Stop.
S.Tateline, Idaho is a blip on the travel radarwith fewer than 40 residents, numerous gas stations, and several entertainment venues (strip clubs, biker bars, country and western dance halls, and racetracks), contributing to the border town’s tumultuous reputation. French crepes and authentic Bulgarian cuisine may not be what you’d expect, but that’s what The Border Stop has to offer.
“Everyone is really excited about the variety of cuisines in the area,” said Dimitar Gerof, who opened Border Stop with his wife Heather Gerova this spring.
bulgarian food teeth No, but it’s also familiar as part of the Balkan region. With Bulgaria bordering the Black Sea to the east and Turkey, Greece and North Macedonia to the south, some of the flavors on Border Stop’s menu are reminiscent of Mediterranean cuisine. Serbia and Romania are to the west and north of Bulgaria respectively, but they also incorporate Slavic elements into their cuisine.
of Princess For example, ($8-$12) is one of several open-faced grilled sandwiches that you might see on a typical Bulgarian breakfast menu or street vendor cart. Classic ($12) features seasoned pork, beef, and onions with sharp white cheddar cheese; Vulcan ($11) features salami, sharp white cheddar, Bulgarian seasoning, Rutenicarich seasoning of tomatoes and roasted red peppers.
“Rutenitsa varies from region to region and family to family, and each family has its own recipe, passed down from generation to generation,” says Gerov.
The red chili pepper he was accustomed to Piperka It has sweet, nutty notes similar to Spanish Piquillobut with more heat.
Gerov regularly imports ingredients to capture the authenticity of the Bulgarian cuisine he grew up with. For example, he brings in Bulgarian Organic His Feta His Cheese, made “the old fashioned way” and topped with Garlic His Bread ($7). shop ska Cucumber, Kalamata Olive, Tomato, and Pepper Salad ($10.50). Banitsaa delicious cheese-filled pie only available on the sampler plate ($13).
Banitsais a Bulgarian word that combines flaky phyllo pastry dough, Bulgarian yogurt, eggs and feta cheese, explains Gerova. Because it’s so laborious, she makes it much smaller than how it’s traditionally served and pairs it with garlic bread on a sampler plate. Rutenica When salmathe Greek dolmades or the Bulgarian answer to stuffed vine leaves.
T.Border stop is above A1 A smoke shop in a space previously used by the previous owner as a cigar shop and wine bar.
Despite its unusual location, the interior of the restaurant is cozy and inviting. Half a wall of the main dining and bar area overlooks the smoke shop below, but is unobtrusive. Black ceilings, spiral resin top tables, dim lighting, artificial plants, and jazz playing from overhead speakers create a soothing atmosphere. There are TVs behind the bar, but instead of the cacophony of sporting events, spectacular mountain scenes are shown on a continuous loop.
Look for rotating local breweries, according to Gerov, for more German beers ahead of Oktoberfest, along with “the occasional sneaky pilsner from Europe.” The wine list is modest, with a few from France and New Zealand, but slowly adding more bottles.
Outside, Border Stop has a patio and hosts occasional live music.
A restaurant’s Facebook page is a good place to check out events and the latest food specials. kebapche OR Grilled Bulgarian Kebabs ($10.50) OR Terraratorcold Bulgarian yogurt, cucumber and dill soup ($5).
Yeon Kwak’s photo
of shop ska The salad uses Bulgarian cheese.
Gerova does most of the cooking at Border Stop, what we learned from sources: Dimitar’s mother and his grandmother, or Baba. No one wrote anything down, Jerova says.
“[Dimitar] She said she went to her grandma’s culinary school,” says Heather, who met Dimitar in her hometown of Alaska.
The couple, who moved to Liberty Lake in 2019, tried Baba’s recipe for Bulgarian yogurt, but never fully mastered it. he adds, and the Bulgarians offer it all together.
“As you can imagine from its history, yogurt is very important in Bulgarian culture,” he adds.
Fun Fact: Bulgarian scientist Stamen Grigorov lactic acid bulgaricusA bacterium that magically transforms milk into yogurt.
Baba may be the originator of most of the recipes on Border Stop’s menu, but Dimitar’s mother is the inspiration for the crepes.
“I use my mom’s recipe for crepes,” says Gerov. He says it’s a family secret and includes “this and a little bit.”
Border Stop offers about 20 different sweet and savory crepes. Cubano ($12) with Swiss cheese, ham and pickled dill; Chicken Shawarma ($14) with Middle Eastern spiced chopped chicken and Alto Elvis ($11) with banana, peanut butter and honey , there is also a familiar combination. Others reflect more unusual ingredients, such as homemade cream and Oreo Cookie Crepes ($12).
“We sell what we want to eat,” says Gerov. ♦
The Border Stop • 7200 W. Seltice Way, #2 (in A1 Smoke Shop), Post Falls • Hours of Operation: Wed-Fri noon-8pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 10am-5pm. Hours • theborderstop.com • 208 -619-6856
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