Salad with Cheese, Peppers, and Onions

The salad of cheese, peppers, and onions is a staple of Balkan cuisine, most famously represented by Bulgaria’s shopska salad, which typically pairs tomatoes and cucumbers with the triad. At Mehana Vitosha in Doncaster, as highlighted on *Only Scrans*, the dish appears in a more focused form—white brine cheese (such as sirene or feta), sliced bell peppers, and raw or lightly pickled onions. A great version relies on the contrast between the creamy, salty cheese, the sweet crunch of ripe peppers, and the sharp bite of fresh onion. The cheese should be crumbled or cubed, not melted, and the vegetables should be crisp and unmarinated to preserve texture. Regional variations abound: in Serbia, a similar combination might include roasted peppers and soft kajmak cheese; in Turkey, it appears as a *çoban salatası* without cheese, but feta is often added. In Greece, the trio becomes a *horiatiki* with olives and oregano, while in the Levant, sumac and lemon dress the same core ingredients. The simplicity of the dish makes quality paramount—only the freshest peppers, a young but tangy cheese, and a light hand with seasoning (salt, black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil) separate the mediocre from the sublime. *Only Scrans*’s mention at Mehana Vitosha affirms its place as a clean, satisfying starter in a hearty pub or tavern setting, rooted in a tradition that values the integrity of each component.