Romania - Eastern Europe - page 520

what inspired the kitchen's bold eclecticism is the setting—an underground cellar of
beautiful vaulted brickwork, decorated with lanterns, bits of pottery, and lengths of
rope, and each table outfitted with a red buzzer to alert your waiter. Accept the para-
dox and move on to the house specialties like the popular “Outlaw's Steak” (friptura
haiduceasca), Banat-style escalopes of pork (served with egg and a tangy “brown”
sauce); paprikash stew, made with chicken, pork and bacon; or the Kronstadt ragout.
If you're lucky (and use your buzzer judiciously), you'll be offered free shots of Roma-
nian plum moonshine (palinc â ).
Pia$a Sfatului 19. & 0268/47-7946. Reservations essential. Main courses L9.50-L44 ($3.40-$16/£1.85-£3.10).
MC, V. Daily noon-11pm.
Butoiul Sasului SAXON TRANSYLVANIAN/ECLECTIC In many ways,
the “Saxon Barrel” may just be Bra @ ov's least pretentious restaurant; the waiters are
always smiling and helpful, and at night there's bound to be some great local music
performed live (sit in the off-street courtyard to best appreciate this). The food is tra-
ditional Saxon Transylvanian, so there's plenty of sauerkraut and pork. Also available
are two-person platters with hearty portions of spareribs and pork chops, or a mix grill
plate of chops, smoked and salted meats, and sausages. If you want something cheap
and down-home, ask for the leg of pork with beans—it's simple, succulent, and very
filling. There's also filet of cod and grilled trout if you're looking for something a lit-
tle lighter. You can order a liter of house wine for L18 ($6.50/£3.50), and there are
some pricier vintages from the Prahova Valley, which are well worth sampling.
Str. Republicii 53-55. & 0268/41-0499 or 0745-315-936. Reservations recommended. Main courses L9-L20
($3.25-$7.20/£1.75-£3.85); platters for 2 L33-L39 ($12-$14/£6.35-£7.50). MC, V. Daily 11am-midnight.
Casa Hirscher ITALIAN Occupying the back end of the famous “House of
Trade” established by Apollonia Hirscher in 1545, this is a slightly upmarket bistro,
with an outdoor courtyard. Outdoing the multifarious nearby venues flaunting Ital-
ian cuisine, dishes here are authentic and excellent. Try their homemade specialties:
tortelloni r î pieni con melanzane (pasta stuffed with eggplant, mussels, and pesto), or
tagliolini san Daniele, made with sliced Italian ham, cream, Parmesan, and poppies.
Fish lovers can choose from dorado, sole, trout, and pikeperch, all perfectly prepared,
as is the beef filet with a cabernet sauce. There's also tasty roast deer, and melt-in-the-
mouth oven-baked lamb, served with seasonal vegetables.
Pia$a Sfatului 12-14, entrance on Str. Apollonia Hirscher. & 0268/41-0533. www.casahirscher.ro. Main courses
L9.90-L43 ($3.50-$15/£1.90-£8.25). MC, V. Daily noon-midnight.
Sergiana TRANSYLVANIAN Diners can choose from a variety of nooks and
crannies in this cozy underground eatery; waiters are decked out in camp Germanic
outfits, while at night there's a roaming ensemble serenading with old peasant tunes.
Topping the list of popular dishes is deer calf with wildberry and hazelnut sauce,
served with rice. Other recommendations for staunch meat-eaters is the Ceaunu lu
Tu @ a proptit în varz â@ i m â lai, a hearty plate of smoked sausages, ribs, and pork pas-
trami, served with polenta and sauerkraut, and all smothered with a healthy amount
of freshly sliced garlic. You can forgo the sauerkraut in favor of a fresh salad. There's
good wild boar stew, salmon prepared in wine, and a tasty pastry of pikeperch, served
with grape and lemon sauce. Leave space for the sweet cheese dumplings, served with
sour cream and jam. Order a bottle from the Murfatlar Winery from the fair-priced
wine list.