I had half-formed expectations on entering the city(based loosely and embarrassingly on Dracula) and was a little disappointed to discover that this Romanian capital city is less Gothic, and more European, than Bram Stoker led me to believe...
I had half-formed expectations on entering the city(based loosely and embarrassingly on Dracula) and was a little disappointed to discover that this Romanian capital city is less Gothic, and more European, than Bram Stoker led me to believe. I had booked accommodation in Casa Capsa, a popular Bucharest hotel which was recommended by a friend, and was disheartened to see that if I wanted to sample traditional Romanian cuisine, I would have to venture off the beaten track and actively seek out the strange meats and soups which Jonathan Harker raved of to his Mina. Several Bucharest hotels do serve traditional cuisine, but a local informed me that this was tradition watered-down and made more palatable for tourists, and I wanted the genuine article. Wandering down the cobbled streets, I encountered strange and appetising smells, and followed my nose where it pleased. On my first night in the city I ate like a Romanian royal, silky ciorb de burt- that’s tripe soup to you and I- to start, followed by stufat de miel, a rich and fragrant lamb, onion and garlic stew. After a brief interval I made serious headway into succulent stuffed peppers and spicy chiftele de pe_te (fish cakes), and just when I thought I could eat no more, the beaming proprietor presented me with a plate of sugary baklava, accompanied by a fruit brandy, rachiu. I rolled home that night fit to burst. Over the next week, I sampled luscious meat pies, light fish stews, savoury pancakes, rice puddings thick with juicy sultanas, melt-in-your-mouth pastries and a range of sickeningly sweet liqueurs, all brewed seemingly with the intention of intoxicating the drinker as quickly as possible.
Adrian Fisher is a London-based freelance journalist with a mission to make you a better and happier human being. Drawing attention to the peculiarities of life in the modern age is all part of the package.Check out his other articles for everything you need to know about travel destinations.
