Food & Wine – Food in Romania

Food in Romania: Traditional Romanian cuisine is varied and includes countless dishes, food habits and traditions. Often, Romanian dishes, especially those made on holidays, are made mostly from meat. However, the Romanian cuisine is not lacking of vegetables, cereals, vegetable oils, milk, dairy products. And to not forget the best part, in most Romanian homes you will find sweets made in the house.

The specific cuisine of Muntenia is characterized by diversity, ingenuity and delicacy. She has suffered the Greek and Oriental influences, but also the finesse and refinement of the French and Italian cuisine.

The traditional food in Muntenia is made from tasty food. The soups are made from poultry meat or cow, but also from vegetables, sour with borscht and used with a lot of lees to give them a special taste. The soups, especially vegetables, are improved with rice and eggs. The tripe soup is also highly popular in Muntenia.

Also a very popular food in Romania is “mititei”, grilled ground meat rolls made from a mixture of beef, lamb and pork.

Sauces are usually colored and prepared from tomatoes in summer and broth in winter. The salads are in a very diverse assortment, made from fresh or cooked vegetables, combined with fruits, eggs, cheese, assorted with sauces and especially with mayonnaise.

Another popular foods we can mention are: stew, chicken broth, fish cooked in the oven or roasted with different side dishes, “mamaliga”, a porridge made out of yellow maize flour. The desserts are: pudding, pies, “papanasi”, fruit compotes, and various preparations with whipped cream and chocolate.

Food in Romania: Places where these foods are served

• Hanul lui Manuc – famous since the last century for refined foods. Adress: French street, no.62-64, Bucharest, 030106
• Capsa restaurant-just like the previous one, is a place where you can eat the most diverse dishes. Adress: Victoriei Avenue, no. 36, Bucharest, 030167

Food in Romania: Wines

The most famous vineyard in the Muntenia wine region is Dealu Mare, where some of the most aromatic varieties of red wine are grown: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot or Black Feteasca.

If we go to the northeastern part of the country in Moldavia, we will also find some special dishes. First, on our list are Moldovian minced meat croquette, made from beef and pork.

Another popular food in Romania is Sarma, a dish of grape, cabbage, monk’s rhubarb or chard leaves rolled around a filling usually based on minced meat, or a sweet dish of filo dough wrapped around a filling often of various kinds of chopped nuts.

The Moldavian sarmale have a special flavor and a special way of making them so delicious. This culinary delight does not necessarily have to be kept just for the holidays, they can be prepared anytime.

For all those who ate at their grandmother’s home, there is a special dessert which reminds us of childhood: „Poale-n Brau”, a pie with cheese filling.

Food in Romania: Places where these foods are served

• National-this restitant is renowned for its traditional Bucovinean dishes. Adress: 67, Unirii Square, Radauti

Wines

The wines produced in Moldova are mainly white. Full of grace and elegance, they are distinguished by a discreet flavor of sweetness. The reds, on the other hand, are masculine, but friendly, and very balanced.

Moldovan varieties such as Yellow of Odobesti, Cotnari, Busuioaca de Bohotin, Frâncuşă, Zghihara de Huşi, Fetească Albă or Fetească Regală, as well as foreign varieties such as Italian Riesling, Chardonnay, Traminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat Ottonel are grown in Moldova.

The Transylvanian cuisine suffered through the history of the influence of the Austro-Hungarian cuisine. In Ardeal, a lot of smoked, well-prepared bacon is used, which is consumed throughout the year, even in summer. Transylvanian cuisine is fatty, tasty and peppery, made on the basis of meat and especially pork, vegetables, vegetables, milk and cheese as well as eggs.

Very used in Transylvanian foods, especially in soups, is tarragon. Another type of popular soup in Romania is also the potting soup „Ciorbă de potroace”, a natural remedy for hangover.

If you want to enjoy the tastiest traditional products in Transylvania, visit Transilvania Fest, a festival under the auspices of the Royal House of Romania and Prince Charles of Great Britain, which highlights the multiculturalism of this area. The festival is held every year at the end of September.

Places where these foods are served

• Casa Ferdinand restaurant. Adress: 3 Octavian Goga Square

Wines

Famous varieties grown in Transylvania include Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat Ottonel or Riesling Italian. Here too we will meet the Pink Traminer, a semi-aromatic variety of German origin.

Food in Romania: Dobrogea

In the preparation of the food, many fish are used, the beef and the sheep meat, but also the poultry, cow and pig meat. Dobrogea is rich in vegetables and fruits, milk, cheese and eggs.

Dobrogean cuisine is light, tasty, much oil, butter and margarine are used to prepare them. Sour soup with bors, cabbage jam and vinegar are made of vegetables and especially fish. A lot of fresh vegetable salads are used in the form of salad in combination with eggs, brine and cream.

Places where these foods are served

• Vadu Pescarilor restaurant Adress: Vadu village

Wines

Varieties of wine grown in Murfatlar have a specific flavor, given by the mild and rocky soil, combined with a favorable, warm climate. The winners of this region are white wines: Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Aligoté, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat Ottonel.

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