Posted on Tuesday, 17 November 2015

Given the quality of the free continental breakfast served at K+K Elisabeta in Bucharest's Old Town, it was perhaps surprising that my wife and I sought food elsewhere in the Romanian capital. But sampling some of Bucharest's renowned restaurants was the prime reason we chose this city for our four-day getaway.

And as a base for exploring Bucharest's top eateries, K+K was ideally located. It was also great for general access to the old quarter and boasted clean, modern rooms. Ours was an executive double, which might be a little modestly-sized for some, but was ample for us.

As well as ensuring we had all the general information we needed about the city, the friendly staff at K+K were also very helpful as regards finalising our list of restaurants. But what we hoped would be an evening of culinary delights was some way off. In the meantime we would take in some of the city's key sights.

Architectural Appetite

Given the chilly October temperatures outside, it wasn't easy to leave the warm comfort of K+K, but we were soon glad we did. Bucharest is an architectural marvel, comprising stunning neo-classical, Bauhaus and art deco structures. As counterpoint to these captivating buildings, there are also a number of Soviet-style offices, which are alluring in their own way and serve as a great reminder as to how much history Bucharest has seen over the centuries. The beauty of the buildings we saw is even more poignant given the fact they survived two world wars as well as Nicolae Ceaușescu's systemization program. The survival of the magnificent Parliament Palace was especially impressive considering its size.

Bucharest, Romania (vladsogodel/Bigstock.com)

We found the easiest way to get around the city was by Metro, which is very reasonably priced and actually quite safe. We had one or two costly encounters with taxi drivers that encouraged us underground. Some unscrupulous cab firms charge a good deal more than the larger more reputable ones – a fact we discovered a little too late.

The sun came out in the afternoon so we decided to stroll into the northern part of the city, where a number of pretty lakes are located. We found Lake Herăstrău and Lake Floreasca and later visited the well-kept Cișmigiu Gardens, home to a number of elegant black swans.

Prime Steaks & Seafood

Just as we had hoped, all the walking and sightseeing had given us big appetites, so we were keen to locate the first restaurant on our hit-list – the straightforwardly-titled Prime Steaks & Seafood. Google Maps ensured we got ourselves and our rumbling tummies to the desired dinner table.

As dedicated foodies we've seen our fair share of well-designed restaurants in London and the South East – and Prime Steaks & Seafood withstood comparison very well. But such stylish interiors do not always reflect the cooking, as we have found to our cost. Thankfully, our first Bucharest restaurant did not disappoint. We both sampled the Irish Hereford Prime fillet – a dish that certainly deserves at least some of the hype; while perhaps not the world's finest steak as some say, it is nevertheless excellent.

Prime Steaks and Seafood is a non-smoking eatery – a fact that we only became appreciative of when we visited our second restaurant the next day.

the ARTIST

Plenty of review lists identify the ARTIST as one of the very best restaurants in Bucharest, so we were both excited to visit. The clean, modern interior was certainly impressive – but once again we were keen to see if it was a case of style over substance. With a view to getting the full picture, we chose the set-price tasting menu – and were gobsmacked by the quality. Most of the items were bites of local dishes with inventive twists. Apparently the chef changes the menu every month – a fact that may prompt my wife and me to return for a Christmas visit! The only minor downside to this place was the smoking policy – we did get a whiff towards the end of our meal but it didn't detract too much from the otherwise excellent experience.

The London Street Atelier

After the ostentatiousness (and costliness) of the ARTIST, it was lovely to enter the cosy London Street Atelier, where a range of excellent value homemade food was on offer. Despite the name, the cuisine here errs towards Romanian rather the British, although the mouth-watering sausages would do great service to any Toad in the Hole or Bangers and Mash. We visited on a Sunday evening having booked in advance – a wise move – since the little restaurant was packed out. A plus-point of this restaurant's modest size was that it seemed to dissuade smoking.

Lacrimi si Sfinti

For our final evening meal in Bucharest we chose Lacrimi si Sfinti, a thoroughly Romanian establishment that offers a selection of general seafood dishes alongside classic Romanian fare. All dishes are produced using ingredients from the estate of the owner – poet and revolutionary Mircea Dinescu – so we knew we were in for a genuine Romanian experience. Lacrimi si Sfinti appears to be a very local establishment, with affable clientele that grew more affable as the evening wore on – ably assisted by a string quartet that wandered from table to table – and plenty of local wine!

Back for Christmas?

As we got in our airport transfer taxi the next morning – a little defeated by the fruity local red – we agreed our culinary break to Romania's vibrant capital was a big success. We left feeling it deserved its much-vaunted reputation as a centre of Eastern European culinary excellence.

Would we return? Our stomachs were already rumbling at the prospect.

Get a Quote