In May Bucharest will step back in time for the Bucharest of Old festival, celebrating the city as it was 200 years ago. The festivities include parades of 19th-century costumes, rides in horse-drawn carriages, traditional food and musical performances.

I have recently discovered a new website called ‘Pictures of Romania‘. It gives an insight into family life and culture in Romania, with a nice personal touch.

A notable feature is the ‘request a picture’ page.

Crama Sibiul Vechi (The Old Sibiu Restaurant), A.Papiu Ilarian nr.3, Tel. +40-269-210461.. Celler/basement restaurant offering traditional Romanian cuisine at reasonable prices.

More Coming Soon…

Delivery & Take Away

• Tutta Pasta, Phone: +40 (0) 268.424.888,http://www.tuttapasta.ro/. A “pasta only” delivery and take-away restaurant offering thirty original pasta recipes cooked by their experienced Italian chef.
• Tasty Meat, Phone: +40 (0) 268.423.888, http://www.tastymeat.ro/. A fixed price budget menu composed by a beef, pork or chicken main course combined with a selection of potatoes and vegetables and delivered right to your door.

Budget

• Ando’s – On 15 noiembre street, close to the centre. Ando’s is a fastfood restaurant, that offers menus and sandwiches (only chicken) at very low prices.
• Panini – Also on 15 noiembre (nr. 35) is a 24/7 fastfood restaurant, with great sandwiches for incredibly low prices.

Tip: Right in the city center is a food supermarket, “Hard Discount” opened non-stop. Cheap and good food there. Also, nearby and and around the corner is Kebab House, serving doner kebap non-stop. Ask locals for other non-stop food stores.

Mid-range

• Roata Norocului – Romanian food restaurant. It has small prices and serves good quality, typical Romanian food. Good and fast service. You will notice it is quite popular and crowded. It is located in an old house and the surroundings on Crisan Street, no 6. It is easily accesible on foot, 10 minutes away walking from Livada Postei. For more information check www.roata-norocului.ro (in Romanian).

More Expensive

• La Republique – Str. Republicii No. 33. It’s a nice French-themed pub serving a wide range of crepes, both sweet and sour. It’s a chain, so you might find it somewhere else. It’s the cheapest way to eat something good in the historical center.
• Bistro de l’Arte – Piata George Enescu No. 11 (right in the city center). A rather classy restaurant with dining rooms which reminiscence wine cellars. Many paintings by local artists can be seen on the walls. The menu is very rich, with a mostly French cuisine.
• Sura Dacilor – Poiana Brasov (right off the main road in the resort when coming from Brasov). The interior is richly decorated with furs and other Dacian stuff. The menu features “Urs la tava”, i.e. bear.

• Taj Indian Restaurant, (Calea 13 Septembrie, 127-131), Sector 5, Bucuresti, Near Marriott hotel, Phone: 410.18.20, http://www.tajrestaurant.ro, Hours: 12.00 – 24.00. Good Indian restaurant near Marriott hotel. A good place to be for vegetarians specially. There are not too many vegetarian friendly places in Bucharest, a few Indian restaurants and a one or two other vegetarian friendly restaurants. The restaurant in Intercontinental also serve some vegetarian dishes. Price: little pricey.
• POEM Restaurant, Suter Str. 23-25 (in the Carol park area), +40-21-3363377,. Bucharest’s most exclusive restaurant, in the famously elegant CPH atmosphere. Excellent international chefs, but very pricey.
• Red Lion Cafe, strada Academiei 1A (in the Universitatii area). Nice atmosphere, budget prices, very good pizza.
• Jariştea, strada George Georgescu 50 – 52 (near the crossroad of Regina Maria Blvd. and Libertatii Blvd), +40 021 335 33 38 (mailto:stabiliment@jaristea.ro),, M-Su 11AM -last customer. Beautiful historically themed restaurant, live traditional music, old Romanian specialties…but always check the bill thoroughly. Reservations are compulsory.
• Burebista (vânătoresc), strada Batiştei 14 (in front of the US embassy, near the National Theater), +40 021 211 89 29 (mailto:restaurant@restaurantburebista.ro),. The hunting orientated place of the Burebista restaurant chain, it has bear, wild boar, venison etc. specialties at relatively affordable prices.
• Cafeanua Actorilor, aka the Actor’s Cafe, strada Batiste (located at the National Theater). Attracts a lot of Americans, because of good food, and the U.S. Embassy and Intercontinental are right across the street. The salads, especially the one called “Act II” is a meal all by itself. Service tends to be excruciatingly slow, driving away many locals.
• Chelsea Bistro-Cafe, Str. Joule Michelet nr. 9, just off B-dul Magheru about halfway between Piaţa Romana and Piaţa Universitatii, Phone: 0788 330 130, 0788 330 129, 317 33 78. Offers many different kinds of pizza and a wide variety of drinks. Price: 14-28 lei/32 cm pizza.
• La Mama (6 outlets around Bucharest, Barbu Vacarescu 3, Delea Veche 51, Episcopiei 9, and Carrefour Orhideea being the largest ones, +40-21-2124086) – a favorite amongst locals, focusing on traditional Romanian food. Reasonable prices (and the standard by which most locals would grade restaurants).
• Cuptorul cu lemne, B-dul Pache Protopopescu nr. 63, +40-21-2522414, another favorite with locals, having one of the best pizzas in Romania. A nice pizza place with a nice outdoor summer garden and a relaxed atmosphere (the restaurant also houses a caricature club). Low prices. Tends to be very crowded during weekends.
• City Grill, a chain of steak restaurants (7 locations in Bucharest), usually frequented by locals during the lunch break. One of the few places in Bucharest selling natural grape juice (must). Prices slightly higher than average, but with larger portions than average.
• Casa di David, Soseaua Nordului nr. 7-9, Tel. 021/ 232 47 15. Opened in 2005, it is a hangout of the city’s nouveau riche. It comes complete with a German car ads at the entrance and an extensive wine list. Food (Italian inspired) and ambience are at best good, but portions are small and prices are far above average for Bucharest. A 3-course meal for two with local wine will set you back over 400 Lei.
• Shark, (Turkish restaurant), Strada Buzeşti nr. 35, just off Piaţa Buzeşti near the MacDonald’s there, Phone: +4021 312 31 44, 312 31 55, 312 31 66, Hours: 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. You choose cafeteria-style from the tasty, often spicy Turkish specialties on display, then they are served at your table. The amiable and gracious multilingual host will aid you. No alcohol. Price: 20-40 lei/person.
• Rossetya, 9 Str Dimitrie Bolintineanu, classic style restaurant with prices a bit higher than average, but with a very neat and cultivated atmosphere, outstandingly friendly english-speaking personnel, high food quality.
• Silviu’s Restaurant, 44,Louis Pasteur Street, cotroceni, gabil74@hotmail.com, Hours: 11a.m. to 1a.m.. unique location,excellent cuisine,outstanding service,near Bucharest Opera House and Cotroceni Presidential Palace Price: 20-40 euro.
• L’Harmattan, 56, Str Franceza, cotroceni, 3141250,  0723248810, resto-lharmattan@clicknet.ro, Hours: Monday-Thurs: 18-23,Fri,  Sat: 12-23, Sun: Closed. Average French-Moroccan food.