Locanta Jaristea has been going since 1991 and has made quite a reputation
along the years. Their intention is to be the "quintessence of old Bucharest restaurants" and such the whole
concept is based around historical Bucharest, with black and white photos covering the walls, dark wood furniture
and traditional woven pieces. The menu was enormous and fun to read; most dishes are accompanied by a commentary
(I don't remember if these were translated into English, I think they were). The dishes were perfectly executed
and I liked everything I ate. As appetizers we ordered eggplant salad and mashed beans with caramelized onions;
the best I've had in a Romanian restaurant so far. Same for the sarmale (cabbage stuffed with rice, meat, and herbs),
they were really good. Then of course there is the entertainment, on every night. Since we dined early we didn't
benefit of the live music, but I heard good things about it. The service was fast. You do need a reservation to
dine here, the place fills up every night. It's more expensive than other traditional restaurants in town but how
much you can spend depends a lot on what you order. Address: Str Georgescu 50-52. Price: Moderate.
