EAT IN ASIA / Destinations / Other destinations / Europe / Romania
What to eat in a touristic place in Romania?
Are you visiting a touristic spot and suddenly get hungry? And then you are looking briskly for something both local and quick to eat? Romania and Hungary offer some choices too! Mainly sweets or small meat chunks but still, that are good options for trying something new. Skip fries, hot-dogs and burgers! You will get them almost everywhere! Try something local and unforgettable.
Here is a list of some ideas that might help you in your choice. For most of them you will wait only a couple of minutes, so that would be a great time for taking some extra pictures, or just for relaxing and admiring the beauty of the spot. Also, the process of preparation of many of them is interesting, so if you have such an option, observe it!
Sweet bites ideas
Romanian Pancakes – French style crepes
Wide, thin and delicate sweet pancakes are available in almost all places. One might even say that they are as popular as are hot-dogs, burgers and pizza. Sweet versions are the most popular and the most liked ones. And what is inside? Chocolate, nuts, fruits and many more are widely available. A wonderful combination of a dark chocolate and banana slices is something that we like the most. Apart from that, try a nougat filling or a white chocolate one. If possible, pick fresh fruits instead of jams and any canned mixes.
Romanian Lespedes
That is something that we have never met before. For the first glance it looks a little bit like a mix of a big dumpling and a calzone (Italian top dishes for all pizza lovers). However, it has nothing to do with any of them. If I had to compare it with something you would probably know, that would be a special version of a pancake.
The dough is as soft as in pancakes, it is a little bit thicker, and it is served in a calzone shape form. It has sticked edges and is filled with chocolate, nuts or fruits in a sweet option.
Kürtöskalács AKA Chimney Cake – Kolacs
Kolacs are extremely popular in all touristic spots both in Romania and Hungary. Does not matter whether that is a small place, a religious place, close to museums, parks, or castles, with a very high probability you will find them. Kolacs are known under an English name ‘Chimney cake’. This name derives from their shape and look. The length of kolacs depends on place to place, but usually they are 30 to 50 cm long and have a diameter of about 10 to 15 centimeters.
Kolacs are made of flour, yeasts and with added sugar. The preparation takes more time as you need to wait for the dough to raise and then the whole process is also more time consuming – you have to cut the dough into wide stripes and then roll it so that you get a chimney shape.
For the topping, use almost whatever you want. The most popular is cinnamon or chocolate. Apart from that, nuts, coconut flakes or a mix of them create a long list of Kürtöskalács menus
Nougat
Nougat is typical both for countries from the Persian region (Read more about Turkish delights) and for those from the Eastern and Central Europe. Middle East prepares it in a slightly different way than European countries, however, some ingredients are common. Here we should mention sugar, different nuts and egg whites. From region to region, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, chocolate and honey can be added too. Nougat is a very sweet dessert; it is a little bit chewy, however very tender in the texture. It is delicate, soft, and with a plain texture. Nuts are chopped into smaller pieces, however it will never be a nut powder. Sometimes even whole nuts are added. That is usually only in case of hazelnuts or pistachios or in a cheaper version of nougats – peanuts.
Savory and spicy quick bites ideas
Savory pancakes
Savory pancakes are a great option for all that do not like sweets or would like to avoid cold snacks. Although both types of pancakes is served from the pan and a little bit warmed, however, sweet pancakes usually come with cold filling ingredients what makes them cool down very quickly.
Savory pancakes are less popular than these sweet, but in many touristic places and big cities they are widely available. For the filling choose your favorite composition of meat and not-meat ingredients. Cheese, ham, mozzarella, parma ham, sausages, bacon, tuna or egg are just some of many options you will get. Apart from that, vegetables like onion, tomato, rucola, cabbage, bell pepper and olives are also very popular. In some areas, you will also get avocado, chopped, dried tomatoes and hummus.
Some savory pancakes can be prepared with a gluten-free flour and with no lactose. However, that is really rare, and only available in big city centers.
Skewers
Who does not like it? Chicken, pork, beef, or lamb. With potatoes, fries, or just alone. With an Indian style naan bread, pita, ciabatta, or baguette. Almost every way of serving it is good. Skewers with prawns, pineapple, and freshly chopped vegetables. Well grilled, smoked and so smelly! If you miss them, we have good news for you! You can get them in many places in Romania too! Close to castles, fortresses and in the old town of many towns! Especially Bran Castle is the one that offers a lot of warm and fresh food from stalls or small bars. These chicken skewers were well grilled, but still tender and juicy. Five to six meat chops were cut into more or less 3,5 – 4 cm cubes. Each of them was separated by vegetables. Onions, eggplant, bell pepper and mild spices created a good and a very well-balanced composition of textures and aromas. You will appreciate them not only during cold days, but also as a nice snack while entering the Bran Castle area.
Grilled meat
Another option for all meat lovers is grilled meat. However, you will mainly get pork parts like ribs, bacon, knuckle etc. In some places you might find also other parts or even pork steaks, but these parts are relatively rare. Meat is well grilled. It is never raw or medium-raw. Usually, it is done or even well done if we adopt the steak naming convention, but at the same time it is tender. A little less juicy than skewers but still delicate. Add to that baked or grilled potatoes or a slice of a fresh local bread and you will surely be satisfied.
Read more about meat dishes in Romania.
Breakfast
Before a long sightseeing day, nothing is more important than a good breakfast. It is something you cannot skip if you want to fully enjoy the whole day. Be full of a good energy and willing to see whatever is possible, that is what you probably really want. If so, start your day with a cup of coffee or chocolate and a local breakfast. If you tend to prepare all your meals at home, change it at least for one time and try something regional. Try local bread, cheese, meats, cold cuts (Read more about cold cuts and sausages in Romania and Hungary), and pickles. Taste as much as you can as only thanks to that you would be able to say what is really good and what is not. Remember that to some tastes, aromas, spices and herbs you have to get accustomed to before you start liking or even loving them.
Many places offer not only a continental breakfast but also a traditional one. Served with local products and fresh fruits and vegetables they taste wonderfully. Eggs and cheese from local markets, vegetables from neighbors, milk from aunt, and bread made at home. You cannot miss it. Especially in smaller villages, in tiny cities and forgotten villages you will be able to appreciate it.
If you prefer something more European, you will always find something too. Ham, cheese, toasts, cereals, and jam is almost in every hotel. Some places offer a vegan option too. The same goes other diets like a special one for diabetes, lactose-free or gluten-free. Say it well in advance, and they will surely try to do all they can to meet your needs.
Try also something else, something more sophisticated and something you rarely eat. Let yourself try multiple things and boost your energy for the whole day!
