Little Bucharest Bistro

Romania is known for two things, vampires and goulash. Little Bucharest Bistro, named for the capitol of Romania, has some very good goulash but I saw no vampires when I was there over the weekend. The building is trimmed in orange and has a very old world look. The dining area is large and very open with brick walls, white tablecloth covered tables, and hardwood floors. There was also a wall decoration that was lit with a fire decoration and framed with carved stone that looks like clouds or feathers. The decoration was surrounded on each side with stained glass windows. The decoration looks very nice but being a Romanian Restaurant, I thought (not very seriously) that the entrance could be an entrance to a crypt. We arrived early and were able to sit anywhere so I chose a seat by one of the large windows. Our waitress was very friendly but she did have a little trouble with English so she was helped by the owner, Branko Podrumedic, who is very friendly, lively, and interested in his customers. We ordered our dinner and awaited our food. I ordered a Roasted Beet Carpaccio with mixed greens, Spiced Nuts, Goat Cheese, and a Citrus Vinaigrette. The serving size was very large but this is not a complaint because I like the combination of beets and goat cheese and it tasted very good. The beets were a little softer than I prefer but it they were firm enough and it didn't take away much from the dish. Also ordered for appetizers were Roasted Red Peppers with Tomatoes, Cucumber, Garlic, and a vinaigrette and the Bruschetta which used tomatoes, herbs, and Parmesan cheese on grilled bread. which were both good.My entree was a Short Rib Goulash with tomatoes, green beans, and a ricotta gnocchi in a natural jus and pearl onions on top. While I would expect a goulash to contain beef, tomatoes, and pasta, this is a very good upscaling. The short rib was very tender and flavorful, the gnocchi was soft and chewy (in a good way), and the sauce had a nice spice to it. The other entrees were a Sausage-Stuffed Chicken Thigh with gorgonzola polenta and rustic tomato sauce and a breaded shrimp dish which were both very good.

I really enjoyed myself at this restaurant and will return. The food is good with an interesting spin on Eastern European cuisine, the prices aren't bad, the service was friendly, and I was glad not to see any vampires.