Just imagine a lazy summer afternoon and a small terrace between two cosy houses, with a relaxed atmosphere. Imagine people chatting forever. That is La Taifas, for Romanians love their taifas, their endless chat. It is part of the national pride and profile, it is part of the local customs and also an important, influent element of the country's GDP (a drawback, but who cares, we are at lunch). And then, while floating in this dreamy world, imagine some dreadful noise coming from the construction site across the street: wake up, my dear, and ask for another pint of house wine, for you are still in Bucharest and not in Southern France!
Well, but what if you go there on a rainy autumn day, on a cold winter afternoon, or on too cool a spring evening? Well, then walk inside (inside the house on your left as you enter the yard), turn right when at the reception desk, say the magic words "Salonul Levantin" if asked by the staff where the hell you are heading, be self-possessed and walk past the saloon and through the reddish door, then up the reddish stairs, then find an available table and sit on pillows. What a pity they do not have water pipes (but I have convinced them to allow me bring my own)! Bookings are recommended especially for the above-mentioned saloon.
The menu (written in chalk on black boars) is similar to what they have at Bistro Athenaeum (for they share the same good management). Apart from those dishes mentioned there, I would recommend the Kofta Levantin or the chiftea levantină in Romanian.
Of an always mumbling and complaining nature, I have a couple of recommendations for the management: green tea with fresh mint leaves served in tall glasses, black tea coming from metal pots from the High Atlas, Syrian water pipes, Damascus-like baklava, Tehran sheep tongue stew served with rice and spices, aaish bi zaatar bread from Yemen, as well as some Beirut mezze. Anyway, even without these things, they are good people, but I could not help myself.
GPS - N44 26.896 E26 05.319
It lies just behind George Enescu Museum (Cantacuzino Palace), along a street that breaks from Calea Victoriei to the West.
Str. Gheorghe Manu 16, http://www.bistronet.ro
