Aqua is a restaurant set in an idyllic location on the banks of the Harastrau Lake.   Its modern and sophisticated style places it firmly in the upper end of the restaurant spectrum in Bucharest.   The excellent food, service and setting make it all worth the price tag, a fact proven by its customers. It is always busy.
Large sliding doors open up the comfortable seating areas inside so you can enjoy the warm summer weather from within. However at this time of year, an outside table is the place to be. The fabulous lake side garden is encased by large mature over hanging trees.  To secure a table outside a reservation is necessary.

In the middle of this garden there is a large island bar where you can enjoy a pre dinner cocktail. There are some great cocktails, but unfortunately no cocktail list and guidance from the waiter is required.  You can remain at the bar to have dinner, a perfect option for two diners.
The menu is extensive with a wide range of European cuisine, good fish and meat. Very good Sushi is also available. On the three occasions I have eaten there recently I have gone with an open mind and been guided very successfully by the waiter. There is a good although modest selection of quality wines fairly priced.
Dining in the beautiful garden evokes feelings of escapism, such as being cast away on a tropical island perhaps. These are likely to disappear however when you leave the restaurant and get into the back of a Bucharest cab.  Still it is nice to dream.
Aqua gets top marks in my book, and if you are looking for something above the ordinary then this should satisfy your needs.

Being blessed with a sweet tooth and thus a great lover of dessert, as I sample different restaurants around the city, a pecking order takes shape a bit like a league table in my head of what tickled the taste buds. Fortunately sharing such appreciation of all things sugar based with a French girl can often mean shared moments of pleasure, which in turn does help ease the conscience about the calorie intake.
A choice of dessert is a very personal thing and can depend much on what you have just eaten, and what mood you are in. Any dessert made with chocolate tends to suit my palate.

This is all leading up to my personal favorite on that pecking order of desserts found in Bucharest. I now keep this in my locker alongside my all time favorites like, the Sticky Toffee Pudding at the Ivy in London.
Enough ado, this award goes to… the Pectato Della Gola found at Resaurant Malagamba in Lipscani. Even if you are not staying for dinner, I would suggest for those sweet lovers looking for a late evening fix, to share of course, then this is it! This fine dessert to the French would be Fondant au Chocolat. As you break through the crisp outer the hot chocolate centre starts to flow, served with vanilla ice cream…. need I say more……..
Dessert served until 11pm everyday

Fish, glorious fish! Mesogios was a recommendation by a friend and is located in Jean Louis Calderon St. It is slightly off the beaten track, so not a place to simply stumble across, in a very fine old building which has been restored to its former glory. In the entrance hall there is a magnificent display of fresh fish which creates anticipation for the lunch or dinner of which you are about to partake. At the table we were given only the wine list, which presented an interesting selection of Romanian wines and well priced. There was no food menu. Instead the waiter escorts you to the fish counter to talk you through the choice of different fish and suggests the way in which it could be prepared, to suit your taste. Our table of four ordered three starter dishes to share, then a large Sea Bream with side dishes, as a main course. The fish is priced by the weight. The food was truly excellent as the fish was very fresh and well prepared.
It was a real treat to find such a good fish restaurant in Bucharest. That wine list also came into its own. We navigated our way through some very good bottles of wine. The website really does not do justice to this very good restaurant.
If you are a fish lover, it is highly recommended!

Write Richard Fox: fox@citycompass.ro.

Hands up anyone who has been to Syria. I haven’t either, but based on the Syrian kitchen I have discovered here in Bucharest, I feel quite inspired.  My new find, the Restaurant Naser, is very exciting and I have visited it three times in the past week. The cooking is along similar lines to that of Turkey and  the Lebanon, so the Kebab features highly. A really good home made Kebab is sometimes hard to beat.
When entering the restaurant you are faced with a large glass cabinet full of freshly made Kebabs with squares of Lamb, Chicken, and Beef as well as the home made minced Kebabs. The minced Lamb and Beef are truly delicious.
The interior of the restaurant is very basic, with little expense lavished on furnishings.

This is however reflected in the cost of the food, which is more than reasonably priced.
It is a place to go for the food alone, and this view is obviously widely shared as the restaurant is full from morning till night.
Seating is for around thirty people and on a Saturday afternoon you may have to wait for a table.  Don’t be put off. It is worth the wait.
The staff at Naser are very friendly and very busy. The complementary Baklava which is offered at the end of the meal is a nice touch.  Save room!
Naser is located by the  Piata Domenii Fruit and Vegetable market, so if you are doing the shopping around lunchtime then I suggest crossing the road- it’s worth it. You can see the bright red canopy of Restaurant Naser from the market.
Take away food is also available. Open 10am until 10pm everyday.

Richard Fox and City Compass have started a series of wine tasting events- check out upcoming events on www.citycompass.ro and in the newsletter.

Osteria Gioia has intrigued me for a while now and while driving past it regularly, it has seduced me into trying it. Knowing nothing about the history, just looking through the perfectly square window into this tunnel-like restaurant which always looks to busy. Too much to resist for a man like me, so I rang up and made a reservation.
High end Italian is the offering and it is very good. Fine Italian cooking, well presented, with good attention to detail. I started with the Buffallo Mozarella which was good, and big enough for 2, followed by the pasta with Porcini mushrooms and Truffle sauce. Quite delicious, I could have eaten more of the pasta and less of the starter. The service was sharp, attentive and well timed, with good attention to detail. The restaurant is on 2 floors with the non-smoking area upstairs, which is a great plus.

Although I  wanted to sit near that window I had been looking through on my drive by’s, but the non-smokers are upstairs. Modern furnishings with simple uncluttered lines, pleasing on the eye and comfortable.
The menu is comprehensive and all looks very mouth watering, to this point I have only made the one visit, so I am planning a return soon to try more of the extensive menu. A good looking wine list heavily focused on Italian wines, looks well balanced and well put together, covering a broad cross section of wine styles. One though could seriously ramp up the cost of the bill if to take full advantage of this selection. The prices generally are at the upper end of the Bucharest restaurant market, although fair as the quality of the complete offering lives up to it.
Osteria Gioia deserves high marks, and I am looking forward to a return visit.

Richard Fox and City Compass have started a series of wine tasting events- check out upcoming events on www.citycompass.ro and in the newsletter.

18 Lounge opened in Bucharest last December on the top floor of the City Gate South Tower, next door to the Pullman Hotel. As you enter the building on the ground floor you could be forgiven for thinking you are going to a business meeting. You begin by walking through the entrance hall of an office building, but as you exit the lift on the 18th floor all those feelings change.  You move into a large lounge bar and restaurant playing soft background music and the vibes are good.
There is a very long bar the length of the side wall and you walk in towards a view that is quite spectacular. This is the big selling point for 18 Lounge.  There is excitement in this aspect of Bucharest. It is reminiscent of the feeling one gets when entering the Rainbow Room in New York or The Felix Bar in Hong Kong where atmosphere and view combine to produce something unforgettable. It can be enjoyed whilst having dinner or a drink.
There is terrace outside which will be a great feature when the sun finally decides to show itself and in particular to watch the sun go down.
The Ikea look of the furnishings could be improved upon. Bar stools would be a nice addition, as the well designed long bar makes the perfect place to sit and have a cocktail, entertained by the bartender. The cocktails are very good.   My usual bench mark cocktail of a Cosmopolitan passed the test with flying colors. The menu is also very good offering a wide range of well priced International cuisine, and a buffet is available during lunchtime for a fixed price of 20 Ron.
18 Lounge is certainly a place to check out and should be a great success. I plan to make the most of their terrace over the summer months.

Richard Fox and City Compass have started a series of wine tasting events- check out upcoming events on www.citycompass.ro and in the newsletter.

MORE REVIEWS BY RICHARD FOX HERE.

For those of you who love the Turkish kitchen, Divan will definitely satisfy your needs. The place was opened in December of 2009 in the Old Town by Romanian owners, who have created a totally authentic feel, with all the furnishings, down to the table cloths, sourced in Istanbul. However, the key to it all  is the very good Turkish Chef behind the scenes. A unique and wonderful thing about Divan is that it is always busy, no matter what night of the week. During weekends, if you haven’t got a reservation, then you can expect a long wait. This says it all. In Bucharest, where there are more restaurants than the population can support, consumers have a complete choice to eat where and when they want. Consequently some restaurants lack buzz or atmosphere because they are not full. Divan has a refreshing energy that is harnessed to create an ambiance you want to be a part of. The restaurant is well staffed to cope with the demand and Adrian the manager or somebody else in his team is on hand to meet and greet at the door and coordinate the seating arrangements. This is quite an art in a busy restaurant.
The seating area is on two floors divided by a spiral staircase to the upstairs, which has a tented terrace area outside. The music inside is loud during weekends and a Belly Dancer performs between the tables, so if you want a quiet chat, then the terrace is a good spot.
The menu is extensive with too many dishes to mention. However, a simple tender lamb kebab with a tasty marinade is hard to beat. Of course they serve Efes which is the national beer in Turkey, chilled in 500ml bottles which remind me of my holidays!
A nice way to round off is the homemade Baklava with a Shish a Pipe. It is admirable how Divan has generated such a strong following and maintained it so well. They also have a takeaway across the road from the restaurant for those who want to eat on the hoof. In fact, I was out last night in Lipscani for a drink and felt it my duty to try a takeaway kebab on the way home, in aid of researching for this piece. Very good!

Richard Fox and City Compass have started a series of wine tasting events- check out upcoming events on www.citycompass.ro and in the newsletter.

This traditional US style Steak House, newly opened in October, has brought a new dimension to the Old Town and fills a niche in Bucharest as a place to have a really top quality Steak. Operated by Justin Costello and his team, its standards are high.
I could not resist the tasty Roasted Marrow Bone on the starter menu, something I have not seen since my last visit to New York  – a real treat!   Cooked to order, there is an extensive selection of steaks from around the world, of different cuts, from Europe, New Zealand, and at a premium price, the very finest from the USA.  I had a Rib Eye Steak from US beef, which was excellent.
All the steaks are available in two different weights so you choose according to your hunger level.

I would suggest consulting with the waiter before you order to help you with your choice and be advised on appropriate side dishes and sauces. They are served as extras.

The menu is extensive, The Surf and Turf is a nice combination of Fillet Steak and Black Tiger Prawns. There are good home made Burgers and on my hit list for next time is the Baby Back Pork Ribs. Desserts are good too.
The lunch time menu served between  12 noon and 2.30pm offers good value on set menus priced at 20 to 30 Ron.
The Restaurant itself has simple decor, dark wooden floors and tables to match with comfortable red velvet banquet seating at the window tables and around the walls. Upstairs there is another large seating area which can be booked for private functions.
Open from 12 Noon until Midnight everyday.

Richard Fox and City Compass have started a series of wine tasting events- check out upcoming events on www.citycompass.ro.

This restaurant is named after Sergiu Malagamba, the Moldovan Jazz drummer from the 1940′s and if Malagamba were still alive, I feel he would be proud to lend his name to this new establishment.
Located in Lipcani on Stefan Dumitru St., this place is nicely tucked away off the main thoroughfare. Since  opening in March 2010, Irish restaurateur John McCarthy has managed to create a warm and friendly environment in this comfortable 50-seater restaurant where his team give service with a smile. Whilst having a leisurely lunch there recently, I couldn’t help noticing the clientele passing through. A high proportion of the customers were obviously regulars and well known to the staff. This is always a good sign and the very best of recommendations. It recognizes the quality of the service and the food and the appropriate pricing.
European with a leaning towards Italian is the best way to describe the menu. The pasta is excellent, cooked al dente and served with one of a wide range of delicious home made sauces. In particular the truffle sauce is winner!   Another personal favorite is the steak with pepper sauce, the beef coming from Romania.
The wine list is extensive with a choice of 26 labels, Romanian wines plus others from around the world, Alsace to New Zealand to Argentina. The house wines by the glass are very good, recommended for lunch time when a bottle may be a little too much.
The décor is simple inside, modern and clean with solid dark wooden tables and very comfortable arm chairs. On the walls there are interesting references to Malagamba.  At the back of the restaurant there is a private function room.  This would be an excellent space for a dinner party for 20 people.
As you may gather from these words I like Malagamba and look forward to joining the band of regulars.
Opening times: Midday until Midnight everyday

Shift opened its doors in the summer of 2010 tucked away in General Eremia Grigorescu St. just behind Bulevadul Dacia, in that area of Bucharest that makes you feel as though you could be in Paris or Buenos Aires. This bar and restaurant is housed in a delightful old three-storey house which dates back to the early 1900′s. It has a simple and uncomplicated interior design which highlights the original features of the house, wooden floors and furnished with tables and chairs that compliment.
Outside there is a terrace which is protected from the road by tall cast iron railings to give the feeling of seclusion and privacy. Inside the ground floor, the bar area has an open plan space seating around 50 people. On the first floor there are two main rooms divided by an adjoining passage way, with a small snug up in the roof. Here there is a low wooden bench seating covered in bright selection of scatter cushions, which would be a great area to reserve if you were looking to have a party with around 20 friends.

A very good feature of Shift is the continuity of the bar and restaurant areas  making every table available for eating or just drinking. The photos on the website give a good impression of the interior space. The menu is very comprehensive offering a wide range of Western cuisine and as well as other interesting dishes. I started with home made mushroom soup, as good as my mother’s. The main course was an excellent piece of beef served in a cheese sauce, certainly different and maybe controversial but which worked very well.
We were a table of four and were all very happy with our choices. The wine list has an excellent selection of Romanian top wines all priced very honestly. We disposed of two bottles of the Cuvee Charlotte by Terra Romana, which complimented the food very well. The only oversight in the wine department was the glassware: not up to the quality of the wine. The standard of service was excellent, friendly, welcoming and prompt with both food and drink.
Shift is now a favorite of mine and I am keen to try more of their interesting menu. The spicy beef is next on my list!

Opening Hours:
Sunday to Thursday           12 noon until 2am, kitchen until 11pm
Friday and Saturday           12 noon until 4am, kitchen until midnight