It is dark and raining but that did not stop me from wanting to eat my dinner at a restaurant, before other restrictions might come in place. For this evening, I wanted to check Kombinat Gastro-Brewery but we realized it was closed just when we got there so a change of plan had to be put in place. I was disappointed but little did I know that this happened for the best. On our way to the car, we had the best idea when we walked by Ileana Wine Cellar. What I call a proper restaurant. One where they know how to delight all your 5 senses. Let’s analyze what I mean by this by taking them in turn. 
First, an impeccable setting, a sight to see. In order to attract a customer, you must first catch his/her eyes. How to do that? With an enchanting mise en scène. If you claim to be a traditional Romanian restaurant, you must first look like one, so people can recognize you from a distance. Ileana Wine Cellar knew how to do this. When we walked by on the small lonely street, we didn’t have the time to wonder if what we were looking at was a restaurant, hotel, wine cellar, but we surely knew that we wanted to know what it was. A remarkable wood construction with traditional motifs and symbols carved and a shepherd which guarded the entrance. I was beguiled into going down the stairs and opening the door.
Second, the ambiance, hearing the inner legacy. We opened the door and were suddenly transposed in a place which looked as I imagined Sadoveanu’s Ancuta’s Inn in my childhood. The restaurant was located in a cellar which is completely padded with wood. The music was not loud but enough to create a folkloric atmosphere alongside the setting. Traditional Romanian music, that is what you expect when you choose such a restaurant. Of course it might not be what you listen to in your spare time at home, or your favorite tracks, however it is a must if you want to have an authentic experience. The theme of the restaurant dictates the content of all the elements.
Third, the texture, touching a chord. We were greeted by a waiter who guided us to our table. A rustic table of four, everything wooden. In my opinion wood could be counted as one of the coziest materials. It can give you the most pure feeling of comfort. When I sat down I felt the fluffy soft wool covering the seat. The table was made of massive wood and the mugs were made out of clay. Up to this moment everything was perfect so I just couldn’t stop smiling and staring at the decorations. Hot pepper chains, garlic braids and maize hanging on the walls along traditional Romanian costumes and masks.
Fourth, the scent. After spending quite a long time deciding what to eat – because everything was so appealing – we chose our dinner. We had the pork knuckles with boiled potatoes and garlic sauce and the grilled ribs with farmer’s potatoes and a portion of papanași (cottage cheese fritters with sour cream and jam). I was practically drooling just by reading the menu. When the plates arrived the smell was reminding me of dinners at my grandparents. My grandmother used to cook at the stove with a hob which she had in one of the rooms and the smell of burning wood along the stew in the cast iron cauldron was something very peculiar, hard to forget. I still remember how fascinated I was by that stove. Depending on the size of the cauldron you had to remove the circles in order to enlarge the ‘’hole’’ on the hob in such a way that the pot would fit enough to reach the fire inside.
Fifth, the taste, divine! The meat was melting in my mouth and the smoked aroma was a pleasure for my taste buds, once again. I even ate the jam on the dessert, something very unusual because I usually cannot eat much of it because it is too sweet for my taste.
At the end we left the place having had not just a dinner out, but rather one of the most pleasant experiences and I dare to say we escaped reality for those two hours.
I will leave you with a chili hora (folk dance) down below, in the shape of an inner smile.
