A few days ago, my friends and I had lunch at Zexe Blanc, a traditional restaurant that serves historical Romanian dishes. It felt less like a meal than a short trip through the country’s culinary past.
The soups
I ordered the meatball sour soup (ciorbă de perișoare), tangy and comforting. One of my friends chose the tripe soup (ciorbă de burtă), a classic that people either love or fear.
The main course
We shared a veal stew with polenta (tocăniță de vițel cu mămăligă), slow-cooked, rich and served just as it should be.
The desserts
The star was the Carmen Sylva cake, decorated with Romanian motifs. We also tried two other special cakes. Photos are in the gallery below.
Coffee, water and dreaming of the menu
I kept it simple with a coffee and still water. We lingered over the menu, which includes bolder historical dishes like duck confit (rață confiată), little cunt steak, Rocky Mountain oyster, and more adventurous old recipes. This time we were shy, so they are saved for the next visit.
Final thoughts
If you love food with a story, Zexe Blanc is worth a visit. Have you tried a historical Romanian dish? Tell me in the comments, and follow The New Literary Society on Medium for more stories, culture and travel.
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Julia Kalman
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