21.4.2007

Bulgaria and Romania on both sides of Hudson

Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union in January, so in the long run, there may be less economic incentive for their residents to emigrate to New York. Luckily for lovers of mititei and shopska salad, plenty of them are already here, The New York Times writes today.

About 22,000 Romanian and 4,000 Bulgarian immigrants live in New York, according to the Department of City Planning. And for those who want to know what the European Union gained without traveling to Europe, the next month is a great time to come to New York: with festivals and concerts, it's a virtual Danube-visits-the-Hudson.
First, food. The Bulgarians may claim to have invented yogurt, but unless you count the Dannon and Yoplait shelves at the supermarket, there are more places in New York to eat Romanian. They're concentrated in Sunnyside, Queens, a short subway ride from Grand Central or Times Square on the No. 7 line. Peter Meehan, a Times restaurant critic, recommends Acasa, where he liked the caviar spread and a dessert translated as “Fried Cheese Donuts with sweet vanilla creamy sauce.” He also sampled the seltzer-in-your-wine tradition that some Romanians love and others consider a national embarrassment.

At other spots, like Casa Romana and Harmony 2, you can try the mititei, often translated as Romanian sausage but closer to a grilled mini-meatloaf made with ground pork, ground beef and spices. Served with standard-issue mustard, it can seem a bit of a plain Jane, but smile and tell the Romanians you love it. There's also stuffed cabbage with polenta, and genuinely lovable dips and pastes made from eggplant and beans.

Be prepared for the décor, which can topple hopelessly over the kitsch cliff. Among the topplers: Casa Romana, with its disco ball, fake plants and textured ceiling that looks like an upside-down lemon-meringue pie. On weekend nights, there is live entertainment. Gigi Marga, the octogenarian singer and former Romanian celebrity, often takes the stage, causing double-takes among those who used to love her when she (and they) lived back home.

21 April 2007 | FOCUS News Agency