Lente  (Gen. Praporgescu St, Metro Universitate) is not strictly speaking a restaurant – it’s a cafe, but it’s a cafe where the food is considerably more than an afterthought included just because it should be.

Situated on a quiet road off Batiştei street, behind the Intercontinental hotel, the first impression is of tranquility. Outside, a vine shaded terrace and inside, that vital quality as the temperature drops – cosiness. Although no more than a quirk of lighting, furniture and architecture, some places have it, some don’t. At a certain point in Lente’s conception the term ‘bohemian’ was probably used. It has books on shelves, furniture that purposefully doesn’t match and posters for concerts, exhibitions and shows dotted around the walls and windows. However, it works. The decor hasn’t been overdone to the point where the place would become a parody of what it was meant to be. In fact, Lente wouldn’t look out of place in Paris. Not tourist Paris, more like the cafes in one of the hip residential areas. All this makes it an ideal place to read Kafka while flashing the cover to staff and clientele. Perhaps leave the Maeve Binchy at home.

It might not be the spot to take a significant other for a romantic candlelit dinner but it is a place that offers a wide range of tummy filling options morning, noon and night. Several set breakfasts, some boasting a three egg omelet. And what better than a well made omelet for breakfast? Simple and delicious. Sandwiches and snacks are available as well as a wide range of starters, salads, soups and mains. The service is informal but good. The casually dressed staff provide an efficient, friendly service with none of the fawning sycophancy found in some of the expensive restaurants.

Pricing is fairly average. Pasta dishes cost around RON 25, meat and fish dishes a little more. Unusually for Romania, there are no pork dishes on the menu, just chicken and beef. The food is good and well presented, not too pretentious, and the menu is well thought out – a leaning towards Italian cuisine, but other well chosen dishes. Lente successfully avoids the cliches of an Italian restaurant, the intention seems to be to serve good, popular food day and night in an environment that is comfortable alone, as a couple or in a group. And overall it succeeds. The goulash is a good example – simple and hearty as it should be, an ideal dish for winter in Romania, generous chunks of potato and beef served up with good, fresh bread.

Read the full article on Romania-Insider.com. 

By Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com