It was a dark and stormy night as we approached the castle. No
one was about, so we decided to seek shelter, and perhaps some food
within its sturdy walls. All was well, warm and comfortable, but
then, ever so slowly, the door creaked open and
…
It was a dark and stormy night as we approached the castle. No one was about, so we decided to seek shelter, and perhaps some food within its sturdy walls. All was well, warm and comfortable, but then, ever so slowly, the door creaked open and…
Okay, it was really 10am on a Wednesday along busy N. Santa Cruz Avenue in Los Gatos.
But the Transilvania Romanian Restaurant (yes, they spell it with an “i” in Romania) had the feeling of a rustic European castle, and while Dracula isn’t actually in residence, plenty of wines produced under the Vampire label are available for sucking down.
Owner/chef/waitress/hostess Simona Todoran, serves a daily menu of eastern European fare that is constantly changing as she experiments and refines the restaurant that has been open just over a year.
Romania, at a crossroads between Russia and the Arab world, is influenced by both. Flavors of oregano, tarragon and dill mingle to create dishes that are familiar, yet distinct.
The sarmale, a popular entrée of ground beef, pork and rice rolled in pickled cabbage leaves and served over a bed of polenta and sour cream, tastes uncannily like a Greek or Turkish dolma tinged with a bit of bite.
“This is very good to try your first time here,” said Todoran. “I always recommend it, and I say if you don’t like it, I’m not going to charge, but I’ve never had to give it away yet.”
Todoran and her staff create all of their meals from scratch on a daily basis, just as if they were cooking for a home dinner party. They make skinless garlic sausage known as mititei from ground pork, fresh apple streudel, and specialty spreads for breads.
“I have a hard time finding everything that I need exactly,” said Todoran, “but I can get most of it at an Arabic market. Our food is not spicy, but it has a lot of flavors.”
Some of the most distinct of these are the spreads with which Todoran plies her customers. Her eggplant salad, a blend of barbecued eggplant, minced onion and mayonnaise, is served atop slices of tomato and complimented by the full selection of Romanian wines and beer Todoran serves.
Labels like Feteasca and Tamaioasa may be obscure in the United States, but they compliment the food’s unique flair with distinctive touches of elements like frankincense, honey and basil. A particularly pleasant rose called Busuioaca de Bohotin, would be perfectly paired with desserts like Nutella crêpes and savarine, a sponge cake soaked in syrup and rum and topped with whipped cream and cherry preserves.
To recreate the distinctive tastes of Todoran’s fare may be a bit difficult, but she shared a simple recipe for mushroom spread that can easily and elegantly replace butter at the dinner table. The Transilvania Romanian Restaurant is located at 330 N. Santa Cruz Ave. in Los Gatos. For more information or to place a reservation, call (408) 395-2424 or visit www.TransilvaniaLG.com.
Mushroom Spread
10-12 mushrooms
1 clove raw garlic
mayonnaise
Step 1: Place mushrooms in a food processor and chop into relish-sized chunks.
Step 2: Mince garlic clove and combine with mushrooms. Add mayonnaise to taste. The consistency should be something similar to tuna salad.
Step 3: Serve chilled over bread or atop tomato slices.
