Balada Restaurant: Where Romanian Tradition Meets a Contemporary Touch
Balada is where Romanian tradition is treated with respect and cooked with intent. Set inside Grand Hotel Bucharest, it brings together authentic local flavours, refined presentation, and a contemporary rhythm that feels current without losing its roots — a dining experience built for memorable lunches, unhurried dinners, and occasions that deserve more than “a nice place to eat.”
A New Standard for Romanian Gastronomy in Bucharest
Romanian cuisine has always been generous. At Balada, that generosity is sharpened into a modern dining experience: clearer flavours, cleaner execution, and a focus on ingredients that speak for themselves. From carefully selected local produce to signature recipes reinterpreted for today, Balada celebrates Romanian gastronomy with calm confidence — no theatrics, no shortcuts.
Every great restaurant begins with one person who refuses to cook it the easy way.
The Menu: Comfort, Craft, and Shareability
Balada’s menu is designed around dishes that feel familiar, delivered with precision. Every section honours the Romanian table while pushing its possibilities forward.
Starters
- Transylvanian Beef Tartare – Angus beef fillet with pickled gherkins, pickled forest mushrooms, shallots, and cured egg yolk
- Smoked Trout and Horseradish Cream – House-smoked mountain trout with horseradish crème fraîche, pickled cucumber, and dill oil
- Balada Eggplant Caviar – Charred aubergine with confit garlic, lemon, parsley, and toasted sourdough
- Carpathian Selection – Artisan charcuterie, matured cheeses, honey, walnuts, and house pickles
Soups
- Vegetable Sour Soup – With bors and lovage
- Beef Soup with Homemade Noodles – A Romanian staple, exactly as it should be
- Smoked Pork and Bean Soup – Finished in a crusty bread bowl
Main Courses
- Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib – With horseradish cream and pickled shallots
- Slow Cooked Pork Cheek – With cabbage jus, smoked paprika, and caraway
- Slow Roasted Duck Leg – With creamy mashed potatoes and spring vegetables
- Veal Schnitzel, Refined – Milk-fed veal in clarified butter, finished with blueberry marmalade
- Fried Carp with Polenta – Green garlic sauce and fresh lemon
Desserts
- Papanasi Cloud – With blueberry-lavender sauce and silky vanilla cream
- Apple Strudel – With cinnamon, raisins, walnuts, and pudding sauce
- Savarina – Glazed in sugar syrup with whipped cream and fruit jelly