A la Tarte

A new food spot has opened in Cluj!

We've gotten used to this. Lately in our city, restaurants, bistros and cafés are popping up like mushrooms after rain. Usually they invest in decor and presentation, but very little in what matters most - at least to me - the food and customer relationships. I've already coined a name for these places: "façade restaurants". You know, kind of like theater: a well-arranged set, but nothing is actually real, especially the food. I had started going to new places with a heavy heart.

But on Saturday I had a pleasant surprise. A la Tarte is a small (6 tables) and intimate place that wants to bring the Parisian atmosphere to Cluj. The beautiful part is that they succeeded. And not just through staging, but also through the food.

The tarts are prepared in front of the customers, of course only if you prefer to watch them rather than engage in an intimate tête-à-tête. The place is perfect for that. It's centrally located, but on a very quiet side street. The tarts always come fresh out of the oven, which is why they're always fresh. There's no skimping on ingredients. The crust is thin, its only role being to support the rich filling with beautifully "matched" ingredients. I think you can see that in the photos. I've already tried the spinach and eggplant tarts, with the latter being declared my favorite.

They also have some desserts: a fruit tart, lemon tart, chocolate cake and the famous canelés de Bordeaux, well made.

The atmosphere feels authentically Parisian, and still water is complimentary! Bonus points for that 😉

The tarts can also be taken to go. Here's another tip: Crama Noastra (Our Cellar) wine shop is right next door, so you can grab a good wine to pair with these tarts on your way out.

Location: I. C. Bratianu 35-37, Cluj-Napoca
* this is a non-smoking establishment