Modern European And Romanian Fare And Drinks At Little Bucharest Bistro

Eating together, like being buried up to your necks in the same cube of cement, keeps families together. Build a solid foundation with today’s Groupon: for $20, you get $40 worth of Romanian and modern European fare at Little Bucharest Bistro.

At Little Bucharest Bistro, Taste of Romania founder Branko Podrumedic and executive chef Veronica join forces to captivate palates with a cosmopolitan menu of classic European eats and contemporary cuisine. Feastings commence with starters of mamaliga, a hodgepodge of feta, crème fraîche, and soft polenta ($6), and plates of flaming kasseri saganaki ($8) ignite appetites or snuffed-out Olympic torches. The sausage-stuffed chicken thigh ($17) boasts recognition as one of 2009′s best small plates according to Time Out Chicago, and the kitchen’s signature braised-short-rib goulash ($20) blends tender morsels of meat with tomato stew and potato gnocchi. Vegetarian goulash ($15) forges a mouthwatering alliance between grilled eggplant, tomato, bell pepper, and garlic couscous, and stuffed cabbage ($16) hides a treasure trove of ground beef, pork, and sautéed rice behind pickled leafy greens and a complicated sphinx riddle.

As guests pass through the restaurant’s handsome ocher-hued façade, a warmly lit dining room decorated with polished wood accents and brick walls greets eyes with an atmosphere of approachable elegance. Tabletops sport formal outfits of white tablecloths, red embroidery, and candles, and light flickers through crimson stained-glass windows that depict sainted goulash makers. Live entertainment serenades these surroundings on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.