Poiana Bradului

Poiana Bradului is a hotel complex with a restaurant in the Ciocana district, in a green area on the edge of the city. The kitchen is Moldovan, built around the grill and frigărui (skewered grilled meat), zeamă (chicken and noodle soup) and other home-style dishes, alongside a European menu, wine and beer.

The restaurant is split between open terraces stepping down towards the lake and indoor halls used for events. There is a swimming pool on the grounds and a small animal corner, which is why families often come for a whole day rather than just a meal.

Opinions are divided. Most visitors come for the view and the quiet — tables above the water, morning coffee and prices that are reasonable for a setting like this come up most often. At the same time there are recurring complaints about the kitchen and the service on busy days: skewers that take an hour or arrive cold, waiters who are hard to flag down, and a car park filled completely when weddings are running in the halls.

Tables are booked in advance, especially for weekends and for the lakeside terraces. The complex takes orders to go, hosts banquets, weddings and christening parties, and offers rooms for those staying overnight.