By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
THE only horror within the chillingly-titled Cafe Transylvania is that few people seem to appreciate its hand-made Romanian sausages, cabbage rolls and cakes.
Let’s just first dwell on the cakes at this new and unique Hallam eatery.
They do justice to the lofty reputation of Eastern European cakes which are rarely found in this part of the world.
The profiterole is unimaginably delicious – an artfully constructed slice of soft eclair, vanilla custard and thick chocolate layers.
There’s the cozonaci, a sweet loaf like a panattoni filled with walnut, Turkish delight, vanilla and lemon zest.
Chef and co-proprietor Ionela Maroti said she scanned far and wide for such sweets when she and husband Ion migrated to Hampton Park 11 years ago.
“There were just so many sweets in Romania that I missed. I didn’t enjoy the cakes here.”
Ionela’s passion and exacting dedication to her cookery is ignited by her grandmother Elizabeta.
The wafting odours from her grandmother’s backyard bread oven on the outskirts of a Romanian village linger in Ionela’s memory.
Her nostalgia is clear about snow creaking underfoot, spring flowers on trees and the rustling of the surrounding hornbeam forest.
The cafe name is itself nostalgic – a tribute to her and Ion’s grandparents, and Ion’s birthplace – Transylvania.
The cevapi and other handmade sausages served at Café Transylvania are authentic replicas of what was served at Elizabeta’s little home as are the incredible cabbage rolls filled with Romanian thyme, sauerkraut, pork and rice.
“I’m proud that we’re making our own stuff. Everything has to be fresh and made on the premises,” Ionela said.
“We don’t want to be doing something that everyone else is doing.”
Cafe Transylvania at Shop 4, Spring Square, Hallam, is open from Tuesday to Sunday.
Phone 9796 5227.
