For lunch, we chose this place right at the bottom of the Scholar’s Stairs called Pensiunea Restaurant Bastion – La Strada. At least I think that’s what it was called! Other things say it’s “Crama Restaurant.” It was part of the Pensiunea Bastion. (I was really excited that Romania calls their guest houses “pensiunea” and Korea calls their “pensions.” FUN FACT FOR NO ONE.)

I ordered an Ursus IPA to start. Ursus is one of the biggest Romanian beers, I would say. The IPA was very refreshing! Usually, I drop off halfway through a full pour, but I finished this one easily.

God only knows what he’s mansplaining here.

Our young waiter seemed perplexed that all I ordered was a cheese plate and two vegetable dips. I’m telling you, not eating meat is a daily challenge and it was especially difficult at times in Romania – thankful for restaurants that post their menu outside the door so we can peruse and move on if needed! But when I saw that this place had a fresh, local cheese plate, the traditional roasted eggplant spread (Salata De Vinete) and roasted red pepper spread (Zacusca), that was all I needed to know! I had been dying to try the eggplant spread because it was referenced in so many travel videos.

This was the perfect lunch for me. Our waiter brought me a basket of bread for the spreads and I was so content.

Henry got the traditional bean ciorba (soup) that comes in a carb top hat. It smelled so good but I know it was loaded with MEATS even though it was billed as a bean soup.

OMG there were several adorable kittens cruising through the patio the whole time we were there – good food and free kitten pats?? Yes.

Also, school kids descending the Scholar’s Stairs in the background!

I thoroughly our view from the table. I loved that the weather was mild enough to eat outside comfortably. It was just and these two ladies at another table. The one lady stood up at one point and was fully massaging the other lady’s shoulders for a solid 15 minutes it seemed like. Like, aggressively rubbing them with the hands of a trained masseuse (or assassin). It was very entertaining to watch and I even have it in the background of a video that I was taking of the kittens so look forward to my Sighisoara video at the end of the final recap, I guess.

After lunch (loved it!), we continued on our stroll through the cobblestone streets where my predilection of walking with my head down came in handy – no tripping on uneven terrain for me! I’m a trained walker.

There were a lot of old people milling about. I assume they were tourists? I do think that people live in the old town but it felt like there were some small tour groups there as well. All I know is that it wasn’t crowded at all and I loved it.

To the right is Casa Vlad Dracul again and in case I didn’t mention this in my last post, it’s the oldest building in town dating back to the mid 1300s.

The Clock Tower was such a true beauty. According to Wiki, “its purpose was to defend the main gate of the citadel back in the medieval times. It also served as the town hall until 1656. It is now considered one of the most important clock towers in the whole of Transylvania.”

Papanasi is the national dessert of Romania! We were considering getting some from this window but held off and waited for the evening. This was the only time I saw a chocolate version though and kind of have belated regertz now that I’m looking at this!

I’m sorry, can you tell I was smitten with the clock tower? Am I annoying you?

There was random art displayed on this wall at the base of my boyfriend the clock tower and I really wanted to know if this clown painting for sale but Henry was like KEEP IT MOVING.

Heading out of the old town.  Yes, Henry wore his Canada hat every day. Do not associate us with Trump, thank you.

LOOK THERE I AM WITH THE CLOCK TOWER.

Dear Sighisoara, I miss you.

To the right you can see the Vlad Restaurant. We were going to go there later that night for papanasi but it was closed!

Sighisoara’s color palette is so pleasing.

Sorry, no marching bands allowed up here.

I watched some travel vloggers eat a cherry pie at this place called Casa Cositorarului and I had to have it. We weren’t purposely looking for it at this moment but when we stumbled upon it, I was like, “I MEAN, THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR PIE, AMIRITE” and Henry was like, “Let’s gooooo” except with way less enthusiasm because it’s Henry and he only runs on one setting. I mean, Romania might have been MAGICAL but it wasn’t performing MIRACLES.

Immediately after walking in, we were met with UTTER CONTEMPT from the guy working there. We walked in and said hi and he was legit like, “OK and???” So, I said, “Can we order pie?” and he was like, “WHAT DO YOU WANT???” while brusquely gesturing toward the dessert case. I chose the sour cheery pie of course and Henry went with a traditional Romanian cake (after deigning to ask the guy what it was) and then I was like, “Can we sit in here?” and he was like, “*gestures toward the dining area*”

We found a table in another room and I started to crack the fuck up. “That guy HATES us!” I wheezed. The best way I can describe him is imagine Michael Ian Black portraying a disgruntled Transylvanian cafe server. This tends to be the general demeanor, though, and you have to just not let it get to you. And a lot of times, the wall breaks down and then suddenly they are nice to you. But you have to coax them to that point!

I did look up some reviews recently and a lot of people were like, “THE SERVER WAS SO RUDE!” which made me laugh hysterically all over again because why did I actually admire his zero tolerance for us?! I referenced him so many times during our trip after that and at 0ne point considered him a “trip highlight.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Henry mumbled.

This place is also a guest house. MAYBE I WILL STAY THERE IF I EVER RETURN.

No. Stop it. WTF EVEN WAS THIS. Like God hired the best angel baker in Heaven to make the most delectable dessert for Jesus’s birthday and this is what they came up with. Fucking Biblical. Literally–they should print the recipe in the back of the Bible. It was like a pie and cake hybrid – instead of a crust filled with the sour cherries like a regular pie, the sour cherries were baked into whatever dough they used so it was like a dense and buttery cake, topped with something akin to streusel and a scoop of toffee ice cream with CRUNCHIES on top just like I love to get on soft serve!

Good Lord, the way I dream of this cake. Dare I say it blew papanasi out of the water? This is the Romanian dessert of my dreams. And prayers. Please someone learn how to bake this for me. Maybe that’s the theme of the next pie party? RECREATE THE FAMOUS SIGHISOARA SOUR CHERRY PIE TO WIN ERIN’S HEART???

Henry got this local beer from 176 Trepte brewery and it was nice! I peeled the label off with a deftness and saved it.

Then Henry had to go to the bathroom and I watched him walk past it so I was yelling, “HENRY HENRY!” but Gramps didn’t hear so he walked all the way back to where Transylvanian Michael Ian Black was glowering behind the counter and ASKED HIM WHERE THE BATHROOM WAS. That guy was probably like, “You stupid American fuck, you walked right past it on your way here to bother me.”

While Henry was in the bathroom, TMIB came into the room to collect our plates. I told him, in my BEST Pollyanna Goes to the Medieval Town intonation, that I LOVED the pie.

He paused and then monotoned. “Thank you. I am happy you like it.” I could tell that pained him. I was so giddy by the time Henry returned and I was like “I TALKED TO HIM!!!”

The bathroom was in the basement, down these very steep and narrow steps! I didn’t even have to pee but I needed to see what it looked like down there LOL.

Yeah, I definitely think I need to come back and stay there.

These are pictures from our walk to the nearby ATM after Henry tried to pay and TMIB was like, “CASH ONLY.”

This VLAD BUST was in the lobby of the hotel down the street where we had to go to use the ATM.

Henry doing the walk of shame back to the place to pay, LOL.

Back in the cafe to pay our debts.  I wish that kitty had sat in the room with us while we were there! Anyway, Henry paid and also tipped the guy which suddenly made his surly facade crack the teeniest bit.

“Thanks for trusting us to come back!” Henry said in this really cringey UPBEAT tone that he adopts from time to time when he is trying to fake a personality. I swear I almost saw TMIB smirk a little. Come on, bro. YOU LIKED US, YOU REALLY LIKED US.

I wish I had bought a whole pie to go.

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