Moldova — Restaurant in New York

Very elegant restaurant; intriguing menu, great culinary execution. Exotic in the sense that few New Yorkers would probably be able to point to Moldova on a map. It would be a good "date place" were it not for the fact that the restaurant has been criminally empty the three times I've been there. On one hand, it's in a bad location -- there's not much foot traffic here, but on the other hand, there's quite a few similar (elegant; somewhat exotic, great food) places nearby... maybe that's problem. I hope not, because I'd like to see this place thrive.

Loved the waitress. The owner was super friendly (although I could do without the "Democrats suck" verbiage). There's really nothing not to love about this restaurant.

Coltunasi Făt-Frumos: B+ Coltunasi are dumplings; Moldovan pierogi. Făt-Frumos is a knight-hero in Romanian folklore; something like a Romanian Prince Charming (Romania is next door to Moldova). The dumplings come in an earthen ceramic pot with sour cream on the side. Somewhat bland; I would've liked the meat filling to stand out more, and I'm not sure being lumped in a bowl is the best presentation for the dish, but who doesn't love dumplings of any sort?

Costita: A- A nicely grilled pork chop. Excellent flavorings, and obviously grilled. My kids absolutely loved it. The only small criticism is that it was slightly overdone in places. A more juicy, more fatty cut of meat would've been better. Even so, this is a solid offering.

Pirjoale ca la Tiraspol: A+ My favorite dish here. I'm not a fan of chicken breast; it's usually far too dry for me, and further more, I'm not a huge fan of gerkin pickles. However, this was heavenly. Superb. The meat was juicy and soft. The stuffed cheese / pickle was just ... phenomenal. For me, this is the best dish on the menu.

Skirt Steak Salad: A Heavenly salad. The steak itself was clearly an A+: grilled and tasty (it was either skirt or hangar steak, both of which are very tasty cuts). The salad was terrific.

Sarmale ca la Mama: A Essentially "finger sized" stuffed cabbage. Or maybe they can be described as dumplings with cabbage instead of dough. In a word, scrumptious. The cabbage and meat were soft enough to be cuttable with just a fork. Juicy, tender, nicely seasoned. Definitely an "A" dish.

Jumari (fried pork belly): C- Tasteless with bad texture. I've never had flavorless pork belly... it's basically bacon meat, right? How in the WORLD can it be flavorless? But moreover, it's obviously fried but dry and rubbery which tells me that it was fried previously but warmed (over warmed) in a microwave oven. I found it to be inedible. When we got back from the restaurant I literally threw this away. I'm even wondering if it were pork belly to begin with.

Ursuleti: Ordered by our group but I didn't eat it. I'll have to try...

After paying our respects to my grandparents, who had passed away, my family and I visited "Moldova," a restaurant, for a comforting dinner. We were eager to sample their food, and the tantalizing aroma of freshly baked plăcintă, a pastry filled with cheese and potatoes, welcomed us as we entered the restaurant. It was warm and flaky, with a perfect balance of savory cheese and potatoes that melted in our mouths, making it an irresistible choice to start our meal.

As we perused the menu, we noticed the restaurant had an impressive selection of dishes, each with a unique blend of flavors and ingredients. We opted for the chicken noodle soup, which was a warm and hearty bowl of goodness. The broth was fragrant and flavorful, and the noodles were soft and cooked to perfection. We could tell that it was made from scratch with fresh ingredients, and we savored every spoonful.

For the main course, we each chose something different, and we were equally impressed with our choices. My mom's rabbit dish was tender and succulent, with a rich and savory sauce that perfectly complemented the meat. My dad's lamb shank was also impressive, with a flavorful and complex sauce that expertly balanced the tenderness of the meat. As for my chicken shish kebab, it was cooked to perfection, with a blend of spices that added a depth of flavor to the tender chicken with the shish kebob sauce. It was served with a generous portion of creamy polenta, which was the perfect accompaniment to the dish.

The ambiance of the restaurant was cozy and inviting, with warm lighting and comfortable seating. The staff was friendly and attentive, and they made us feel welcomed and at home. Eating these dishes felt like it transported me back in time in 1962, sitting at my grandparent's house in Orgeev, Moldova and it was evident that the chefs put a lot of care and attention into every dish. We also danced and listened to live music, which lifted our spirits.

Overall, our dining experience at "Moldova" was exceptional, and every dish was a culinary masterpiece that exceeded our expectations. The attention to detail and quality of the food, combined with the warm and inviting atmosphere, made for a memorable meal that we will cherish for...

I'm so so happy to have ordered again from here after a false news notice some years ago that it was closing. I'd ordered sooner, but only finally got my act together and did it today and boy am I going to be happy for DAYS.

I ordered the #1 "Mamaliga Trapeza / House Special With Pork Stew" which is polenta (a Romanian corn meal) with feta, pork stew chunks seasoned thoroughly, sour cream, a fried egg with a just soft middle, copious generous baked beef chunks, and special seasoning atop it all. It's truly delicious. There as no pork stew or pork for that matter, but no matter, it was awesome.

I also ordered a 2nd order of the same, but with more mamaliga (should've chosen something else for diversity, my fault), a side of coffee (I've not had coffee out for years and so just wanted it; it was so emotionally relieving), and taranesc (tomatoes, cucumbers, raw onions, red sweet bell peppers, cut romaine lettuce, feta cheese, olive oil dressing). Everything was again delicious with superbly fresh quality of ingredients which is hard now-a-days with less turnover and more economic pressures. Loved it all!

I also ordered a side of sarmale, a Romanian dish of ground pork, sauerkraut, tomatoes, and dill in a cabbage wrap with delicious seasoning and steamed just right. It was a full, beyond full, meal even at just 6 pieces since each piece is sssooo so so generous, just like the aforementioned beef baked chunks.

I can't wait for tomorrow with these leftovers than a re-order sooner than the time since the last. Salud to all who've supported Moldova Restaurant and if not you...