In a recent interview posted on Adevarul.ro, Mark, a young German who visited Romania, shared his eye-opening experience from two restaurants, one in Sibiu and the other in Cluj.
Coming from a family of Germans with roots in Sibiu and Cluj, Mark embarked on his journey to Romania with the intention of exploring the places where his ancestors once lived. While he expressed admiration for both cities, he couldn't help but be puzzled by certain aspects of his dining experiences.
“The prices truly caught me off guard. How is it possible to have such prices? I went to a restaurant in Cluj, and by the end, I could barely afford to pay. Such a thing is unheard of even in Frankfurt and Berlin, let alone Frankfurt being a European financial centre,” he revealed.
Mark also expressed surprise at the prices in supermarkets, which he found to be higher than those in Germany, despite the significant difference in salaries. “I went to a German supermarket in Romania and noticed the same products as in Germany, but at higher prices. I knew that Romanians earn salaries at least 5-6 times lower than in Germany or France, and even lower than in countries like Italy and Spain, where incomes aren't high. Yet, Romanians endure and pay more than us,” he remarked.
Nonetheless, he had positive impressions of both cities, appreciating the charms of Cluj and Sibiu. “Cluj somehow reminds me of Munich and other Bavarian cities, with its pleasant aesthetic appeal. Sibiu, on the other hand, has a unique charm and is equally beautiful as Cluj. Romania, in general, is undeniably beautiful. It's just a shame that the roads aren't well-maintained, and the trains move so slowly that you could practically disembark and run alongside them,” he concluded.
Although Mark did not disclose the specific names of the restaurants he visited, it is widely known that dining establishments in Cluj and Bucharest rank among the most expensive in Europe. As an example, Transylvania Steak House, has some extravagant items on its menu, including coffee with gold, beef garnished with gold leaf, and other delicacies at astronomical prices. In fact, the establishment's owner, Avram Gal, recently boasted about selling coffee at higher prices than in Dubai, and stated “I have an ad for UNTOLD. If you go to UNTOLD, we're going to have a $6,200 burger because we found it in America for $6,000 and we want to make it a little more expensive”.
