Moldova’s cuisine represents a mix of neighboring cuisines like Russian, Ukranian, Romanian, and of course Turkish, like in any Balkan country. And if during your culinary trip you want to get to the essence of local dishes, there is no better place to do it than in Ottoman – a Turkish restaurant in the Botanica district.

A good sign is that its owners are Turkish expats, and also among visitors you can always meet people from the Middle East, not to mention that the chef is also Turkish. So you can be sure of the authenticity of all meals here, starting with the various grill kebaps and ending with the famous kunefe dessert. Oh, and of course the dolma – different stuffed vegetables — which is the most obvious parallel to Moldavian “sarmale”. A nice little thing is the complimentary cup of Turkish tea served for every guest.

My personal favorite is the Adana kebap, a grilled kebap from minced lamb, served with a good portion of salad and bulgur. The taste was the closest yet to the ones I’ve had in Istanbul.

The interior is not really trendy, but the food is a real reason to come here.