„Galațiul de altădată", the Galați of former times, was an interwar themed evening held on 1 August 2026 at Ciorbe La Ion, 55 Gării Street in Galați. It started at 18:00, seats were limited, and the ticket was 200 lei per person. Here is what the evening held, so you know what you are coming to if another one is announced.
The vintage cars at the gate
The first part of the evening happened on the pavement. Two vintage cars were parked at the kerb, one on each side of the entrance, and an arch of gold and burgundy balloons went up at the gate. People had their photographs taken there before going in, which was rather the point of it.
The tasting: wines, Prosecco and divin
Barrels were set out in the courtyard, with glasses and ice buckets on top. White wines were poured, along with Prosecco and divin, the wine spirit aged in wood that is called divin in Moldova and brandy elsewhere. Purcari were the partners of the evening, and their people stood at the barrel and talked through what was going into the glass.
The music: piano first, then the fiddlers
There were two kinds of music, one after the other. A piano recital at the start, which suits the hour when people settle in and greet each other. Then the lăutari, violin and accordion, who walked between the tables and played close to whoever was sitting there, the way it is done. By the middle of the evening people were dancing between the tables, and that had not been in the programme.
What was on the table
The food was ours, cooked in this kitchen: soups, slow-cooked dishes, grilled meats. Nothing was brought in from outside for that evening. Every item on the menu declares its weight, its ingredients, its allergens and its additives, and that does not change because an evening has a theme.
Why the interwar years
The interwar period survives in photographs, clothes, cars and music, and those four can be brought back for one evening. We did not reconstruct the history of the city, and we did not claim to. We rebuilt the atmosphere: the warm light, the good clothes, the cars at the gate and live music.
Galați was a Danube port city for a long time, and trade on the water set its rhythm. The restaurant stands at 55 Gării Street, close to the railway station, on one of the roads by which the city has always received people arriving from far away. An evening about former times fits here better than it would elsewhere.
How an evening like this is arranged
Themed evenings are not a weekly fixture, and they are announced in advance on the Facebook page. On the other days the place is quiet: you come, you sit down and you eat your soup in peace.
For a group there are two rooms of 50 seats each, on the ground floor and upstairs, so 100 indoors, while the terrace takes between 60 and 70 people depending on how the tables are set. A larger group can have the upper floor to itself. The menu is agreed together, and the music is arranged in advance.
Bookings are by phone or WhatsApp, not through a form. Open daily from 10:00 to 22:00, with the last kitchen order at 21:30.
Questions we are asked
What was „Galațiul de altădată"?
It was an interwar themed evening held on 1 August 2026, from 18:00, at the Ciorbe La Ion restaurant in Galați, 55 Gării Street. It had vintage cars at the entrance, a tasting of wines, Prosecco and divin alongside the Purcari team, a piano recital and lăutari music, and our own cooking on the table. The ticket was 200 lei per person, with limited seats.
Where are themed evenings held in Galați?
At Ciorbe La Ion, 55 Gării Street, themed evenings are held and announced in advance on the restaurant Facebook page. They are not weekly: they are announced once the date is set, and seats are held by phone. On the other days the restaurant runs as usual, daily between 10:00 and 22:00.
How much was the ticket for the interwar evening at Ciorbe La Ion?
200 lei per person, for the evening of 1 August 2026, with the tasting and the programme included. That was the price of that event, not a standing tariff: at an ordinary meal you pay from the menu, at menu prices.
Can a private evening with lăutari be arranged at Ciorbe La Ion?
Yes. The rooms and the terrace can be held for a group, the menu is agreed together, and the music is arranged in advance. It is settled by phone or on WhatsApp, because there is no booking form on the site.
How many seats does Ciorbe La Ion have for an event?
There are 100 indoor seats on two levels of 50 each, so a larger group can have the upper floor to itself. The terrace takes between 60 and 70 people, depending on how the tables are set.
When is the next event at Ciorbe La Ion?
There is no fixed calendar. Themed evenings are announced in advance on the restaurant Facebook page. If you want a table on a particular evening, call and we will tell you whether anything is planned then.
Can children come to events at Ciorbe La Ion?
Children came to the evening of 1 August, with their families. It depends on the event and on the hour it starts, so ask by phone when you hold the table. On ordinary days the menu has dishes that suit children every day.