A memorial meal is organised at a moment when nobody feels like organising anything. That is why a few clear things, set out in order, help: how many people, fasting or not, at the restaurant or taken away, and what remains to be done at home.
The number, first
Everything follows from how many people are coming: the portions, the packages, the room. We have 100 seats indoors, on two levels of 50 each, and between 60 and 70 on the terrace, depending on how the tables are set.
If you do not know the exact number, and usually nobody does, give a figure that is close and say it may change. It is easier to adjust a few days ahead than to improvise on the day.
Fasting or not
This is decided by the calendar, not by preference: if the memorial falls during a fasting period, the meal is a fasting one. If you are not certain, ask the priest who holds the service. A restaurant prepares what it is asked for; it does not decide the rule.
We have menus for both. Among the non-fasting ones there are six single-course packages at 36 lei each: chicken leg with pilaf and cabbage salad, pork neck, schnitzel, tochitură with polenta, chicken saramură, and cabbage rolls with meat. The two-course package is 60 lei, the three-course one 90 lei.
Among the fasting ones there are four single-course packages, also at 36 lei: fasting cabbage rolls with polenta, pilaf with grilled mackerel, pilaf with fried bighead carp and garlic sauce, and mackerel or carp saramură. Two courses are 55 lei, three courses 85 lei.
The bread roll is included only with the single-course packages, as it is written in the printed menu.
What stays with the family
Coliva, the ritual breads and the charity packages are not ordered from a restaurant. They belong to church custom and are prepared as the priest directs: how many breads, what goes into the packages, what clothes are given. We take care of the meal.
What to ask when you call
Four things settle almost everything: whether the room is free on that day and at that hour, whether the menu is fasting or not, until when the number of people can change, and whether portions can be packed for those who cannot come.
At Ciorbe La Ion you can call +40 740 834 615 or write on WhatsApp. We are at 55 Gării Street, in Galați, open daily between 10:00 and 22:00. All fourteen packages, with what each one contains, are on the Memorial meals page.
Questions we get
How do you organise a memorial meal in Galați?
Start from the number of people and the day of the memorial, then decide whether the meal is a fasting one, according to the church calendar. Call the restaurant, check the room is free and choose the packages. At Ciorbe La Ion, 55 Gării Street, there are 100 indoor seats and between 60 and 70 on the terrace, and bookings are made at +40 740 834 615 or on WhatsApp.
What is served at a memorial meal?
Usually a main course with a side, sometimes a soup and a dessert as well, plus bread, water and juice. Coliva and the ritual breads are prepared separately, according to church custom, and are not ordered from a restaurant. At Ciorbe La Ion there are fourteen packages, with one, two or three courses, both fasting and non-fasting.
How much does a memorial meal cost per person?
At Ciorbe La Ion, single-course packages are 36 lei per person, both fasting and not. Among the non-fasting ones, two courses are 60 lei and three courses 90 lei. Among the fasting ones, two courses are 55 lei and three courses 85 lei. The bread roll is included with the single-course packages.
What happens if the memorial falls during a fasting period?
The meal is a fasting one. The day is set by the church calendar, and if you are not sure, ask the priest who holds the service. At Ciorbe La Ion there are four single-course fasting packages at 36 lei, plus two-course at 55 lei and three-course at 85 lei.
How many people fit at a memorial meal?
At Ciorbe La Ion there are 100 indoor seats, on two levels of 50 each, and between 60 and 70 on the terrace, depending on how the tables are set. For a large number it is worth calling well ahead, so the day is certain.
Can the memorial meal be packed to take away?
Yes, the packages are meant for that as well: they can be given to those who cannot come to the table. How many are prepared, and when they are collected, is agreed by phone.