Tripe soup is on the menu of most Romanian kitchens in Galați, so anyone looking for it has a choice to make. There is no official ranking, and we are not going to put anyone first, ourselves included: we could not prove such a claim, and it would not be honest. What we can tell you is how a good one is judged, so you can decide for yourself, wherever you sit down.
What tripe soup actually is
Beef tripe simmered for hours, cut into strips, in a broth thickened with sour cream and egg yolk. It is soured with vinegar, sharpened with garlic cooked into it, and brought to the table with a hot pepper on the side. The vegetables in the broth are onion, carrot, celery and kapia pepper. It is not a quick soup: tripe needs hours on the fire, or it stays tough.
Five things it is judged by
The tripe. Cut into even strips and simmered until it gives easily between your teeth, but not until it turns to paste. If it feels rubbery, it has not had long enough.
The broth. Thickened with sour cream and egg yolk, not with flour. One thickened with flour gives itself away: it stays sticky on the palate and covers the taste.
The garlic. It goes into the soup as it cooks, so the taste settles into the broth rather than sitting on top. If you want more, ask for mujdei on the side and add as much as you like.
The hot pepper. On the side, whole, not boiled into the soup. Heat can be added; it cannot be taken out.
The portion. A tripe soup that stands in for a meal is 500 to 600 ml, plus bread. Less than that is a starter.
What we serve
At Ciorbe La Ion the tripe soup is 600 ml and comes with a 45 g bread roll, 45 g of sour cream and a hot pepper. It costs 31.50 lei. It contains beef tripe, sour cream, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, kapia pepper, egg yolk, vinegar and spices.
The declared allergens are gluten, eggs, milk and celery, that is numbers 1, 3, 7 and 9 from Annex II of EU Regulation 1169/2011. It has no declared additives. Nutritional values are 115 kcal per 100 g of product, not per portion, as the same regulation requires.
It is cooked fresh every day. It is not the only one on the list: the menu carries nine soups, from slow-simmered beef soup to the meatball soup.
Where to find us
55 Gării Street, in Galați, close to the railway station. Open daily from 10:00 to 22:00, with the last kitchen order at 21:30. Bookings are made by phone or on WhatsApp, not through a form. For home delivery, orders go through Wolt or Glovo.
Questions we get
Which is the best tripe soup in Galați?
There is no official ranking of soups in Galați, and a restaurant that puts itself first is saying something it cannot prove. Judge by five things: tripe simmered until it gives easily, broth thickened with sour cream and egg yolk rather than flour, garlic cooked into the soup, a hot pepper on the side, and a portion of 500 to 600 ml. At Ciorbe La Ion the portion is 600 ml, costs 31.50 lei, and comes with bread, sour cream and a hot pepper.
How much does tripe soup cost in Galați?
Prices differ from one place to another and change over time, so check the menu where you go. At Ciorbe La Ion, 55 Gării Street, tripe soup costs 31.50 lei for 600 ml, with a 45 g bread roll, 45 g of sour cream and a hot pepper included.
What is in tripe soup and what allergens does it carry?
At Ciorbe La Ion it contains beef tripe, sour cream, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, kapia pepper, egg yolk, vinegar and spices. The declared allergens are gluten, eggs, milk and celery, that is numbers 1, 3, 7 and 9. It has no declared additives. Every dish on the menu declares its own allergens and additives.
Where can you eat tripe soup in Galați on a Sunday?
Ciorbe La Ion is open every day, Saturdays and Sundays included, from 10:00 to 22:00, with the last kitchen order at 21:30. The address is 55 Gării Street, Galați.
Can you order tripe soup for delivery in Galați?
Yes. Home orders go through Wolt and Glovo. Nothing is ordered on this website: in the restaurant you order at the table, from the waiter, and bookings are made by phone or on WhatsApp.
Is the tripe soup made fresh every day?
Yes, at Ciorbe La Ion it is cooked daily. The menu carries nine soups, and the tripe soup is the one the restaurant is known for.