A Balkan brunch in Zaragoza with 550-gram plaxintas and Transylvanian tradition
In the Jesús neighborhood of Zaragoza, Plaxinta serves a Balkan brunch with smoked sausages, sheep's cheese, kefir and authentic traditional Transylvanian recipes.
The restaurant, located on Fuendejalón Street, was created to bring a taste of Romanian and Balkan cuisine to Zaragoza. Its name comes from one of the region's most typical recipes, plaxinta, a very thin dough that is hand-stretched and baked daily on-site, and which can be filled with savory or sweet ingredients.
The restaurant has won over the locals and social media users alike, with some of its promotional videos racking up hundreds of thousands of views. "We serve Balkan breakfast dishes here," the establishment proclaims on its website, describing its menu as "recipes that crossed the Carpathian Mountains and stayed in Zaragoza."
Plaxinta is a traditional Romanian dish, primarily associated with the Transylvania region. Its thin pastry is filled and baked, and each of these pastries, weighing around 550 grams, is hand-stretched every morning.
Savory options include roast chicken with mushrooms and mozzarella, chicken kebab, mici (spiced minced meat), smoked salami, chorizo, pulled pork, York ham, spinach with goat cheese, bacon and raisins, or homemade ratatouille with tuna. For those with a sweet tooth, there are options with apple and cinnamon, walnuts, almonds, jams, cottage cheese and dill, or chocolate with cookie and pistachio.
What sets this place apart is its Balkan brunch, a platter designed for sharing that includes smoked salami, chorizo, bacon, and pork shoulder, along with hard-boiled egg, feta-style white sheep's cheese, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, fresh onion, and bread. It's served with a complimentary glass of kefir and a shot of orujo, a Spanish pomace brandy. There's also a larger version for four people.
The menu also includes the Bandolero Platter, with roasted potatoes, paprika, smoked bacon, feta cheese, fresh onion and yogurt sauce, and a Romanian cheese board with telemea, cascaval, smoked cascaval and burduf, accompanied by plum jam, prunes and walnuts.
Among the appetizers are eggplant salad, eggplant salad, mushroom salad, green bean salad, tuna salad, and bean hummus. For a more casual option, there are toasts with tomato and olive oil, slices of bread, sponge cake, and croissants. The drinks menu features specialty coffees such as the Spanish Latte, Cocoa Bomb, White Avalanche, Green Caprice, and Golden Hazel.
The restaurant also offers a daily set menu from Tuesday to Friday, between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, which includes salad or soup, a savory dish, a Balkan dessert, and a drink. It is located at 4 Fuendejalón Street, in the Jesús neighborhood.
