Beyond Sfantu Gheorghe – gusturi cu personalitate

Daca ajungi in Sfantu Gheorghe si ai chef de o masa care sa iasa putin din tiparul clasic al restaurantelor de hotel, merita sa treci pragul Beyond. Restaurantul face parte din B The Hotel si si-a deschis portile in aprilie 2024, cu o idee destul de clara: sa duca gastronomia din Sfantu Gheorghe intr-o zona mai creativa, cu preparate care combina ingrediente locale si internationale, plating atent si gusturi care nu se multumesc sa fie doar „bune”. Beyond Sfantu Gheorghe – gusturi cu personalitate ar putea fi, fara prea mult efort, descrierea unei experiente culinare in care lucrurile cunoscute capata o alta forma. De la ingrediente care fac parte din gastronomia locala pana la combinatii mai curajoase, meniul te invita sa lasi putin deoparte alegerile previzibile si sa fii curios. Iar noi exact asta am facut: am ales cateva preparate care ne-au facut cu ochiul si am pornit intr-un mic tur gastronomic, de la aperitive si feluri principale pana la desert.

🇬🇧 Jump to English version

Un loc care atrage privirea inainte sa ajunga mancarea. Si pentru ca o experienta la restaurant incepe cu mult inainte de prima imbucatura, merita spus cate ceva si despre locul in care se intampla totul.

B The Hotel impresioneaza printr-o arhitectura moderna, eleganta si atent construita pana in cele mai mici detalii, cu un design care combina suprafete cu aspect de marmura, accente metalice si elemente inspirate din natura. In interior, atmosfera este sofisticata, dar nu rece, iar restaurantul se bucura de spatii intime si de acei „pereti vii” care aduc un strop de verdeata si creeaza un contrast foarte placut cu decorul contemporan.

Totul pare gandit ca o continuare a conceptului Beyond: elegant, spectaculos, dar fara sa simti ca esti intr-un decor care incearca prea tare sa impresioneze. Iar cand te asezi la masa, cu vesela atent aleasa, lumina placuta si preparatele care incep sa apara, intelegi ca aici si cadrul face parte din experienta.

Am mers, asadar, la Beyond cu pofta de mancare si curiozitatea de a descoperi cateva dintre preparatele lor. Si am inceput, cum altfel, cu aperitivele.

Un mic rasfat din partea casei: Terina de pui. Inainte sa ajunga aperitivele pe masa, am primit din partea casei o mica surpriza: terina de pui. Cateva imbucaturi delicate, cu textura fina si catifelata, servite pe o baza crocanta si completate de mici accente fructate, usor dulci-acrisoare. Mi-a placut tocmai contrastul dintre crema bogata si fina de pui, textura crocanta si nota fresh a elementului de fruct. Este genul de amuse-bouche care iti deschide apetitul si, mai ales, iti da de inteles ca urmeaza o masa in care si cele mai mici detalii au fost gandite cu atentie. O introducere mica, dar cu personalitate, in povestea gastronomica de la Beyond.

Tapas secuiesc – gusturi locale, puse intr-o forma moderna. Primul lucru care ne-a atras atentia a fost Tapas-ul secuiesc, un preparat care mi se pare ca spune destul de bine povestea restaurantului: ingrediente cu personalitate, recognoscibile, dar aduse impreuna intr-o prezentare moderna. Pe farfurie gasesti crema de oua, crema de vinete, zacusca si pasta de jumari, alaturi de paine de casa prajita.

Este genul de aperitiv care te face sa tot rupi cate o bucata de paine si sa incerci alta combinatie. Zacusca vine cu gustul acela familiar de legume coapte, crema de vinete aduce textura fina si usor afumata, crema de oua este mai catifelata, iar pasta de jumari vine cu partea serioasa, intensa si savuroasa a farfuriei. Iar painea prajita este exact ce trebuie pentru toate aceste creme: crocanta la exterior, numai buna pentru „adunat” din farfurie. Practic, ai intr-un singur preparat mai multe dintre aromele pe care le asociezi cu bucataria ardeleneasca, dar intr-o varianta mai jucausa.

Pate de ficat de pui cu fructe de padure murate, alune caramelizate si cozonac prajit. Daca Tapas-ul secuiesc merge pe familiar, pateul de ficat de pui vine cu un joc de gusturi mult mai indraznet. Pateul este servit cu fructe de padure murate, alune de padure caramelizate si cozonac prajit. Si aici apare partea mea preferata: contrastul. Pateul este cremos, bogat si cu gust intens de ficat, in timp ce fructele de padure murate aduc acea nota acrisoara care taie foarte bine din bogatia pateului. Alunele caramelizate vin cu textura crocanta si o dulceata discreta, iar cozonacul prajit este surpriza placuta a farfuriei: usor crocant la exterior, cu interior moale si aromat.

Este o combinatie care, pe hartie, poate parea neobisnuita. In farfurie insa, lucrurile se leaga foarte bine. Dulce, acrisor, sarat, cremos si crocant – fiecare element are rolul lui.

La felul principal: de la Black Angus la clasicul snitel vienez.La felul principal am vrut sa incercam mai multe lucruri, asa ca pe masa au ajuns Steak din muschi de vita Black Angus, Club sandwich si Snitel vienez din muschi de vita, acesta din urma comandat cu cartofi prajiti in loc de piure.

Steak din muschi de vita Black Angus. Pentru iubitorii de vita, steak-ul este probabil una dintre cele mai tentante alegeri din meniu. Muschiul de vita Black Angus este servit cu cartofi steak cu rozmarin, legume grill, fructe de padure murate, seminte de mustar murate si sos de piper verde. Este o farfurie in care carnea ramane vedeta. Muschiul de vita are textura aceea frageda pe care o astepti de la un steak bun, iar garniturile construiesc in jurul lui un echilibru foarte placut.

Cartofii cu rozmarin sunt aromati si rumeniti, legumele grill aduc o nota usor afumata, iar fructele de padure murate sunt exact elementul care schimba dinamica farfuriei: un pic de aciditate si o tenta fructata intre imbucaturi. Sosul de piper verde completeaza totul cu o nota cremoasa si usor picanta. Este genul de preparat care nu are nevoie de artificii inutile: carne buna, garnituri bine alese si suficiente contraste cat sa nu devina niciun moment monoton.

Club sandwich – confort food facut cum trebuie. Daca steak-ul este alegerea pentru o masa mai sofisticata, Club sandwich-ul este partea de comfort food a mesei. Vine alaturi de cartofi dippers, iar portia este una generoasa. Este genul de preparat pe care il alegi cand vrei ceva familiar, consistent si foarte usor de mancat. Paine prajita, umplutura generoasa, sosuri care leaga totul si cartofi crocanti langa – exact genul de combinatie care functioneaza fara prea multe explicatii. Iar cartofii dippers sunt partenerul perfect pentru sandwich: crocanti la exterior, moi in interior si numai buni de inmuiat in sos.

Snitel vienez din muschi de vita, cu cartofi prajiti. Si pentru ca un snitel bun nu are nevoie de prea multe prezentari, am comandat Snitelul vienez din muschi de vita, dar am facut o mica modificare: in loc de piureul de cartofi din meniu, l-am ales cu cartofi prajiti. Meniul restaurantului il prezinta in mod normal cu piure de cartofi cu usturoi confiat. Rezultatul? Un snitel mare, cu crusta rumena si crocanta, iar carnea de vita ramane frageda in interior. Este genul de preparat care iti aminteste de ce combinatia asta este un clasic: crusta crocanta, carne suculenta si o garnitura simpla. Cu cartofi prajiti langa, farfuria devine si mai generoasa si, sincer, mult mai greu de impartit. 🙂

Desertul: papanasi cu smantana si dulceata de afine. Dupa toate cele de mai sus, era destul de clar ca desertul trebuia sa fie unul traditional. Am ales papanasii cu smantana si dulceata de afine, una dintre acele combinatii care nu prea dau gres. In meniul Beyond, papanasii sunt serviti cu smantana dulce si dulceata de afine. Papanasul este pufos si consistent, smantana aduce partea cremoasa, iar dulceata de afine vine cu aroma fructata si dulce-acrisoara care echilibreaza foarte bine tot desertul. Este finalul acela de masa care te face sa spui „nu mai pot”, in timp ce mai iei totusi o imbucatura.

Beyond, pentru o masa care iese din rutina. Ce mi-a placut la Beyond este ca meniul nu incearca sa aleaga intre preparatele familiare si abordarea moderna. Le are pe amandoua.

Poti sa incepi cu un Tapas secuiesc, sa continui cu un steak de Black Angus si sa inchei cu papanasi. Poti sa alegi un club sandwich daca ai pofta de ceva familiar sau un snitel de vita daca vrei un preparat clasic, dar cu o abordare mai generoasa.

Iar ingredientele locale apar in locuri unde poate nu te-ai astepta: zacusca si jumari intr-un tapas, fructe de padure murate langa un steak sau alune caramelizate si cozonac prajit langa pate.

Restaurantul isi propune sa combine gastronomia, creativitatea si prezentarea atent lucrata, iar meniul chiar lasa loc pentru astfel de combinatii.

Pentru o oprire culinara in Sfantu Gheorghe, Beyond este un loc pe care l-as pune pe lista. Mai ales daca iti place sa descoperi restaurante care iau preparatele cunoscute si le dau un mic twist.

Si daca ajungi aici, vino cu pofta. Pentru ca, dupa experienta noastra, sunt sanse mari sa pleci cu gandul la urmatoarea masa.

Daca v-a placut articolul Beyond Sfantu Gheorghe – gusturi cu personalitate, va invit sa cititi si:

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English version

Beyond Sfantu Gheorghe – Flavours with Personality

If you find yourself in Sfantu Gheorghe and feel like a meal that steps slightly outside the classic hotel restaurant mould, Beyond is worth a visit. The restaurant is part of B The Hotel and opened its doors in April 2024 with a fairly clear idea: to take the gastronomy of Sfantu Gheorghe into a more creative space, with dishes that combine local and international ingredients, careful plating and flavours that are not content with being merely „good.” Beyond Sfantu Gheorghe — flavours with personality could, without much effort, describe a culinary experience in which familiar things take on a different form. From ingredients that are part of local gastronomy to bolder combinations, the menu invites you to set aside predictable choices and be curious. And that is exactly what we did — we chose a few dishes that caught our eye and set off on a small gastronomic tour, from starters and main courses through to dessert.

A place that catches the eye before the food arrives. And because a restaurant experience begins long before the first bite, it is worth saying something about the setting too. B The Hotel impresses with a modern, elegant architecture carefully constructed down to the smallest details, with a design that combines marble-effect surfaces, metallic accents and nature-inspired elements. Inside, the atmosphere is sophisticated but not cold, and the restaurant benefits from intimate spaces and those „living walls” that bring a touch of greenery and create a very pleasant contrast with the contemporary décor. Everything seems designed as a continuation of the Beyond concept — elegant, spectacular, but without feeling like a setting that is trying too hard to impress. And when you sit down at the table, with carefully chosen tableware, pleasant lighting and dishes that begin to arrive, you understand that here the surroundings are also part of the experience.

We arrived at Beyond hungry and curious to discover some of their dishes. And we started, naturally, with the starters.

A small treat from the house — chicken terrine. Before the starters arrived at the table, we received a small surprise from the house: chicken terrine. A few delicate bites with a fine and velvety texture, served on a crispy base and finished with small fruity accents, slightly sweet and tangy. What I liked was precisely the contrast between the rich and fine chicken cream, the crispy texture and the fresh note of the fruit element. It is the kind of amuse-bouche that opens the appetite and, above all, lets you know that a meal is on its way in which even the smallest details have been thoughtfully considered. A small but characterful introduction to the gastronomic story at Beyond.

Székely tapas — local flavours in a modern form. The first thing that caught our attention was the Székely tapas, a dish that I think tells the story of the restaurant quite well — ingredients with personality, recognisable but brought together in a modern presentation. On the plate you find egg cream, aubergine cream, zacusca and pork crackling paste, alongside toasted homemade bread. It is the kind of appetiser that makes you keep tearing off another piece of bread and trying another combination. The zacusca brings that familiar flavour of roasted vegetables, the aubergine cream offers a fine and slightly smoky texture, the egg cream is more velvety, while the pork crackling paste brings the serious, intense and savoury part of the plate. And the toasted bread is exactly what all these creams need — crispy on the outside, perfect for scooping everything up. In one single dish you essentially have several of the flavours you associate with Transylvanian cuisine, but in a more playful version.

Chicken liver pâté with pickled berries, caramelised hazelnuts and toasted cozonac. If the Székely tapas leans towards the familiar, the chicken liver pâté comes with a much bolder play of flavours. The pâté is served with pickled berries, caramelised hazelnuts and toasted cozonac. And here comes my favourite part — the contrast. The pâté is creamy, rich and intensely flavoured, while the pickled berries bring that tangy note that cuts very well through the richness of the pâté. The caramelised hazelnuts add a crunchy texture and a discreet sweetness, while the toasted cozonac is the pleasant surprise of the plate — slightly crispy on the outside with a soft and aromatic interior. It is a combination that on paper might seem unusual. On the plate however, everything comes together very well. Sweet, tangy, salty, creamy and crunchy — each element has its role.

For the main course — from Black Angus to the classic Viennese schnitzel. For the main course we wanted to try several things, so the table ended up with a Black Angus beef tenderloin steak, a club sandwich and a Viennese schnitzel from beef tenderloin, the latter ordered with fried potatoes instead of mash.

Black Angus beef tenderloin steak. For beef lovers, the steak is probably one of the most tempting choices on the menu. The Black Angus beef tenderloin is served with rosemary steak potatoes, grilled vegetables, pickled berries, pickled mustard seeds and green pepper sauce. It is a plate where the meat remains the star. The beef tenderloin has that tender texture you expect from a good steak, and the side dishes build a very pleasant balance around it. The rosemary potatoes are aromatic and golden, the grilled vegetables bring a slightly smoky note, and the pickled berries are exactly the element that shifts the dynamic of the plate — a touch of acidity and a fruity hint between bites. The green pepper sauce completes everything with a creamy and slightly spicy note. It is the kind of dish that needs no unnecessary gimmicks — good meat, well-chosen sides and enough contrasts to keep it from ever becoming monotonous.

Club sandwich — comfort food done right. If the steak is the choice for a more sophisticated meal, the club sandwich is the comfort food part of the menu. It comes alongside dipper potatoes and the portion is a generous one. It is the kind of dish you choose when you want something familiar, substantial and very easy to eat. Toasted bread, a generous filling, sauces that tie everything together and crispy potatoes alongside — exactly the kind of combination that works without too many explanations. And the dipper potatoes are the perfect partner for the sandwich — crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and perfect for dipping in sauce.

Viennese schnitzel from beef tenderloin with fried potatoes. And because a good schnitzel needs no lengthy introduction, we ordered the Viennese schnitzel from beef tenderloin, but made a small modification — instead of the mashed potatoes on the menu, we chose it with fried potatoes. The restaurant menu normally presents it with garlic confit mashed potatoes. The result? A large schnitzel with a golden and crispy crust, while the beef remains tender on the inside. It is the kind of dish that reminds you why this combination is a classic — crispy crust, juicy meat and a simple side. With fried potatoes alongside, the plate becomes even more generous and, honestly, much harder to share.

Dessert — papanasi with sour cream and blueberry jam. After everything above, it was fairly clear that dessert had to be something traditional. We chose the papanasi with sour cream and blueberry jam, one of those combinations that rarely goes wrong. In the Beyond menu, the papanasi are served with sweet cream and blueberry jam. The papanas is fluffy and substantial, the cream brings the creamy element, and the blueberry jam comes with that fruity, sweet and tangy flavour that balances the dessert very well. It is that end-of-meal moment that makes you say „I cannot eat another bite” while taking another one anyway.

Beyond, for a meal that breaks the routine. What I liked about Beyond is that the menu does not try to choose between familiar dishes and a modern approach. It has both. You can start with a Székely tapas, continue with a Black Angus steak and finish with papanasi. You can choose a club sandwich if you feel like something familiar or a beef schnitzel if you want a classic dish with a more generous approach. And local ingredients appear in places where you might not expect them — zacusca and pork crackling in a tapas, pickled berries alongside a steak or caramelised hazelnuts and toasted cozonac next to a pâté.

The restaurant aims to combine gastronomy, creativity and carefully crafted presentation, and the menu genuinely leaves room for such combinations. For a culinary stop in Sfantu Gheorghe, Beyond is a place I would put on the list. Especially if you enjoy discovering restaurants that take familiar dishes and give them a small twist. And if you do come here, arrive hungry. Because based on our experience, there is a good chance you will leave already thinking about the next meal.

If you enjoyed the article Beyond Sfantu Gheorghe — flavours with personality, I invite you to also read: La Bulevard Ploiesti — Italian Elegance in an Iconic Setting, Little Hanoi Brașov – The Taste of Vietnam, Between Mountains and Legends or A Meal Above the City: The Panoramic Restaurant Experience.

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