My boyfriend is Albanian and I've always wanted to eat at an Albanian restaurant. We headed to Arthur Ave which is the traditional Little Italy in the Bronx. Over the years Arthur Avenue has established an Albanian presence, many owning Italian shops or setting up Albanian stores. So we drove there not knowing any specific restaurant rather stumbling along and asking locals on the street where a good Albanian restaurant was located.
So I do not look Albanian at all. When we walked into Gurra, there were a few older men there kinda staring me down. I'm kinda used to that especially since I've been to Albania and was stared at all the time. So although it was somewhat uncomfortable, it wasn't unbearable. My bf started speaking to them in Albanian and they started to warm up. Their first question was, "where are you from, you know this is Albanian food?" We sat down and I didn't really know where I should look since I know I was being stared at. There was a tv in the room but I wasn't facing it. So I mostly stared at a wall. My bf ordered a few salads with chunks of feta and meat plates of cevapi (veal sausage) with bread. We were never offered a menu, rather the chef brought us to the display of meats and we pointed to what we wanted.
The food was good and hearty although it tasted exactly like my bf's mom's cooking. We were in and out within 20 min. Now when I recall the experience I feel like it's a men's club of people that made up the Kosovo Liberation Army. Not that I don't support that but that's how hardcore it was.
So looking over some posts on Chowhound, this cafe is pretty much members only as in only Albanians which might explain my experience there. They might have slightly loosened their members only policy but I would not go unless I was with an Albanian.
This place leaves me great experience of Albanian cuisine. Some reviewers said they weren't treat well here but I didn't feel anything weird and we were four Asians there last time. Well, it is true that if you speak Albanian you will be better served since people here don't speak good English. The food is delicious: sausages, hamburgers, veal, bean stew, and salads all worth try.
I went here over a year ago… talk about cleaning the skeletons from your closet.
I first read about it in the Village Voice… and after coming, I don't know how the reviewer was really able to come back out. I got the worst stare-down of my life here! If looks could kill, they'd serve me up as a sausage.
My boyfriend is Albanian and I've always wanted to eat at an Albanian restaurant. We headed to Arthur Ave which is the traditional Little Italy in the Bronx. Over the years Arthur Avenue has established an Albanian presence, many owning Italian shops or setting up Albanian stores. So we drove there not knowing any specific restaurant rather stumbling along and asking locals on the street where a good Albanian restaurant was located.
So I do not look Albanian at all. When we walked into Gurra, there were a few older men there kinda staring me down. I'm kinda used to that especially since I've been to Albania and was stared at all the time. So although it was somewhat uncomfortable, it wasn't unbearable. My bf started speaking to them in Albanian and they started to warm up. Their first question was, "where are you from, you know this is Albanian food?" We sat down and I didn't really know where I should look since I know I was being stared at. There was a tv in the room but I wasn't facing it. So I mostly stared at a wall. My bf ordered a few salads with chunks of feta and meat plates of cevapi (veal sausage) with bread. We were never offered a menu, rather the chef brought us to the display of meats and we pointed to what we wanted.
The food was good and hearty although it tasted exactly like my bf's mom's cooking. We were in and out within 20 min. Now when I recall the experience I feel like it's a men's club of people that made up the Kosovo Liberation Army. Not that I don't support that but that's how hardcore it was.
So looking over some posts on Chowhound, this cafe is pretty much members only as in only Albanians which might explain my experience there. They might have slightly loosened their members only policy but I would not go unless I was with an Albanian.
This place leaves me great experience of Albanian cuisine. Some reviewers said they weren't treat well here but I didn't feel anything weird and we were four Asians there last time. Well, it is true that if you speak Albanian you will be better served since people here don't speak good English. The food is delicious: sausages, hamburgers, veal, bean stew, and salads all worth try.
I went here over a year ago… talk about cleaning the skeletons from your closet.
I first read about it in the Village Voice… and after coming, I don't know how the reviewer was really able to come back out. I got the worst stare-down of my life here! If looks could kill, they'd serve me up as a sausage.
The food was good though, if my memory recalls.