Officially, summer has arrived, and Povestea Casei proposes to offer you, every week, a presentation of a terrace in Bucharest where those eager to escape the daily hustle can relax in an as authentic setting as possible. The first place we thought of was Jai Bistrot. This summer garden will win you over from your first visit.
Jai Bistrot is located on Calea Grivitei at number 55, and entering this space is in itself an interesting experience, which includes several stages.
After passing through a small hallway, at one point, a flying pig will greet you from one of the walls, a sign that you will enter a scenario where playfulness is the main character. Then you enter a passage room that obstructs daylight and prepares you for the actual entrance into the garden.
The contrast between light and darkness that you feel when passing through that dark hallway is quite interesting.
Once inside the garden, you will notice that the noise of the city disappears and the atmosphere suddenly colors. We were curious to learn more about the story behind this place, so we spoke with Corina Gliga, owner of Jai Bistrot.
What is the story behind the Jai Bistrot garden?
“If we're going to start from the beginning, I first opened Jai Bistrot in 2011, together with a friend, in Targu Mures, at my grandfather's house. That place is a house with a garden that looks a lot like the one in Bucharest. This was the criterion I followed when choosing the space when we decided to come to Bucharest as well.
We wanted to create a relaxing and easygoing space. A space that is pleasant both during the day for lunch and useful for project meetings, but also in the evening for a glass of wine and a story with smiles, a shot and a beer. We are friendly to dogs and children. We wanted a versatile space suitable for many types of events that we want to organize or host.”
In addition, in Bucharest since last year we have a kitchen that is developing more and more beautifully, we are trying to purchase more and more local products and create connections with local producers.
How long did the landscaping work take?
The landscaping work took about two months for the terrace and another two in the winter for the indoor space. However, they return every season, we always find something to do or redo.”
What materials did you use?
“We tried to adapt to the style of the house and the garden. We wanted to keep everything we could repair and reuse. We worked on a limited budget, so we went for common materials, generally used in private homes (bricks, wood, cement, metal), which we tried to use as creatively as possible.”
How would you describe the style of the landscaping?
We adopted a modern, urban style, but one that is very relaxed, warm and colorful. In many ways, we related to the style we would have chosen for ourselves at home, precisely to create a feeling of familiarity, of home.
