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To fully appreciate this Romanian outpost in Sunnyside's sea of Colombian restaurants, you should stop by late on a weekend—as Friday through Sunday, Transylvania turns into a "Rumanian Nite Club" where Amor, the house band, gets their gypsy folk groove on complete with disco ball and light show. Tables set with a mismatch of silverware and glasses surround the small dance floor and stage, but the most mood-enhancing spot is a dark alcove to the side, overseen by a chilling portrait of Count Dracula. Diners can make a meal by combining such toothsome appetizers as the smoky, light eggplant salad, cold herring and Romanian meatballs, which are similar to kafta, or take the plunge and go for calf sweet breads or breaded veal brains. Among the other traditional offerings are a veal sour soup, cheese dumplings and Tochitura Moldova, a sausage and pork roast stew served with a mound of polenta. Unfortunately, much of the food seems like an afterthought to the entertainment, and is amazingly salty—but whether that's in keeping with the recipes from the homeland or just a subtle way to get you to drink more is an open question. — Matthew Benjamin

Chopped eggplant salad, $4.95; mititei, $10.92