I was travelling across Romania with a friend (we're both female, British and in our twenties) and we needed to spend the night somewhere. Petrosani was in the right area (the centre) and the rumour of a metal pub made it the obvious choice, though we felt somewhat suspicious given the town's size (i.e. small).

When we arrived, we discovered that the place is somewhat lacking in road signs. We wandered round, with everyone staring at us (I don't think the place gets many tourists in January or sees New Rock boots very often), before attempting to walk between the two churches near our hotel (Onix Hotel - slightly shabby but perfectly adequate and 105 lei for a double room). Surprisingly, this took us to a sign revealing we were outside exactly the right building and we could hear metal emanating from within. But where was the entrance? There was no sign and the only door didn't look at all promising. But we stepped inside.

Well, we were in, but you know in Westerns when someone walks into a saloon and everyone puts down their drink and falls silent? Yeah. The place was full of not-especially-metal-looking men, all of whom seemed to have heard that a mysterious British Peugeot 106 had arrived in town. (N.B. Despite our guidebook's warning of potholes the size of small children, it's perfectly possible to traverse Romania's A roads in such a vehicle. In the snow.)

But gamely we ordered drinks (9 lei (~ £1.80) for a triple vodka and two Cokes? Awesome!) from the bar (which stocked various beers, vodka, and, well, Coke). However, after a couple of minutes, some guys came over and spent the rest of the night talking enthusiastically and politely to us about music, football and their opinions on various Romanian issues (namely Bucharest vs the rest, stray dogs and gypsies) in perfectly adequate English. Brilliant! And music-wise, I recognised most of it, but it wasn't entirely bog-standard metal fare either - I remember Arch Enemy, Children Of Bodom and Sinergy. I believe there are occasionally gigs there too, but I couldn't say for certain - that vodka was potent! Two thumbs up.