Eat in Budapest

It’s been so long (a year) since I read the first good review about Klassz that I was concerned that it already may have become  much worse as it usually happens with most restaurants in Budapest: after a lightspeed take-off you don’t have to wait long for a sharp downturn in quality.

Klassz is located on Andrássy street, the trendiest avenue of Pest with new designer stores popping up every month now. It’s so perfectly located that becoming a tourist trap was to be guaranteed. Moreover, Klassz started well and I was surprised that they still don’t take table reservations which indicates that they’re expecting tourist visitors mostly. On this sunny September weekday the restaurant was half empty and to my surprise it only got almost full due to some tourists who just run into the restaurant without any consciousness.

Review

The interior design is tastefully trendy, even funny and the space is surprisingly small. Although it has high ceiling, the  entrance-side wall is a huge window so it’s quite bright and the decoration is nice. The waitresses are polite, responsive and the menu is short enough (and it’s printed on paper) to take fast decisions.

Foie gras is a must on the menu in touristic areas and I happen to like it, and as a starter it was quite worth the HUF 1 800 or so (it came with cabbage with honey dressing), it’s sufficiently big to fill your stomach for even an hour. But the main course arrives relatively fast. I asked the duck breast medium done and my business partner the tuna „pink” and we got them like that. Apart from the lemon risotto which did not taste lemon at all the duck was very good but not reaching the excellence of the starter.

After a light breakfast and the 2 courses above I felt completely full so I couldn’t taste the desserts, but I’ll be back for sure. The coffee was beautifully served (they have nice machine and grinder on a central „stage”). This restaurant is a must for everyone: couples, friends, business partners and tourists alike. Excellent value for money.

 

Review

Once entering the restaurant you are chez lui indeed: the small 2-floor house is located in a downtown residencial district stuck between much larger buildings but the house reflects the character of the neighbouthood and the owners did not change mch of the spaces since transforming this residential building into a charming French restaurant. The courtyard is small but very pleasant to stay in when the weather’s nice but the interior, the former rooms of flats is less friendly: they’re dark, hardly decorated at all and the toilets occupy the central area.

You must not be extremely lucky to get a table during lunchtime: we were the only guests on this late August sunny day. Perhaps the evenings are different but then you’re less likely to be served by Daniel himself. Her wife and Daniel were both present during my two visits and they’re friendly, nice people who make you feel like you’re at their home, with their dog taking central attention within the family. The easy-going, family atmosphere is supported by nice, but not outstanding French food with Provence’s influence being dominant.

The seafood and fishes are daily adjusted to the market’s offering, but the rest of the menu has been more or less unchanged for the last 3 years the waiter tells me.

Many believe that Hungarians are wannabe Mediterraneans. I really doubt it. Except for our passion for summer maybe, there’s little in common with any of the people around the Mediterranean– and this is particularly true as long as food is concerned (Pizza doesn’t count).

To start with, for me Mediterranean food requires fresh, good ingredients. If you’ve ever been to Hungary, you know what I’m talking about. Located 300 meters from the city’s largest market, Pata Negra definitely should have no handicap on this field. Indeed, even seafood is fresh.

After a short downfall following the hype a year after its launch, Pata Negra is back with good food, easy-going but attentive service and great atmosphere. There are few new courses on the menu and weekly/monthly specials on the board.

Nowadays you don’t need to book a table: the 4th underground line’s construction area is just 2 meters from its entrance the no way any tourist would find the place in the surrounding chaos.

After so many poorly run fake mediterranean places Budapest still has its authentic, charming tapas bar with good food, service and last but not least, wines. 

 

 

 

In spite of the flags hanging above the entrance, Pomo d’Oro does not call any attention in the busy street of the Budapest banking district. From inside it has more character with lot of wood decoration, although it’s very dark at least during the day. But this is not something negative.

They’re proud to be the first to receive the plaque of patronage from the Italian Chef Association.

Review

Durint my sole visit to Pomo D’Oro the service crew was not bad: timing of foods was good although they did not pass my ice cube test (I like drinks with lot of ice so I always have to ask for it or for some extra and usually waiters simply forget about it). But this seems to be normal in Budapest because waiters in Budapest restaurants hardly ever do.

As usual in Italian restaurants in Budapest, starters are relatively expensive but the seafood carpaccio for instance is worth it: their octopus is really an exception in this price category.

Their tomato soup is incomparable to any other tomato soup I’ve ever had.

The main courses on the other hand are very good but not so outstanding. Their strive for good quality is visible, their materials are of good quality and after a single visit I can’t say anything negative about Pomo D’Oro. In my opinion it’s one of the 3 best Italian restaurants in Budapest.

Review

I spent many years in clubs, pubs and rock festivals but I’ve never met such polite punks as I did once and again on A38. Yes, on, because A38 is a boat. Let’s just quote their website about it:

“A38 is the reincarnation of a Ukranian stone-carrier ship. With its inauguration on 30 April 2003, it started a new life on the Danube in Budapest as a cultural venue. Since its opening it has become one of Budapest’s most important venues, and according to artists’ feedback, one of Europe’s coolest clubs.”

It’s cool indeed. And you would not expect such a nice restaurant on this boat which hosts (mostly underground) shows almost 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The restaurant is very bright due to tis huge windows which provides 70% of the walls and a great view to southern Pest and Buda. These days arworks are hanging on these enormous windows. It’s well decorated in a minimalist style with lot of wood and not just the ceiling is very high but there’s also lot of space between the tables.

The waiters used to be the most polite and aloof in the city. That changes but A38 still has one of the best services in town.

The food is made of fresh material but they’re not too original or unique, they wary from medium boring to good. But the whole ambience compensates for it, believe me. The best is going there for a lunch when 80% of the tables are empty, based on my sample of half a dozen visits.

My wife said on our first visit here that it’s like 2-3 interior designers had been working on this restaurant’s interior without seeing each others’ work during its progress. But I believe that if you were brave enough so the building from outside not having scared you away you’ll find everything else either nice or funny. Only one more thing about its appearance: I was much more relieved when I realized that the dozens of kilos of deer horns above each table were made from plastic.

The first restaurant of Italian Michelin-star chef Donatella Zampoli is a wannabe trendy, spacious restaurant still trying to find its target consumers few months after opening.

The service is very polite, sometimes overly, but some waiters are attentive and have a good sense of humor (yes, that’s a dangerous territory, but this time it worked well).

On Sundays it’s a family place with babies and kids, during the week it’s a trendy restaurant and in the evening it’s always full.

They’ve redesigned their menu few weeks ago, prior to that it was an Italian/Mediterranean fusion cuisine. They promised some changes, putting more summer-meals on the menu like salads and we expected price increase. They delivered the latter (10-15% on average) and they even taken some salads out, like the potato salads which my sister really loved. It’s still not expensive, indeed, they have the best value for money pizzas especially on the lower-end segment. And the meals are also well-priced to compete with the Le Roys and alike. At least the design suggests that they aim to conquer some of their customers, whilst also attracting tourist passing by and local residents. Yuppies also discovered the place quickly and I’m very curious what will be the main customer base of Donatella’s.

Their pizzas are simply fantastic; their pastas are good but sometimes disappointing because of the obvious use of frozen material.

The main courses are well seasoned and well created. And well prepared.

More information and details of the meals will follow soon.