A few weeks ago my husband was traveling to Budapest for work so we tagged a short weekend vacation to the front end of his business trip. It was our first time taking advantage of our newfound travel freedom from our new home base in London. (Flights from London are so much cheaper and shorter than flights from the States, making travel throughout Europe easier and less of a huge undertaking.)
As a dietitian, my excitement over all the travel possibilities goes beyond the obvious (seeing the world) and, of course, comes back to FOOD. I can’t wait to learn about different food cultures and nutrition issues from around the globe. I also get to challenge my travel eating skills: Just how good am I at striking that balance between gobbling up all the yummy local, traditional, exotic cuisine that a city may have to offer and making sensible meal choices? Don’t get me wrong. Eating for fun and eating for fuel are not mutually exclusive. But sometimes enjoying a food strictly for the experience of it means making a less nutritious choice than I might normally make. Still, I try to find the balance.
As a dietitian, my excitement over all the travel possibilities goes beyond the obvious (seeing the world) and, of course, comes back to FOOD. I can’t wait to learn about different food cultures and nutrition issues from around the globe. I also get to challenge my travel eating skills: Just how good am I at striking that balance between gobbling up all the yummy local, traditional, exotic cuisine that a city may have to offer and making sensible meal choices? Don’t get me wrong. Eating for fun and eating for fuel are not mutually exclusive. But sometimes enjoying a food strictly for the experience of it means making a less nutritious choice than I might normally make. Still, I try to find the balance.
Take this trip to Budapest, for example. Hungarian food is often described as “heavy” or “rich.” If you’re into meat, gravies, hearty soups and stews, and strudel (paprika, too), you’d probably love it. It’s delicious but after a few days of Hungarian food, heck, after a few meals, I found myself craving something lighter. I wanted fish. I wanted veggies. What I found was that:
Budapest offers a wide range of traditional cuisine, modern dishes, heavy comfort food and lighter fare...and some delicious Hungarian wines!
Budapest offers a wide range of traditional cuisine, modern dishes, heavy comfort food and lighter fare...and some delicious Hungarian wines!
Wine & Dine
While searching for a restaurant that had been recommended to us, we instead stumbled upon Tigris (Mérleg u. 10) on our first day and ended up having possibly the best meal of our entire stay. We were probably underdressed for this high-end bistro but I’m glad they let us in because the grilled goat cheese salad, seafood ravioli special and especially the sampler of foie gras (Hungary is the world’s #2 producer) were phenomenal.
Foie Gras at Tigris
Our absolute favorite thing at 21 Magyar Vendéglő (Fortuna u. 21) was the tomato salad. I'm not remotely kidding. This isn't some weird dietitian thing; my husband was just as obsessed as I was. Peeled tomatoes are served simply with some finely diced onion and chopped herbs. We ate three of these over the course of two visits and washed them down with a glass of Királyleányka, a fresh, dry white wine.
Tomato Salad at 21 Magyar Vendéglő
Beef Stroganoff at Vár: a Speiz
Our dinner at Bock Bizstró (Erzsébet krt. 43-49), on the Pest side, was an unforgettable experience. From the live accordion music to the attentive service from jovial staff, you can’t help but have a good time here. The special trout wrapped in a flaky pastry was a nice break from meat and goose liver. We paired it with Bock József Kékfrankos Villány 2013, a medium-bodied red. While the food was great, it was the end of the meal that was truly memorable. Tobacco ice cream (not a typo) was followed up by complimentary tastes of traditional spirits, Pálinka (fruit brandy) and Unicum (a liqueur made from herbs); the former is not for the faint of heart and the latter is definitely an acquired taste. We tried them anyway (When in Budapest…).
At Vár: a Speiz (Hess András tér 6), a Hungarian bistro in the Castle District, we cooled off on the patio with a Pannonhalma Rosé that had been recommended by a colleague, during an impromptu lesson on Hungarian wines. Winemaking has been a tradition of the monks living up on a hill at the Benedictine Archabbey of Pannonhalma, since 996. I went “all in” and enjoyed a delicious Beef Stroganoff with Butter Gnocchi that kept me full for the rest of the day. Yep, it was only lunchtime.
Toward the end of the week I found myself alone for dinner, not wanting to go out and craving a simple meal. The hotel’s bar and restaurant menus weren’t doing it for me. I don’t love room service – it’s always so expensive – but there it was on the room service menu: Roasted salmon and potatoes on a bed of the most delicious veggie hash hit the spot perfectly.
I never get tired of fish and veggies
Lunch & Lattes
Budapest has both classic cafés, like the opulent Café Gerbeaud (Vörösmarty tér 7-8), and modern espresso bars. Printa (Rumbach Sebestyén u. 10) is a “concept shop, gallery, silkscreen studio and a café” and an awesome place to enjoy a latte while browsing for unique souvenirs.
Printa design studio and café
Espresso Embassy
Espresso Embassy (Arany János u. 15) is a serious shop, in a cool exposed-brick setting, offering pour-overs and cold brew in addition to milk-based espresso drinks.
Both shops were pouring the UK’s Has Bean Coffee, with Embassy offering roasts from other suppliers as well. I noticed that nonfat milk is as elusive in Budapest cafés as it is in London shops (where I opt for a semi-skimmed latte). Most of the cafés I visited in Budapest offer whole milk and, sometimes, almond milk or soy milk as an alternative option.
At Culinaris (Balassi Bálint u. 7), a gourmet market and eatery, I picked up a protein-rich Cobb salad for later, with smoked salmon, egg, avocado and blue cheese. In the grocery store, I discovered that Budapest is the first place I’ve traveled where I could not make out one word of the written language. Fortunately, a local girl gave me a tip that I could identify the sparkling waters by their blue caps.
At Culinaris (Balassi Bálint u. 7), a gourmet market and eatery, I picked up a protein-rich Cobb salad for later, with smoked salmon, egg, avocado and blue cheese. In the grocery store, I discovered that Budapest is the first place I’ve traveled where I could not make out one word of the written language. Fortunately, a local girl gave me a tip that I could identify the sparkling waters by their blue caps.
Cobb Salad with Smoked Salmon from Culinaris
Café Smúz (Kossuth Lajos tér 18), located right next to the Hungarian Parliament Building, is a great spot to stop for a coffee and a light snack but what really caught my eye was its menu of fröccs. Fröccs is basically a wine spritzer but in Budapest this popular drink can be enjoyed dozens of ways, distinguished by the ratio of wine to carbonated soda water. It’s probably super refreshing on a hot day and a clever way to dilute the calories in your wine.
The fröccs (wine spritzer) menu at Café Smúz
Budapest, split into Buda on the West and Pest on the East, by the Danube river, offers as much romance as history.
Quick Guide
- Foie gras Tigris (Mérleg u. 10)
- Tomato salad 21 Magyar Vendéglő (Fortuna u. 21)
- Traditional spirits Bizstró (Erzsébet krt. 43-49)
- Hungarian bistro Vár: a Speiz (Hess András tér 6)
- Classic opulent cafe Café Gerbeaud (Vörösmarty tér 7-8)
- Print studio & coffee Printa (Rumbach Sebestyén u. 10)
- Third-wave coffee Espresso Embassy (Arany János u. 15)
- Gourmet market Culinaris (Balassi Bálint u. 7)
- Fröccs wine spritzer Café Smúz (Kossuth Lajos tér 18)
