Good Restaurant in Budapest

Well, on our travels we had planned to spend 5 nights in Budapest, but, due to unforeseen circumstances, that portion was sadly dwindled to one night.  So, with only one shot to make it count, I asked our host where his favorite place to eat a good traditional Hungarian meal was.  His answer was St. Jupat.

ST. JUPAT

Located at 1024 Budapest, Dékán street 3, in the Castle District, St. Jupat was exactly what I was looking for.  First off, it seemed to have the right sort of feel to it.  Lots of exposed wood, booth seating, good, yet laid back energy, and lots of locals in it.  Right up my alley.  It managed to have all of that without feeling like some cheesy, mountain themed restaurant.  Next up, draft beers...full liter mugs.  Another point in their favor.  I tried a local beer called Dreher, and it was quite nice.  Not amazing, not the most flavorful, but a good example of a Pilsner in the Eastern European style.  Also, it cost about $5, so a pretty good deal if you ask me.  My wife was still not feeling 100% from her recent ummm....ailment, so she ordered, very simply, the Újházi, which is basically chicken noodle soup.  It was a good example, made with homemade stock, and little homemade snailshell noodles.  Again, not amazing, but a well made soup.  

I started with the Tomato Salad.  I have to say this far exceeded expectations.  First off, the tomatoes were perfectly ripe.  Delicious, sweet, perfect texture....everything.  Second, they were marinated perfectly.  They had enough marinade on them to actually accept the flavor, but hadn't been soaked in it so long that it broke down their texture.  Hard to say if I just arrived at the perfect time of the evening or if they have a system for this, but either way, it worked for me.  The marinade I can only describe as being the sharp, vinaigrette version of Peter Lugers Sauce.  This is the sauce they put on the tomato salad at famous Peter Luger's Steakhouse in NYC. Wonderful.  The only other ingredient was some finely chopped red onions, which added a nice flavor without being too strong.  That is probably the most I will ever write on a tomato salad, but it deserved it.

For my entree, I had the "red wine braised shin of beef with farm style egg barley".  Once again, a success.  It was perfectly braised beef, in a nicely flavored and seasoned sauce that was surely made of reduced braising liquid.  The farm style egg barley that it came with was great too.  Perfect texture, well seasoned (something that is commonly lacking in grain sides for me), with bits of onions, carrot, and other fun little surprises throughout.  If I had to venture a guess, I would say that this was definitely cooked in some sort of housemade broth because it had a nice flavor of stock to it.  The portion would have fed myself, my wife, the three small children at

the table next to me, and probably even my basset hound for a few days, but there is nothing wrong with that.  That last sentence obviously precluded me from having dessert, so that is far as I can take you, but the whole experience...ambiance, food, service, etc. was great and just makes me want to go back to Budapest in the near future.  Appetizers were about $8-10, entrees from $10-18.  

www.stjupat.hu

Don't miss this one if you are in Buda, probably even worth the trip from Pest.

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” ~Jawaharial Nehru

 

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7 Things to Love About Poland

Poland is a wonderful country in Eastern Europe filled with scenic countrysides, lively cities and great shopping. Yet, for a country that is roughly the size of of Georgia and Florida combined, it is so sadly unappreciated. Until now at least...Here is a list of 7 things that make Poland well worth a visit:

ICE CREAM 

Mmm...Swiderki

Poland has Swiderkis, delicious chocolate and vanilla ice cream cones where the ice cream is piled so high that you wonder how gravity has not won the battle. This may not seem like a big deal to some of your, but for anyone who has a sweet tooth that may even remotely rival mine, this will make your entire trip to Poland well worth it. It is next to impossible to not instantly purge all of your grown-up manners and attitudes and let yourself slip back into childhood whileeating one of these. Luckily, swiderkis are available on nearly every street corner for around $2, and the hot summer days are a good excuse to negate any guilty feelings that you may have about eating them.

St. Mary's Basilica

ST. MARY'S BASILICA 
Standing 262 feet tall, this Gothic church in the middle of the Old  Town in Krakow, is absolutely mind blowing. Much to my husband's   disdain, I feel the need to enter every single church that I stumble upon. That being said, I would argue that St. Mary's rivals St. Peter's at the Vatican. How did I not know that this extraordinary church existed before? Oh ya, Poland...it is unappreciated and often overlooked...even by me.

SHOE SHOPPING
Despite having a astronomical unemployment rate of 9%, retail analysts indicates that the clothing and shoe industry in Poland is expected to grow by 6% this year. In other words...Polish women like to shop, and the number of stores lining the downtown streets are clear evidence of this. As a woman, I know how important the perfect pair of shoes is, and as a former retail employee, I love to see how other stores do it. Needless to say, I spent ample time roaming the streets of Krakow and Warsaw scouting the stores. Not only did I find a range of shops, from luxury to inexpensive, but the favorable currency conversion made my husband much happier, too. So, if you like to shop, I would suggest converting some of those American dollars into Polish Zloty and heading out for a fun girls trip to Eastern Europe.

STREET FOOD

Mort eating a kebab in Krakow

As the wife of a Chef, food is always an important part of our day. Actually, that last sentence was a gross understatement. Food is often how we PLAN our day. So trying local cuisine is always first priority when entering a new city, and the easiest way to do that is stop at a stand and indulge in some down right delicious street food. Luckily, the Polish street food did not disappoint. It is comforting, filling, and it makes you long for the winter time. When in Poland, join the locals in standing alongside a concrete building while eating your spicy beef kebab. Yumm....

NOWY SWIAT 
This cobblestone pedestrian street (and it's off-shoots) is far and away the best part of Warsaw. Although the Old Town is beautiful, it is chock full of tourists and tourist traps. Nowy Swiat, meaning "New World" is a charming street full of shops, restaurants and far less tourists. Better yet, Nowy Swiat, also has Poles! If visiting Warsaw, search for your lodging near this street. You will still be able to walk to the Old Town when you want to, but you will have a far better chance of interacting with the locals in this area. And, although I hate to admit it, there is still a Starbuck's close by if you are feeling homesick.

Lazienki Palace, Warsaw

LAZIENKI PARK  
About a twenty minute walk south from the Old Town in Warsaw lies Lazienki Park, one of the most picturesque parks that I have ever laid eyes on. From lush green nature trails to perfectly manicured lawns, this park is well worth devoting a full day of travel to. The park is the largest in Warsaw, covering 188 acres and oddly enough, is home to many wild peacocks. Housed in the park are many sculptures, beautiful marble buildings, and lakes. Most famously, the 17th century Lazienki Palace is located here. The former royal palace is truly a sight to behold as it seems as if it is floating atop of the river. If you forgot your picnic, there is at least one charming restaurant inside the park.

NOT A MCDONALD'S IN SIGHT 
There are over 31,000 McDonald's worldwide, and frankly, I am sick of looking at them.   According to internet research McDonald's does exist in Poland, however, I was absolutely delighted that I did not come across one of them.  For comparison, there are roughly 1,200 McDonald's in France and only about 250 in Poland.  I consider this an amazing triumph for this country. Thank you Poles, for offering something else on my plate.

For more information on visiting Poland check out these sites:

http://www.cracow-life.com/

http://www.warsaw-life.com/

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