#budapestrestaurant

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URBAN TIGER It’s complicated.

My fiancee has a saying… when she pays it always Su#$& 

A new place recently opened with Southeast  Asian flavors and a professional bar that makes very small cocktails for a very big price... Urban Tiger, and its very loud ambiance and retro style were intriguing we unfortunately had to check it.

From the street, the bar and interior looked very pleasant, the long bar, the decoration, lightning give a nice 20′s touch. That’s all actually. Once you are there after few minutes you realize that somehow you not in a restaurant but more a club. You need to shout to have a conversation, while listen a horrible electronic “music” that has nothing to do here. The drinks are way to small for that price, they taste delicious i’ll give them that, but  once you have you three sips you stay with a kilo off ice in your drink. The price of the wine... just don’t get wine. 

We were welcomed with crispy petals with sesame that are just vulgar shrimp chips, the cucumber water is a nice touch though. It’s free and they refile your glass every time it’s empty. We had trouble to decide what to eat thank to the over complicated names on the menu.  But thanks to the table next to us we did no order the salmon tartar. The all dish looked like a bird regurgitates the salmon on the plate.

In one word, our experience was SPICY. The menu states different ingredients, rich flavors yet the only flavor you got is an overpowering hot chili fire that annihilates all the ingredients.

The mapo steak was of course way overcooked, chewy and like the rice blend. The tofu was supposed to be crunchy. I am not a big fan of tofu, and it will stay that way. It was soft and unnecessary. 

The Marhapofa malaccsaszar (bao) were truly horrifying. Flat, gummy dough, the pork belly was dry and cooked in water, not even sired, way too much coriander, and of course it was blend. I mean why a professional chef would try to play with spices and accommodate the flavors that offers Asian cuisine when you have near you a nice bottle of Sriracha.

I understand chefs try to innovate, to give us something we did not have before, nevertheless if you don’t master flavors such as those, you have to stay simple, and stop using hot sauce!!! Chef András Berényi learned Thai and Malaysian flavors in London (source WLB) just take few weeks off and go to Thailand, Malaysi etc. You'll see that there is much more in there cuisine and culture than chili.

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Tio Felipe, A new Jefe in town.

 Thanks to Tio Felipe Italian and Spanish cuisine meet without unnecessary complexities in Simple yet beautiful plates with not only Spanish dishes, but also Italian foods and flavors, sometimes mixed together in a graceful harmony.

The interior is simple. Don’t expect paintings of bullfighters or landscapes on the walls, though we did not fully understand the typo walls, did not seem in agreement with the atmosphere. Here the focus is on the food. The music is nice and not to loud, which is something they change since the opening apparently, so they care about customer feedback.

After the disaster that was Vicky Barcelona I was somehow reluctant having tapas in a new hype joint. It’s true the pictures looked appealing. However we could not really rely on pictures. Often it is not what you get. After getting a look at the menu it did sound promising, Italian and Spanish are my favorite flavors so a place that combines both was at the end worth to try. As usual we order a bit too much but manage to finish every plate and even save place for dessert. As I said the pictures looked appealing. For once we were served what was promised. Plates were simply stunning, refine and no over complicated.

The paella will definitely won’t disappoint you, not too spicy and actually quite light for paella, it is one of the best dishes. My second favorite was the Chorizo in vino tinto. The flavors not overwhelming and with the spiciness of the chorizo it’s delicious, I could finally taste the wine in the sauce. The lamb kebab was a great surprise, I wanted to have it just out of curiosity, since most of the time it’s just dry, hard to chew and pretty much flavorless, still, they managed to cook it perfectly.

We had few more dishes like beef Carpaccio, of course a manchego plate, octopus… every dish we had can be describe with one word “gorgeous”. The desserts were incredible, the pear with saffron, meringue and passion fruit mousse can easily become addictive, also the chocolate mousse with churros. They do finish strong!

Chefs managed to combine Spanish and Italian flavors without one overpowering the other, not an easy task with such emblematic cuisine. They added different tapas bar to Budapest’s gastronomical map.

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Akademia Italia

Thanks a Latte.

 Akademia Italia open few weeks ago, and it’s already I big hit. I’ll have to go back to get a more complete idea, but the first visit was promising. Very crowded, we managed to have a table quite quickly, not the best sits in the house, in the middle of the restaurant, people, waiters where just passing by every minute. Not and ideal placement to enjoy Italian food, or any food in general.

The menu is quite large, pasta, pizza, salads, risotto everyone has the chance to find something he likes. Our journey started with the charcuterie and cheese plate, delicious, but with two small cheese bites I was disappointed, on the other hand the Speck, the Bresaola and prosciutto were delicious.

The main courses, lasagna, white pizza with mozzarella, arugula and prosciutto. I love that they propose the white pizza, not a lot of restaurant have it on their menu, and it’s a real shame. The pizza was big, and the cook to my surprise, was not too light on the toppings, lots of mozzarella and ham. The crust light and crunchy, the smell itself was delightful so was the taste. I usually don’t order lasagna because I always have in mind my mom’s lasagna (not mom’s spaghetti as one might say) I am always sad to see what most of Italian restaurant call lasagna. Usually saggy pasta far too cooked an absurd quantity of cheese, and meat I wouldn’t give to a dog. Don’t ask me why, I ordered it. Happily they looked just like the ones my mom cooks, good amount of meat, cheese, fresh pasta cook wonderfully…even the taste…really felt like good homemade lasagna.

The problem with Italian food is that after 5 or 6 days you’re always hungry, so after the main courses, we did not have much room for desserts. Luckily they make also desserts and food to take away, and I will definitely have a taste of it soon.

The price is a bad point for them if I may say it like that, even if the pasta, the dough, are made freshly every day it’s quite expensive.  For example the pizza we had was 3500 forints, as good as it was, that’s a quite a lot, when is other very good restaurants, the price is 2000, 2300. Of course once in a while it does not hurt too much, but it’s a bit heavy nevertheless. You can also find in the basement a shop where you can buy wine, cookies, pasta etc. What I found great, is that they offer cooking classes. It’s 15000forint per person for 2 or 3 hours which in my opinion is also expensive you a “normal” Hungarian salary.

Anyhow, pleasant modern atmosphere topped with great Italian food.

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Sophie & Ben Bistro Budapest Was it a mis-steak ?

 Walking through Budapest, we passed Sophie & Ben bistro few times, and never really pay attention. Few months ago, after reading some reviews, My love and I decided to go have some a treat. The place was quite full, but we manage to find a table. It’s a cozy place, when full with clients, kids were playing, people seemed to have a good time, we were happy with our choice.

 Lot of Burgers, on the paper all looked great, Pulled pork, New York Burger It was looking good I have to give them that. The waiter asked if we were ready, we weren’t so we just choose to have some wine ( they have a great choice of wine) until we decide what to eat. Did not seem OK with him, roll his eyes.      No tip for you.

 I let it go, we are used to unpleasant service in Budapest. We ordered Burgers, I got the Jucy Lucy. It looked so nice on the plate, appetizing, The French fries Delicious, I think it was the first time I didn’t have to put salt and pepper on it. After few fries, it was time to jump on the meat. And Jucy Lucy wasn’t juicy AT ALL. The meat was dry, way overcooked, unseasoned. Chef Season the meat I beg you… ketchup, and cheese are not spices. The bread,dry, difficult to swallow. For my girlfriend the meat was less cooked, but the result was the same, disappointing lunch.  

We thought, with so many people it can be hard to be perfect all the time right.  I didn’t kept that thought too long, A bistro which make Burgers a Specialty should be at all time for all clients, services, if not perfect at least enjoyable,       I have chefs in my family, when they don’t feel good, or have some personal issues, they all do the same… keep it going, because otherwise they lose the job they love.

 We went back few weeks ago, I thought to myself, It will be better!! A second bite at the cherry THE JUCY LUCY… part because the burger is bigger, My stomach is my master It’s true. My girlfriend had the pulled pork, she loved it.    I tasted it, it was good that’s true… but I wanted MY LUCY. The service still unpleasant, talking to friends, not even checking if we needed anything, another tip bites the dust mate.

Let’s get back to Lucy. Oh Deja-vu. They could asked how the client like the meat cooked, having a Burger is enjoying the blood flow through your fingers, soft and moist, hot fresh bun everything I didn’t have. The chef should know that for a burger it’s not WELL WELL done, otherwise I go to McDonald’s.

 My girlfriend would enjoy another Pulled Pork, maybe I will take the same, as for burgers I will keep looking. This critic is Harsh I know, but it’s my point of view after two visits, and as a client I feel I can give my opinion. Therefore I don’t say don’t go there by any means, because I’m sure other meals might be terrific and you need to make your own opinion.