Budapest, Hungary -- Day 2

Saturday, we went to Etyek for a little wine festival they were having. It was miserable, cold, and pouring. By contrast, the food we had -- a plate of chicken and a plate of ham -- was hot, filling, and near perfection. The chicken plate was good and saucy, with bell peppers and other vegetables mixed in. The ham dish was incredibly yummy, with the skin fried with the meat. It was moist and tender, and so flavorful that, as J put it, even the onions were tasty.

For dinner, we thought maybe we'd go to Cafe Pierrot, based on the recommendation of our guidebook the Rough Guide to Hungary. Unfortunately, we again failed to make reservations, and showing up at their door got us the familiar "We're full" rejection. "Maybe you try 21 across the street?" they suggested helpfully. We tried.

Again they told us they were full, but we insisted and looked skeptical, and finally they seated us in a little corner by the window which was actually extremely pleasant. We started with a bowl each of their cream of wild garlic soup. It was milder than I expected, and was properly creamy and delicious. I love a good creamy soup, and it had been an awful, cold and wet day of trudging about, so it really hit the spot.

We followed this up with their foie gras concert. Goose liver was delivered to us on a platter as a pate, grilled, and one other way which I can no longer remember. It was fabulous. The grilled lobe was sweet and smooth, the skin bursting under the teeth with a gentle but satisfying pip to disgorge the tender liver inside. The liver was not overcooked at all, and was perfectly soft and melted across the tongue so nicely. ♥

For an entree, I opted for a goose risotto, with roasted goose leg, stuffed goose neck, and seared goose liver on top. The leg was the tiniest bit tough, but the skin was crisp, the fat sweet, and the meat well-flavored and quite delectable. The liver was again fabulously tender, smooth, and sweet. The neck was the only thing I was not entirely happy with. The stuffing was comparatively bland and uninteresting, and the skin of the neck was quite tough and fatty without a whole lot of flavor. The risotto underlying these goosy treats was a little crunchy. The rice seemed just a bit underdone. The flavor was mild but good, and the frequent chunks of goosy bits in the risotto made for a fun time.

Unfortunately, J has forgotten what he had at 21. Ah well. Such is the risk of blogging several days and many good meals after the event.

Written 2010-05-20 20:56

Edit -- J remembered what he got as an entrée at 21. :) The enormous slab of goose liver, delivered on a pile of caramelized apples, was an awesome sight to behold. It was, by all reports, incredibly delicious. The mildly tart sweetness of the apples blended and contrasted beautifully with the sweet richness of the liver for an amazing in-the-mouth experience.

Edited 2010-05-30 06:27