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Wednesday, March, 11, upon invitation to the KIOSK Restaurant and Bar in the midday hours in a glance was feeling like arriving to a Royal’s Brunch.
The occasion was to spend time together at the KIOSK and have a taste of their cavalcade dishes! Around a dozen of press related folks joined to hear about their new concept in „sharing meals”, but before coming to that part, Hlatky Schlichter-Hubert, the owner welcomed us by saying Q.: „I grew up in a family of 5 children, and the family atmosphere of sharing meals was perfect in those days, brought much more attention to each other. I wanted to put, live up again for others this feeling, having a pan or a pot in the middle of the table so everyone serves themselves with what catch their eye.” This idea is potential to shape a community, need not have to wait for each other as to get on and reach the mouth-watering food.
Before the meal, Hubert took us on a not everyday tour to look behind the scenes at the KIOSK and Bábel Restaurant. Much to my surprise, I believe this is Hungary’s largest kitchen I have ever seen. Busy hands preparing the delicious dishes in every place.
The restaurant atmosphere is really immersive. Modern yet very friendly. A “casual” style, an urban meeting place with wide space for arranging for small groups events, several separate places to having meetings and all sorts of family affairs, where beside being together the gastronomy plays the main role.
The place is fully equipped with Hungarian manufacturers tools, devices, and crystal glasses from Ajka, Hungarian furniture. Inside the KIOSK there is a huge glass wall dividing the KIOSK and Bábel Restaturant. On the wall-to-wall glass’s shelves, with inside a cooler are selection of wines all from Hungary, so the foreigners and local guests may have a chance in tasting excellent wines from many countryside wine regions.
Continuing our tour came tasting the marvelous looking, yummy dishes. We shortly found out about the new concept of sharing meals at the KIOSK restaurant. The essence was to show how the table is filled with large portion for a company of 2 – 4 – 6 or even more people with rich in variety of several food. The serving was just like around a home table, as a family lunch or supper look like. Was like in the old days, comfy, no rush when family or friends gathered for lunch or supper at the table. Whilst having the selections placed on the table the atmosphere became more exciting watching the lineup of not just the dishes looking good, but we were curious to right away taste them. What this new sharing food concept also offers is that it is cheaper, than if everyone would order for themselves. Marvelous idea, need not have top inch the food from the other like when having two personal plate roasted bowl.
In the chef business Gábor Orosz is a well-known chef who presented our menu of the Day! The appetizer was: KIOSK antipasti platter, 5 kind of freshly baked homemade bread, foie gras cream, purple onion, Rosé duck meat, beefsteak ala tartar, eggplant cream, “körözött” pate (liptauer or cottage cheese, pepper and cumin mixed together with cream cheese). Millet salad with a pomegranate and coriander.
Then came two-kind of soups …Roasted Tomato Soup (tomato, celery and carrots all fried together.) Just perfect flavors … not sweet, not acid.
The other soup was beef soup, dark yet clear, such delicious beef soup. Can count on one hand how many places knows what a real beef soup looks and taste like … according to my grading this was world champ beef soup.The bone marrow, butter-melting beef meat, and as sides had Tafelspicc creamy buttery, mashed potatoes, horseradish-apple puree and spinach puree in small portions.
Then came the main courses: rabbit meat, horse beans, goat cheese fondüs noodles, homemade pastry … creamy, tasty without being heavy.
The only heartbreak came having tasted the Rosé duck. At first glance it looked perfect, but even with having 32 teeth, still was a bit chewy … Sorry for the …uck!
Then came the classic Hungarian stuffed cabbage, made as the KIOSK speciality. Instead of stuffing the meat into fermented cabbage leaves. it was covered with cole leaves. Gave a very unique flavor, was a new experience.
All-to-all to the Royal Brunch, was very delicious, a real treat. Definitely would advise all foreigners staying in Budapest, or for those just visiting tourists, worthwhile to check in and at least taste once such a stuffed cabbage having experience of the good flavors in Hungary and take this yummy feeling long way home.
Not that we were not full by then, came the dessert prepared of homemade noodles on top poppy-seed with apricot jam, which was the top-of-the-top.
KIOSK also has its own pastry and dessert confectionery. Masterpiece or should I say, Art of Confectioner – Árpád. His yummy delights must be tasted before leaving or can have it taken away, or have a seat, rest for a while having a smooth Choco with the cake. Before leaving we could choose one to takeaway ourselves. We could not have had one to eat after the „light lunch!” So if you will not drop by the KIOSK you will not know what you missed! Good appetite!
Update and snaps by: Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 