Budapest... Ruin Pubs and Hungarian Cuisine

In my previous post I have covered the Pest area of Budapest, since Pest is very vast and unique to not bore you with a long post I am dedicating this post solely for ruin pubs and Hungarian cuisine.

Szimpla Kert

 Ruin pubs are simply bar sitting inside a remains of an old building. Ruin pubs started around 2001. These pubs are mostly known for all the junk the place is decorated with, apart from the unique decoration, ruin pubs usually sell alcohol slightly cheaper then other normal bars.  The first time I enterd in Szimpla was truley amazing.. So many  things from old CTR monitors hanging down from the ceiling, to blow dryers. Most of the  things which Ruinpubs are decorated with are now adays considered as vintage things. Not even one single chair will be matching nor you will find one table which is the same as another.

The first established ruin pub was Szimpla Kert, it was placed in several different areas for some time until they found itsself a spot in the Jeswish quater in 2004. Szimpla  also hosts different bands and live shows. From the outside Szimpla Kert looks quite small but inside it is just a room inside another room and split on two levels. The decoration is weirdly nice and each room is decorated with a theme.  Example one room is full of old CRT montiors, another room is decorated with old radios, another room is themed around chemistry.. i guess you get all rooms are decorated in a crazy, cool different manner. Around a year ago Szimpla Kert didn't allow paying drinks using a card however when I visited it back in January 2018, they have improved this and allowed me to pay using my card. Some things to keep in mind, ruin pubs are most of the time  crowded obviously specially during weeknds, they are filled with hungarians and also tourists. The good things is that the bar tenders always spokje good english. Entering Szimpla do expect some security scanning.

There are a number of different ruin pubs and some of them  are weird and crazy but all are cool. I do highly suggest finding some time to visit one of these pubs.

Szimpla Kert  Decorations

Hungarian Cuisine

Hungarian cuisine is made up on central European food and some eastern European food (as you find some dishes with the poppy flower). They are most based on meat, vegetables, different cheeses and creams. Paprika is  also something which is well known to the Hungarian people and used often in most traditional dishes like for example Goulash.

Some of their traditional dishes

Goulash

Goulashhh...Ow my my. I personally super love Goulash, I like it so much that I even cooked it the traditional way back at home in Malta.  Goulash is mostly made of vegetables like carrots, parsnip, peppers, potatoes, and beef stew. The important thing when cooking Goulash is slow cook, everything should take its time to cook it the correct way so that the right amount of flavors comes out.  In Goulash usually they add csipetke, they are simply noodles (made out of flour, egg,water, and salt). Traditionally along side of Goulash  it is usually served with some hot bread or a slice or pepper.

Cooking Goulash back in Malta

Kürtőskalács

In English known as chimney cakes mostly found during a festive season. This is  made from sweet yeast dough, a strip of dough is cut and spinned and wrapped around a cone shaped baking form. This is usually cooked by being rolled over charcoal, they are covered in butter and cooked once they turn golden. Usually they are crispy from the outside and soft from the inside. Once it is cooked it is then rolled in sugar and other  flavors like cinnamon, vanilla etc.

Sour Cherry Soup
Sour cherry soup, usually made of sour cherries, sour cream and sugar. This soup very much sounds
like a sort of dessert... surprise surpise... hunguarians eat it as a normal meal.. :)
Some great restaurants

Some great restaurants around Budapest

While in Budapest I did go to some great restaurants both in Buda and in Pest. One of my favorite on Pest side is STEX, close to Corvin negyed station and the Corvin Plaza.  The decore is nice,  service is excellent and all waiters understand great English. They serve different types of food, mostly  typical Hungarian and so far I have never taken something which I didn't like.  Prices at STEX are moderate and definitely not expensive So, yeah I do highly recommend this place.

If you are in for a quick treat, also found opposite Corvin Plaza there is EPIC burger, possibly the best burgers I tasted and most fulling and also the largest selection of different burgers.  Burger prices are around Eur8 and Eur12.  The burgers are  juicy and mouth watering,  service is fast and place is also nicely decorated.

0.75 is a restaurant is exactly in front of Saint Stephen's Basilica, hence it would be no surprise that I would say that it is slightly on the expensive side. It has both outside (which is covered with a transparent tent) and inside. Outside is gorgeous and in winter they have heaters and provide you blankets.  Food is also great. I have here tasted possibly the best goulash of all restaurants, slightly spicy  but perfect for a wintery cold day.  They have some Mediterranean food and also Hungarian cuisine

If you are looking for some fine dining for a romantic dinner, Caviar and Bull is definitely the place to go.  A newly opened restaurant in the heart of  Budapest, forming part of the Corithia Hotel. This restaurant was opened by a Maltese Owner.  Food is  amazing and mouth watering,  since it is fine dining one shouldn't except large portions and also prices are rather high but  very reasonable for fine dining service. It can cost around EUR60-80 per person, but very worth the money.

I will be writing one last post about Hungary, next time I will tackle some places outside of Budapest.  Normafa and Budakeszi. I do hope that  I have spread my love for Budapest and encouraged you more to visit this place and after that let me know what you taught of Budapest.

Has anyone  visited any other Ruin pub which you liked better then Szimpla Kert?