Gastronomical Review

Yesterday's entry was a bit premature. We had looked forward to a quiet and relaxing day, but events followed a different course. Our only official plans for the day included a late lunch/early dinner at 4pm.

We arrived at around 8 o'clock am Budapest time by train. We came directly to our residence and had coffee and juice while we relaxed and showered. Around 11 we headed up the stairs to the Ruszwurm cafe for "breakfast." L. has been in the habit of eating their kremes cake, a thick layer of vanila creme between pastry shells, for a morning snack. I gave in and had a tepertos pogi, a bacon enhanced biscuit. We then strolled down to the city and shopped and I entered my first blog of that day, which was mostly a recap of previous events. We eventually crossed the Danube into Pest and there we continued shopping, but my caffeine and bacon high was crashing and so we headed for our second snack: gelato for me and chestnut creme for him. Just for the record, this was our second dessert of the day and it was about 3:30.

We then found our way to Bagolyvar, an upscalish place connected to the famous Gundel, which neither of us had even visited before. The restaurant is located next to the city park and zoo and the sidewalks were crowded with loads of people out for a Sunday stroll. We met a few friends, new and not so new, for lunch. The food was traditional magyar fare. I ordered turkey cooked on a scewer with prunes wrapped in bacon, which is not something nagymama would make but still quite meaty. Prunes wrapped in bacon, then grilled. Genius. The conversation raced at top speed and I must be fully primed because I understand 99% of it! We then ordered dessert. I ordered noodles with poppyseed. So simple, so beautiful.

After our friends left for the opera (that is why we met so early), we quickly made our way to the lanchid (the chain bridge) to meet a Greek friend who is a prof at MIT. He was passing through Budapest on his way home to eat fresh figs for the rest of the summer. Luckily he was a camera fiend and hopefully we will have some nice shots to upload of our journey by foot around the castle district. He hadn't had any cake while in Budapest, so of course we had to take him to the Café Gerbaund, which though touristy is still a fine place. We ordered five or six cakes and shared. It was a meal to be remembered. Count it up: dessert four times in twelve hours. I have truly never felt so svelte.