Not long ago we got to enjoy an evening at Karpátia in Budapest, and we really felt good the time we spent there. Since the gipsy music starts around 18.00 every evening we went there 18.00 and got a table where we could enjoy the music, but still relax and not be disturbed by it.
As a starter we ate a “Hungarian appetiser platter with “mangalica” sausage and salami, paprika-flavoured ewe-cheese and vegetables” and a “Smoked farm ham with spicy cream cheese, blue grape jam and fresh baguette”. The portions were just perfect, and my wife commented that if she were at home she would stop eating after that. But, since we were out eating we did not stop after the starter.
After the good start we continued towards the main course with some real Hungarian meals; “Mangalica” pork medallions with spicy fresh “lecsó” and potato chips” and the second meal was “Pörkölt appetiser from veal, beef and chicken, with butter gnocchi”. I have never tasted three different Pörkölts at the same plate, but this was an easy way to find out which one is your own personal favorite. Both courses tasted great and with the starter already relaxing in our stomachs we started to feel very full.
But, a good dinner needs to be finished with a good dessert. That is why we ended up ordering a “Piquant sour cherry strudel with cinnamon mousse” and a “Blackberry-yogurt cake topped with bitter and white chocolate”. The strudel tasted as it should, the Blackberry yogurt cake was fine (nothing more), but by that time I felt so full that it didn’t really matter.
After a couple of hours we then headed home, completely satisfied and uncomfortable full!
It must be said that Karpátia is not the cheapest restaurant in Budapest, and the complete price of what we ate had a total price of around 18,000 Forint (appx. 65 Euro). But it was a nice experience, the music was comfortable and we got to taste nice Hungarian specialities! So a visit to Karpátia can be recommend for those who want a nice Hungarian experience, in a traditional environment and at a central location.
More pictures from our meal and stay at Karpátia Restaurant in Budapest.
A little video (not to good quality) from Karpátia Budapest
