Hungary for More Eastern European Cuisine?

It seems that Love Handling Food just can't seem to get enough of the food that is made in Eastern Europe. After spending a great week in Spain, we caught a flight to Budapest, Hungary, and later traveled (on a 16 hour train ride!) to Bucharest and later to Brasov, Romania, and wow, the food definitely continued to delight!

Budapest, Romania - Goulash, Sour Cream...and Thai Food?

On our first day in Budapest, a man at our hostel's reception recommended an eatery that was very close by that offered many Hungarian dishes and more, called, Jelen Bistro. Everything about Jelen pleased our tastes, and our wallets! At this bistro, you can eat a three course special for about $7! On our first trip to Jelen (yes we went back...twice!), we were surprised to find that one of their specialties among their wide variety of options was Thai cuisine. Because of this, both of us were excited to start our first course with a creamy coconut chicken soup, which drove our taste buds wild with the perfectly blended flavors that included coconut, lime, garlic, cilantro, and onion. Afterward, Ianna decided to stick with a Thai meal, ordering a green curry and a coconut pudding beautifully garnished with chocolate syrup and a slice of star fruit. Helaina decided to try more Hungarian food, and selected a course of potato dumplings and bacon. The dumplings were, of course, tossed with sour cream, as is a staple practice of Hungarian natives. She then followed up the dumplings with one of her favorites of the trip, a chocolate, berry cheesecake.

 

 

On our return trips to Jelen Bistro, we must have sampled a hefty portion of their menu! Our meals there continued to range from thai fried rice, to gourmet chicken strips and cinnamon plum cake. The only selection we actually disliked was a Hungarian dessert callled makos guba, which is made of soaked bread roles, poppy seeds, milk, and a vanilla sauce. We certainly don't blame this on Jelen though, we think it was just the sickly sweet flavor profile that is contrasted with the bitter pairing of the poppy seeds in the makos guba, we could not appreciate. So, makos guba aside, from flavor, to presentation, atmosphere and price, Jelen Bistro was certainly a favorite of our's from our entire trip!

Other than our many meals at Jelen, Budapest had a lot of satisfying dishes left up its sleeve. At a Hungarian restaurant called Four-Hundred, Ianna got to try the much anticipated Hungarian goulash. She was surprised to find that what many would think of as a hearty minced meat, sauce, and noodle mash (as her mother had always prepared it that way), was actually a beef, vegetable, and potato soup in a tomato based broth. So, you're actually not eating goulash unless it is like a soup! Speaking of soup, at Four-Hundred, Helaina tried a satisfying and savory, creamy mushroom soup. Both selections were the perfect follow up to the sheep cheese and sour cream spread, vegetable, and bread appetizer that we both shared.

As fans of fine spirits, let us not forget to mention the highlight drink from our time in Budapest: palinka. Palinka is a very strong brandy (around 40 Proof!), and is distilled with fruits of various varieties. The bartender of our hostel let us try a couple of shots from his personal reserve, which was a bottle of plum palinka that was a real sweet and warming treat.

Romania - Polenta, Cabbage, Potatoes...and Spanish cuisine?

After Budapest, Romanian food proved to have its similarities. On our first day in Bucharest, we walked to a traditional Romanian restaurant, where Ianna ordered a dish of minced meat and rice that was wrapped in squash, soaked in a tomato sauce, and drizzled with...sour cream of course! Helaina decided to order polenta and sour cream, and a side salad with tomato and cucumbers. Although this meal was much to her liking, our waitress advised that that typically, in Romania, polenta is used as something to mix with other things, like sauces, meats, and breads. 

Much to our delight in Bucharest, we also found a Spanish style restaurant. There, Ianna had a sour beef soup in a tomato based broth. She paired this with a surprisingly hearty salad filled with tomato, cucumber, olives, and white chili peppers. Helaina ordered the same side salad, in addition to a plate of "hot" wings. What they did lack in spice, they more than made up for in their flavorful sweet and tangy sauce.

While in Romania, we were lucky to pass through the countryside, and spend a day in the beautiful city that is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains: Brasov. Although we only ate one meal in Brasov, it let us in on a big secret: self-service restaurants. We were recommended to one in particular by a man named Gabriel, who had shown us around Brasov and had given us various tidbits aside from restaurant recommendations. At the self-service venue we ventured to, we found ourselves with more food than we could imagine, at a price that was more than ideal. For about $6-7, Ianna was able to eat a large portion of seasoned potatoes, flavorful sauerkraut seasoned with peppercorn, and a chicken fillet topped with pickled red pepper and a creamy mushroom sauce.  Helaina chose to have a white bean dish, meatballs, and a side of the same seasoned potatoes. If you are in Europe and on a budget, but still want great food, do not be afraid to try a self-service place. 

 

Well, that about sums it up for our foodie adventures in Eastern Europe. Please check back soon to hear about our last massive treat before we went back across the pond to our home in California!

Cheers,

Love Handling Food