There is a rich tradition of after-hours kebabs in the city of Budapest. Between 3 and 7 a.m. you’ll find pockets of youth huddled around a gyros stand, clutching a steamy meat-filled pita in their palms as if it were the Baby Jesus, putting on pause all chatter about what went on that night –…
Lots of interesting things have happened in Budapest’s food scene as of late. Grandma-style classics and modest street food snacks have been reinvented and made trendy at new restaurants and gastropubs. “Locally sourced, sustainable and organic” is a thing. There’re food trucks, craft beer and foodie hashtags (like #mutimiteszel) to make sharing food finds easy. All that…
Pretty much every nation of people on this planet has a version of deep fried dough of which they are fiercely proud, one which they insist is unique and different from all other versions. India has the paratha, the puri, the vada. Bulgaria has the mekitzi. Turkey has lokma. In France it’s the sweet goffre. It’s akara in West Africa, bannock in Canada, frybread for…
For the first time in a long while I returned to Hungary with a guest, this time with one I love. And while it was important to point out the Basilica, Margit Island and the magnificent view of the Danube and Pest from the Buda Castle, it was just as crucial to me that he taste a…
And then there was a bakery called Boulangerie de Mamie Jane on Route Neuve in the center of Gordes. When sightseeing in small French towns it generally seems good practice to skip dessert at whatever restaurant one has lunch in and stop by a boulangerie afterwards instead. Chances are the restaurant’s desserts are brought over from a nearby bakery anyway; you will likely…
I was in a bad mood at the Sénanque Abbey when we visited with friends during our week in Provence. I was hot, hungry and hungover from a tad too much rosé the night before. Dizzied by both the heat and blinding glare of the August sun, piqued by quarrels with the beau (that were no doubt also aggravated by…
At El Diset (formerly Disset 17 Graus) smooth Mallorcan sobrasada sausage meets honey and goat cheese atop a round of crunchy bread; baby arugula and pine nuts are sprinkled over the top in a combination of flavors and textures worthy of its own post. The marriage between honey’s natural, floral sweetness and paprika’s herbal depth and heat…
When I took my guy to Barcelona’s only Hungarian restaurant, Hungaryto, a few months back he made very clear his favorite dish of the meal: Harcsapaprikás túróscsuszával. This is catfish cooked in a creamy paprika sauce, served with a side of pasta turned in Hungarian sour cream (tejföl), ewe milk curd (juhtúró) and crispy pieces of smoked fatback (szalonna). He learned the…
July 4th of 2014 found me in my nation’s capital drinking Blue Moon’s in a bar on 14th street and watching Germany beat France and Brazil beat Colombia in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. I saw the fireworks from a friend’s rooftop downtown and crashed a GWU frat party that raged all through the night. As my taxi zipped up 16th…
In Barcelona, a terrace in a plaza or down one of the ramblas (except the main Rambla, just don’t go there…) is a great place to catch up with a friend or two, to people-watch and discuss the comings and goings of one’s work or love life. Another good options is a night out tapeando on Carrer Blai.…
That Best Bite 