Hungary & Slovakia

Budapest + Bratislava

 by Daniel Smajovits

More than paprika: A culinary tour of Budapest

As soon as we sat down for a piping hot lángos, the deep-fried bread topped with sour cream and garlic in Budapest’s Central Market Hall, it became clear that Taste Hungry’s food tours were not for the faint of heart.

Rich in history, tradition and yes, paprika – Hungarian cuisine is hearty and overwhelmingly flavourful. Borne from peasant food, dishes developed as a result of the various influences from neighbouring countries with a myriad of spices and ingredients seeping its way in over time.

After washing down your lángos with a traditional shot of palinka, your guide will begin the tour with a stroll through Central Market Hall, where countless peppers are drying atop every stall and every possible cut of meat curing under the glass. Not a pepper or protein? It’s a safe bet that it’s a vegetable being pickled to serve as a side dish at every meal, from the classiest of restaurants to homes across the city.

Yet, what’s a visit to Central Market Hall without sampling some meat? Before your venture out into the streets of Budapest, more than 10 cuts await you on a charcuterie plate. From the traditional to the exotic, Hungarians take their meat seriously and you are about to experience that first-hand.

Fortunately, the meat is sliced thinly as lunch is around the corner. As you traverse the historic streets of Budapest, you end up at Belvárosi Disznótoros, which roughly translates into a cornucopia of meat, beer and pickles. While made famous by the late Anthony Bourdain, locals raved about the gulyás (Goulash) and blood sausage long before his 2015 visit.

As you savour your last bite of lunch and move on to the sweet part of your afternoon, it becomes abundantly clear that Hungary’s food scene is much more than paprikas csirke (Chicken Paprikas) or the aforementioned gulyás. With a quick stop for artisan chocolates, you’re whisked away to Central Café, which opened in 1887 and whose beauty and food rivals that of nearby Vienna. Dessert, which is a selection of local specialties alongside a coffee or tea await, allowing you to soak in the historic atmosphere around you.

While all good things come to an end – especially one of the best food tours you’ll ever experience – Taste Hungary has one final stop before you bid adieu. As proud as they are of local cuisine, they are even prouder of Hungarian wines. For that reason, they own and operate a wine cellar, which serves as the final stop of your tour. Five distinct wines from around Hungary, including the deliciously sweet Tokaji, and a cheese plate serve as the perfect ending to a delicious day.

www.tastehungary.com

Taste your way through Bratislava

Stepping off the train in Bratislava, scenes from the 2004 movie EuroTrip were running through my head. With only 48 hours to spend in the Slovakian capital, I found it far-fetched that pocket change could jump start my career as a hotelier, but I was excited to begin exploring this often-overlooked city.

Facts are facts: Bratislava is still rough around the edges. An hour train ride east from Vienna, this city is still trying to find its foothold amongst tourists, but from its food scene to cultural landmarks, Bratislava is quickly shedding its dark and dreary reputation and becoming a destination in itself.

As the picturesque views of the Danube River from Bratislava Castle or the charm of the Old Town are enticing enough, once you arrive, the only way to truly experience both the city and the country itself is through its food and the aptly named Taste Bratislava.

Tour owner and operator Daniela Adamcova takes pride in her city and country, knowing full well that her guests are wholly unfamiliar with her native cuisine. With that in mind, she endeavours to allow you to experience every aspect of Slovakian gastronomy. From the traditional to avant-garde, following an afternoon touring with Daniela, you will be asking for the recipes to replicate some of these dishes upon your return home.

Amongst the first few dishes that await you on Daniela’s tour are Slovakia’s national dish: Bryndzové halušky, a sheep-cheese dumplings/gnocchi, Kapustnica, sauerkraut soup as well as Pečená kačica s lokšami a dusenou červenou kapustou: roast duck served with potato pancakes.

To wash those down? Just some local beer and Kofola, the local non-alcoholic drink which was created behind the Iron Curtain to rival Coke.

While food tours are her main focus now, Daniela is also a certified tour guide, thus your afternoon expands beyond the plate and becomes a history and cultural lesson as well. While sipping local wine and munching on cod fish and sausage salads at the retro Café Škodovka, designed to transport you back to the 1960’s, or as you begin the sweeter part of your trip through Bratislava rolls: traditional pastry filled with poppy seeds or walnuts, your mind will soon become as full as your stomach.

Whether you’re in town on a daytrip from Vienna or you’re spending a few nights, you’ll quickly fall in love with the Bratislava’s charm and laid-back nature. Yet, in order to truly appreciate this hidden gem of Eastern Europe, ensure to include Daniela and Taste Bratislava on your journey and be prepared to make some unique memories that will stay with you long after you’ve said zbohom.

www.taste-bratislava.com