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Looking
back on 1992, or rather looking back on the bits
not erased by life giving fluids, it seems as though
it was the year that the mould of communist style
hospitality was finally crushed. It was the year
that restaurants appeared that were genuinely different,
in particular their menus. It was the year that
very uncommie things happened. Although in my own
way I think I contributed to two significant events
in the mould breaking. However both the publication
of the Good Food Guide and the Beaujolais Nouveau
rally only happened because of the changes in performance
and perception in the real world of catering in
Budapest. |
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| The three major events
were the reopening of Gundel.(Bp.XIV. Allaterti ut
2) the opening of the Kempinski Hotel ( Bp.V Erzsebet
Ter.)and the arrival of an outrageous extrovert called
Milleros. The common link with all three has been
the desire to bring the service up to international
standards. There are three very different approaches
to motivating staff. George Lang is charming, and
almost pleading, the German management at the Kempinski
believes in constant supervision, whilst Milleroc
just throws the odd salt pot. Until the arrival of
Milleros, there was plenty of good food to be had,
however the menus were all variations on a theme.
Since the opening of Amadeus (Bp.V Apacziai Cs. J.
u.) in June, other places have opened including the
Gourmet restaurant at the Kempinski, The Chicago (
Bp.VII. Blaha L. Ter) and recently Winstons pub (Bp.VI
Jokai Ter) which all got away from the previous menu
norm. This introduction of genuine choice into the
market place can only be good for Budapest. Next year
there are further culinary options due to open, including
an Indian restaurant. One of the oddities is the absurd
nouveau riche conception that if it is expensive it
must be good, some restaurants activity promote the
idea that they are the most expensive. |
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| One of the worst hardships
of writing this column each week is that I have to
attend all those boring openings and parties, the
type were the alcohol flows to the point were one
forgets what one was trying to forget when the first
drink seemed like a good idea. The bash of the year
had to be the opening of the Las Vegas Casino. The
worst was the US election night party, they may have
sent the marines to relieve famine in Somalia, but
on November 3rd they could have been used to stave
off instant dehydration at the Forum. Does anybody
know what happened to the booze, I got a drink in
an hour? After that I managed to make it to the Balloon
Bar (the bar with the best view and piano player)
just before my condition became terminal. On the private
party scene instant flat evictions are caused by asking
key members of the Bp.Week's staff to pop in for a
few. |
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The Little Warship
seems as crowded as ever, although it is interesting
that whilst the Brits have remained loyal, the Yanks
seemed to have set up shop at the Chicago. The appearance
of draught Guineas is another major breakthrough.
It will be interesting to see how Winstons does; it
has all the signs of becoming a major draw. However
that is still not what I would rate as a really first
class boozer.
On the late night boozing scene the Piaf (Bp.VI, Nagymezo
utca 20)is as popular and crowded as ever, the smart
people queue to get into Spirit (Bp.XIII Visegradi
u.). The Tilos Az A (VIII Mikszath Kalaman Ter) has
managed to stay open despite myriad attempts to close
it, a wonderful place for a sauna on a Saturday night.
The Corvinus Bar at the Kempinski is giving the Balloon
Bar a run for its money. Apart from the view and the
piano player the removal of the other main attraction
of the Balloon Bar has left a void which has not been
filled. The Friday night meat market in the ballroom
downstairs still packs them in, the crowd has been
known to including some high ranking diplomats! |
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In the countryside
there are starting a few exceptional little hotels,
typical is The Oleg Malom,( 9735 Csepreg, Nr Buk,
Tel (94) 65.504). I hope that soon there will be plenty
of countryside hideaways. The Balaton did not seem
as naff as last year or maybe I am just getting used
to it. However there are signs that there is real
change taking place. Although they still insist on
talking to me in nemet. In other areas the signs are
conflicting. In Sopron the new John Bull Pub is selling
500 UK barrels a year, that is real money (over Ft.50
million a year), however the nearby Buk golf course
has gone skint. The rule that only three things matter
in a hospitality business: location, location and
location, could never be more clearly put. The course
is still open and it is probable the external joint-venture
partners will continue to operate the course.
Looking at the night club/sex club scene early in
the year the proliferation of clubs seemed to be dying
down at about the same rate that the prices went up.
However in the last few months there has suddenly
been a big increase in the numbers of clubs (gambling
and R&R maybe - see last week’s paper).
When the out of town visitor mutters something about
night life, the best value for money is the long-standing
Pink Pussycat (Bp.VII Wesselenyi u.). The place to
be avoided at all costs is the awful Bangkok night
club, if you’re that desperate it is probably
cheaper to fly to Bangkok proper. |
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The so-called Russian
Mafia still retains considerable control over the
night club scene, although they are more in the background.
The reason that I state this so infactably is that
the same personnel keep turning up. I have been wandering
about the scene for the best part of two years I am
beginning to make the connections. Anybody who doubts
the influence of the Ruskie Mafia should go to the
Eden Disco (Bp I. Moscow Ter), talk to the girls maybe,
but look at the beaky faced little man sitting on
the left of the main entrance, watch the people who
talk to him, watch the people who hand him money,
or more important who handed the money to the people
handing the money to him. If there is more than one
collector in the Eden, when the meeting is over follow
those who leave, it is interesting where they go to.
The Russian Miami is very deep seated; the evidence
suggests that it is grabbing greater power.
From a beach in Paradise. |
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A prosperous new year
to all Friends, Readers, Feminists, Restaurateurs
and those that help me wile away the time in this
fun, contradictory but wonderfully sinful city.
C YA |
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