Believe it or not, the really big news in Hungarian cuisine this week involves none other than McDonald's, which on Tuesday launched a new promotion as part of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the opening of Hungary's first meki. While the first such stunt saw a one-day return to 1988 prices, this week's excitement involved the first-ever "Hungarian flavors" menu options.

In explaining the company's daring move, marketing and communications director László Simkó told stop.hu that there was no fixed end-date for the offering, and that if the various items catch on they might stay on the menu forever. He also seemed at pains to stress that the world's largest American-style burger joint doesn't think it can make Hungarian food "better or tastier than [Hungarian] housewives and grandmothers." Caught up in all the excitement, we took a few trips to try the whole lot at the "ground zero" Hungarian McDonalds, on Régiposta utca in District V, and here's our take on our first taste of magyaros meki take-out:

1. Bundás kenyér falatok

Starting with the breakfast option, we'd say the bundás kenyér (Ft 230 for two tiny pieces) was decent, though our friends over at tastemaking site velvet.hu apparently did not. Though if you really want to see how Hungarians make French bread, we'd suggest you go here instead.

2. Kislángos

Also in the breakfast category, but not being visibly offered when we stopped in this morning, are these Lilliputian versions of the ubiquitous lángos. As with the bundás kenyér, our velvety friends hated on it, saying the tiny 5cm fried dough discs (as compared to the 20cm killers you normally get) were as shocking to the eye "as if they had seen a donkey on the nagykörút." We'd agree with the size part, but actually found the little buggers to be pretty tasty, at least when slathered with the garlic sour cream sauce they come equipped with. That said, the price (Ft 250) is too big for something so small, no matter how many precious fat calories it contains.

3. Paprikás csirkeszendvics

That McD's would roll out a sandwich dressed up to taste like csirkepaprikás was probably inevitable, if only to give the tourists something to chew on. But really, if you are going to make a corporate fast-food version of a national classic, make it convincing. Instead, from what we could tell this was just a Ft 740 chicken sandwich with some vaguely tangy Russian-style dressing squirted on it. Boo.

4. Tormás sertéshúsos szendvics

Hard to go wrong with pork and horseradish (torma). And they didn't with this one, which also has the benefit of costing Ft 50 less than the nasty CP szendvics. Two thumbs up.

5. Fasírt golyók

Also pretty good were McD's take on the meatball-like fried balls known as fasírt, which come in a little bag of five for Ft 300. These had a nice creamy, garlicly center.

6. Aranygaluska
As with the Paprikás csirkeszendvics, no point in remaking a classic if you are not doing something interesting, or actually improving on it. And this version of the famed dessert best translated as "golden dumplings" is neither, and also costs a relatively hefty Ft 450. We'll stick to the Hot Apple Pie, which is always delicious and, thanks to Hungary's low payouts for personal injury claims, actually hot.