Having just returned from Sarajevo, which has more csevap houses per capita than New York has hotdog carts, I feel pretty qualified to assess Budapest’s latest attempt to clone the Balkan sausages that onetime (and hopefully future) Chew contributor Bob Cohen calls the “cheeseburger of the Gods.” I have made heady claims regarding great csevap before, as when reviewing Burek Király, only to find the Chew readership more purist and critical than myself when it comes to their grilled meat. In the case of District VII’s Montenegrói Gurman – I will once again make a reckless proclamation, and hope for feedback: here is where the best csevap and pljeskavica in Budapest can be found.
Even if the csevap were average, you have to give Montenegrói Gurman credit for beautifying a depressing and dank corner of the promenade that leads from Blaha to Keleti Station. The owners have cordoned off a fairly large space of the sidewalk with plants, making it into a kind of hidden garden adjacent to one of the city’s busiest intersections; the smell of urine replaced by that of charcoal-grilled meat.
A standard Sarajevo plate of csevap (Ft 750) comes with a handful of the beef sausages, along with a piece of spongy bread called somun, and a mound of raw onion. Really, nothing else is needed. The meat is delicate and flavorful enough to stand on its own. Unlike the dry Muslim csevap houses in Sarajevo, the delightful Slovenian Lasko beer is available to perfect the meal at this all-beef Montenegro version. The Montenegrói Gurman also offers a variety of condiments and sides, including ajvar and grilled hot or sweet peppers which round out the csevap platters. Oh, and did I mention the place is open all night? Indeed, I wandered by at 5:30 a.m., on my way back from Keleti, to find they were true to their claim. If you favor a greasy gyros after a night out, I can recommend the Szerb-burger: a pjeskavica patty served in between a bed of their delightful grill-charred bread. Everything is cooked to order from fresh, not frozen, meat on the small grill.
How does the Montenegrói Gurman csevap compare to Bosnian csevap? I can’t say one is better than the other. The Balkan csevap had a rubberier texture and gamier flavor, while the csevap at Montenegrói Gurman is a bit more tender, more subtly flavored. I’ll leave it to you to call the winner. Other dishes at Montenegrói Gurman are equally crave-worthy, including the ustipák, which are ground lamb meatballs filled with bacon, cheese, garlic and hot pepper. I have yet to try razsntics – the grilled pork kebab – but it is high on the return-visit list. The stuffed pjeskavica (Ft 820; pictured, which on the menu is simply called hamburger, Montenegro style) is also superb.
Head towards Keleti Station for great grilled meat. If you have the gumption, hop on a train to Belgrade or Sarajevo, but if hunger wins out, stop a bit past Blaha at Montenegrói Gurman: it is cheaper, and you have a Balkan chef who serves excellent dishes, right in the heart of Budapest. It might be the best of both worlds.
Having just returned from a Balkan adventure of my own (the Guca Trumpet Festival in Serbia), I must agree with you about the quality of this grill. It is just as satisfying, and in many cases more satisfying, as the meat I ate in Serbia (and I ate a LOT of meat there). The meat is juicy and flavourful. The portions are generous, and the bread is fresh and warm and delicious. I would recommend this to anyone who feels like a good cheap meat fix. The only little problem is that sometimes you can’t hear yourself think because of the beefy traffic on Rakoci Ut, but that could be chalked up as ‘ambience,’ I suppose. Added bonus: the staff are NICE, unlike most local magyars in similar positions. I was given a cigarette by one of the waitresses while I waited for my food! …nice to see some culturally happy people. Jo.
That pjeskavica picture looks more like an onion burger with a side of cevap. Please tell me that there are more than just 2 pieces of cevap.
i’ll second everything, from the food being really yummy (and cheap), to the waitress being nice and smiley, to the noise of the traffic slightly spoiling the experience. but it looks like they’re developping the space next door for winter, so it could become a regular haunt. the non-stop is the key.
Balaton Grill restaurant outside the town in Siófok
has very good Serbian food. They cater for large
events too.
http://maps.google.hu/maps/place?um=1&ie=UTF-
8&q=balaton+grill+siofok&fb=1&gl=hu&hq=balaton+grill
&hnear=Siofok&cid=13015684020150416929
http://www.balatongrill.hu/site/?lang=4&p=64
Finally got around to eating here. Hands down the best burger I have had here in Hungary (not homemade or carried back from Serbia). Only complaint is that I would say its a bit expensive but I guess when you corner the market for edible, non-chain burgers you get to call the shots.
I will eat here as soon as possible, in london
now… I have only eaten balkan once (sziget) & it
was fanatastic. Keep telling people about the
greatness of the ‘burger’ i had, now i can eat
another!
As someone from the Balkans who for many years in Budapest has been searching for a decent Balkan burger (pleskavica)with home taste, this is it! Better than many outlets in the balkan capitals. The pleskavica taste feels home, juicy and delicious. The entire setting is genuine and the beer is a real refreshment to the local possibilities. All a perfect score. I hope they maintain the quality (unlike other Bp places that start great only to go downhill from there).
Did not try the rest ( raznici etc) since the pleskavica and kepabcici are excellent.
How come there are no listings for such a long time???
Thanks
Sorry, I meant how come there are no NEW listings of restaurants etc etc???