Closing Time: Two Blocks Too Small for Two Indian Restaurants in District VI; Three for Three in District V

As the neighborhood immediately east of Teréz körút near Oktogon in Budapest District VI proves too small for two different Brazilian restaurants, a similar shakeout recently took place involving two Indian restaurants within 100 meters of each other across the ring road on Jókai utca: The still-alive Indigo Café and Restaurant, and the former Nirvana Indiai Étterem, which has already been transformed into something called the Long Jack Pub & Söröző. Though Nirvana wasn’t quite heaven – our friends at kispad.hu gave it a lowly 2 on their idiosyncratic 7-point rating scale – it was at least a friendly place, and much cheaper than most sub-continental restaurants in town.

Meanwhile, the trio of Indian restaurants that had been vying for diners within a three-block radius in central District V is now a duo, with the recent shuddering of Kama Sutra on Oktober 6. utca. That it was at least partly done in by competition from the neighboring Kashmir and India Pirro – and the only slightly more distant Saalam Bombay – seems pretty likely, despite KS’s hip, loungy feel and décor. Happily, from what we hear the owner of the space has decided to let it out to the folks from the excellent mini-chain of Hummus Bar restaurants, who are going to make it the first “meat” restaurant in their growing empire. Now the only question is whether a four-block area in Budapest is too small for three Indian restaurants, or a nine-block one too small for three places all specializing in mashed chickpeas…