Customary apologies for taking my sweet time between reviews, but I’m currently stuck on the idea that restaurants should be visited more than once before being subjected to a big write-up. So before getting started, I will saw that I have visited the Dolce Osteria (follow link for contact info and user feedback) on three different occasions over the past month and a half, twice for lunch and once for dinner.
The smallish and quirkily-designed restaurant occupies in the premises of the short-lived and unlamented Feeling Diner, a couple of doors down Király utca from the associated Dolce Gastronomia. It’s arrival means that Pest’s often-overlooked “Royal Road” might just as well be called “Italian street,” because just a few blocks up are two of the city’s best-known Olasz eateries, Donatella’s Kitchen and Fausto’s Étterem. But unlike Donatella’s or Fausto’s – or even the nearby Osteria Fausto’s – Dolce is much more of a classic Italian osteria, meaning a somewhat humble “tavern” serving good food and easy wine at attractive prices. Which, at least for me, is just fine.
Starting with starters, pictured third from the top are plates of swordfish carpaccio and Venetian anchovies I tried on my first visit. Both were delicious, as was the less exotic plate of prosciutto and melon pictured right above. Meanwhile, the salads pictured second from top garnered raves. All were between Ft 1,500 and Ft 2,000.
The pizzas cost more than at most local pie-joints – this one with bresaola, grana and ruccola was Ft 2,000 – but they are excellent.
The pastas I’ve tried were also very tasty, in part because the chef – one Alessandro Arena – understands the importance of genuine Italian (or Italian-style) fresh sausage. The strozzapreti with sausage (center above) was so good I had it twice. The fagottini with sausage and radicchio was not quite as stirring, but also fine. Meanwhile, the seafood pastas, including the (I think tagliatelle) with spicy calamari (above) and the spaghetti with white clams and black mussels (fourth from top) were as good as they look, meaning real good. Like the starters, most pastas are between Ft 1,500 and Ft 2,000.
And speaking of clams and mussels, on my most recent visit I chose for my main a simple plate of these beauties, along with some bread to sop up the wonderfully rich broth. It was Ft 2,500. I was ecstatic.
In terms of finned fish, one of our party had this filleted-at-the-table Turbo with caponata. The eggplant and tomato side – which was translated on the menu as “Sicilian lecsó” – was a bit of a surprise, being warm (caponata is usually cold) and quite vinegary. But overall he said the dish was very much to his liking. And again, no complaints on the price: Ft 2,800, including the tableside show.
There were serious complaints, however, about this plate of duck breast with rosemary and fried polenta (also 2,800). But not because of the dish itself, which was fab. Instead, the problem was that the otherwise quite efficient staff botched the order, meaning it showed up a full 30 minutes after everyone else got their mains. Forgivable, but don’t make it a habit.
And while the several desserts I tried were all better than decent, I can only really remember one: this amazing confection of mascarpone layered with crumbed Amaretti di Saronno cookies (Ft 690).
To recap, except for the tardy duck, everything on my three trips to Dolce was a-okay. There were also no hidden catches, except for the now sadly standard 10% automatic service charge. The wines are quite reasonably priced – among them is a pleasant Settesoli Inzolia bianco for just Ft 2,300 – and they actually serve Hungarian mineral water for less than €1. So overall, you are talking about the opportunity of having a very good dinner for something in the neighborhood of €25. And if that’s not sweet, I don’t know what is.
I hear this place is for rent so enjoy, while it lasts!
Do they also sell food there? I don’t see anything remotely edible on these pictures.
Wow 160, I would say this may be the first time you haven’t blamed the Jews or Gypsies in a thread, but of course once again you have another inane point.
Godot – Can’t recognize the food? Well, we usually cook the meat, and don’t stick the bones through our noses when we’re done.
Godot…, Mate…, show us some edible food… if you can…
http://tinyurl.com/n2obyd
Thanks Mate… I got already the ticket to Boston!!! Should I bring something back???
ha ha ha classic!!! and whats with the cucumber and tomato??? how far behind are hungarian food stylists. . . . . .
Mr. Godot’s picture is in fact a striking piece of deconstructionist art; the original title is “Fever Dream About the Last 25 Years”. Way to go, Mr. Godot!
Well, Anon, apparently you don’t know much about art or food or how to pick a nickname for yourself. So what is it you know?
I am rather good at posting irreverent doggerel to this gastroblog. I believe I will make it a frequent event for the edification and entertainment of all participants. Why, that even includes you, Mr. Godot!
while the tiny.url photo is pretty nice (where’s the beef with all that starch?) it would be a sad world if that’s all we had to eat. italians know a few things about enjoying life and food is just one of them. i’d have no problem eating italian or chinese food daily (decent chinese, not what all the budapest bound bad cooks produce here). i take it mr. godot won’t be joining us? we’ll see him at st. jupat – also great – with a liter mug of brewsky lamenting the good old days.
food was great. service was a disgrace.
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