While we haven't yet been able to confirm it with the appropriate authorities, it looks like commenter Peter is on to something in saying that longtime international-luxury dining leader Tom-George is going to emerge from its current round of renovations as an Italian restaurant, possibly even a rustic one. (They seem to be replacing the groovy modern sculpted cement wall cladding with raw brick.) Since all this is still in the realm of rumor, there's no point in getting too carried away with all the questions this raises, notably a) why; and b) will it fly? Still, it's certainly an interesting twist in the ongoing saga of Budapest's high-end restaurant business.

From what we hear, driving the shift in genre is a sudden drop-off in business at TG over previous months, which was due in part to the overall economic environment, as well as the success of the nearby Bacardi Original Bar restaurant, which is also the work of TG maestros Tamás Szántó and György Lefkovics, and is similar in concept to the always-sleek TG. Apparently lots of the flashy locals who today crowd BOB used to be the flashy locals crowding TG, and these people need a reason to "come back." But according to one in-the-know local restaurateur, a decision by Tamás and György to re-re-brand themselves from "Tom-George" to "Gaetano-Giorgio" (that's a joke, by the way) is notable not only because there are so many other Italian restaurants in town. "They have always been trend-setters," this person said. "And this is a departure from that."

As for whether there is room for another high-end olasz eatery downtown, it seems hard to say. Despite all the gloom and doom, places like Trattoria Pomo D'Oro and slightly farther afield Trattoria Toscana continue to do bene business. On the other hand, the second outlet of the quasi-Sicilian Millennium Da Pippo over on Szabadság tér recently threw in the towel (link is to the original, and still surviving, Andrássy út location).

Meanwhile, various other "little birdies" we've talked to say that a decision to go Italian style may have been eased by the winding up of business ties between team TG and the similarly upscale Donatella's Kitchen down on Király utca in adjacent District VI. Meaning that some of the flashy locals drawn there via the TG magic may now head to the "new" Italian TG. And it doesn't stop there, because these same sources say that the remaining owners of Donatella's Kitchen - Donatella Zampoli and Peter Freed - are going to take over management of the "fine dinging" restaurant area of the New York Kávéház in the landmark New York Palace hotel. Unfortunately, since the Italian-owned hotel apparently draws lots of Italian guests - and Italians love hit the town and eat Italian - many of the people who should be enjoying Donatella's new kitchen will probably end up at the new Tom-George.