The Martini and the steak carry an almost mythical history in the popular imagination. Deals have been struck, wars won and lost, kings created over a two Martini steak lunch. Both the ice-cold Martini and the grilled steak are simply elegant, clean and unencumbered with artifice, and intensely unforgiving in the preparation. Unfortunately, both are also more old world than new, and have either fallen out of favor with politically correct sensibilities or been gussied up with every manner of fruit and sugar. Lucky for us, this winning combination has snuck back into Budapest’s gastro scene, right in the center of the improving restaurant selection in the tourist center (see Klassz and Callas). Andrássy út’s Ring Café and Restaurant was one of the first eateries to flare up in Hungary’s immediate post-communist history, and lasted for a good while in an upscale guise. As time went on, however, Budapest and especially Andrássy bloomed around it while the Ring tried to maintain its status quo. As the restaurant and bar market matured, the Ring slowly lost clientele and money. It was time for a change.
Enter the successful proprietors of Balettcipő. Manager Ádám Susánszky and the team came in to rebuild the place from the bottom up, restyling it as a trendy and young cocktail bar with good drinks and food at reasonable prices. While the café is still new and experiencing growing pains, they have not disappointed. The dinner menu is largely similar to Balettcipő’s in order to ease the transition from old world class to new world chic. Many of the same standard dishes fill the menu but the delight is really in the ever-changing specials.
The sirloin steak with grilled potatoes was tasty but didn’t quite make medium-rare, falling much closer to well done for my taste.
Management was very receptive to making the change for next time, and given the previous history of Balettcipő’s ability to cook meat correctly, this should be an individual blip. The potatoes were flavorful and everything came with a bit of nicely sweet brown sauce and smoked quail’s eggs that blended flavors surprisingly well.
But the star of the show was my companion’s mint and yoghurt marinated lamb on a bed of couscous salad and homemade pita (up top), which made a great approximation of Lebanese shish-kebab and was set off perfectly with the mint- and lime-infused couscous garnished with arugula. The homemade pita was simply outstanding. My companion’s only complaint was that the lamb was not cooked well enough, which goes to prove that there’s no accounting for taste.
Of special note were our preprandial drinks. After getting a typically European vermouth-with-a-bit-of-vodka called a Martini, I asked for and received what was possibly the best Martini I’ve had in Budapest, with apologies to Bar Martinez. The gin and vermouth were in perfect proportions and the cocktail olives meaty and tasty. My companion had a surprisingly delicious Cosmopolitan and we left with a very high regard for the bartenders’ abilities.
While the food and my companion distracted me sufficiently for me to ignore individual prices, the whole dinner for two with drinks, well-paired wine, three courses, and after-dinner pálinka came to Ft 12,000 Ft (€46.50), or much more reasonable than other places in town that offer dinner and drinks of a similar quality. My personal test of a bar’s expense – 4cl of Jameson, neat – ticks in at a very fair Ft 670, or €2.70. Tap water is happily served and there’s no 10% tithe added to the bill.
The Ring’s dinner menu is in flux, but expect the solid steaks and those Martinis to remain along with other rotating bar food choices. But even if you’re not looking to strike a deal, win or lose a war, or become a kingmaker, the Ring has a comfortable corner waiting for you.
Interesting comment about the martini. I recently tried martinis (twice with a couple of weeks in between) at this place and in spite of me specifically asking for just a hint of vermouth, I got an almost 50%-50% vodka/martini mix. Needless to say it was undrinkable. I am stunned that they made a perfect martini for you, I almost find it unbelievable.
Actually…
The size of my steak made me wonder what sort of under-grown cows Hungary is producing these days, but this is not unexpected in an average restaurant.
However, the service. Oh my god, the service. Our slightly-violet-haired waitress took more time to smooch with her boyfriend at the bar than she spent serving us, everything seemed to be a problem, the delays in delivery were measured with calendars, and the attitude was dismal. If you want service, Sunday lunch-time isn’t good.
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