Late last summer we received, via a somewhat long chain of correspondents, an email announcing that a restaurant called the "American Steakhouse" would be soon opening on Podmaniczky utca in Budapest's District VI. Given the relative lack of steakhouse options in Budapest, and our long-held lust for beef, we eagerly awaited the big day. And waited...

After around six months we decided to investigate. In case you also got the "American Steakhouse" email or are otherwise curious, here's the deal. We called directory information to find a phone number for the address listed on the above graphic, which continues to be the only info posted at www.americansteakhouse.hu. No luck.

Then we realized that the address is the same as that belonging to Sir Lancelot Lovagi Étterem, one of Budapest's most popular medieval-themed restaurants. (Yes, there are several.) Putting in a call to Lancelot's, we were told by a fair maiden that the mysterous sztékház was indeed supposed to open up in the same building, but was quickly bought out by none other than the fine knight. Sir L's wench, however, could not explain why her sire had decided to swoop in and shut down the steakhouse before we had a chance to find out what something describing itself as an "American steakhouse" was acutally like. Maybe he just figured that the building was too small for two fantasy restaurants.