The restaurant known only as M. (follow link for contact details and user feedback) and its tiny District VII storefront made a quiet splash when it opened seven years ago, earning a following with its inventive comfort food, frequently changing menu, and complete lack of pretense. People who liked M., really liked M., and eventually it found its way onto the Chew “Top 33″ list of fine dining spots. Then it suddenly fell from grace with foodies in the know, and appeared all but closed for some time. There are reasons for all this, which I will get into later, but for now, I am happy to report that M. is back in a big, capital letter way.
Before I was even seated, M. just felt right. The three-tabled downstairs room is unstuffy, and the décor whimsical without calling attention to itself: there is a fan drawn on the ceiling, and table-clothes are cut from a roll of brown packing paper. (Note: the interior picture up top was taken several years ago, though you’d hardly know the difference.) The host greeted me immediately, following my lead as whether to speak Hungarian or English, and was totally comfortable with both, but had nothing to prove with either. Not long after sitting down, my dining companion and I were treated to a complimentary taste from the kitchen: on this night it was a garlicky dip on toasted bread. The menu itself is short, and on the Thursday I was there, featured a separate fish menu, with lots of seafood, including fresh oysters. But this being Thanksgiving, we stuck with mostly game and other terrestrial fare. I am no expert on goose liver: but I found the fois gras terrine with quince in aspic both rich and greatly satisfying, especially when coupled with a dry red Egri cuvee. Later, duck breast with a porcini mushroom sauce and potato gratin “dauphinois” arrived, and another main of suckling pig with beets and sage-roasted potatoes. Both were super, the portion of duck generous, and piglet meat lean but for a thin rind of fat around the edges like a layer of frosting. The service matched the atmosphere: totally casual, but there when you needed them. Also, tap water was given by the pitcher without charge, something that is a novelty in this city, but second nature at M.
The meal was not without a few misfires: the “far” cake (a flan-like cake made famous in Brittany) was rubbery, and felt like it had sat in a refrigerator too long; and I think I recognized it as the recipe published on epicurious.com not long ago. The wine list could use a bit of juicing up as well, as the selection was slim and not terribly satisfactory if you want a really fine wine with your meal.
But these are quibbles. M. is the kind of place Budapest is in short supply of: friendly, casual neighborhood-oriented dining. As for the prices, the two of us spent Ft 11,000 (€41) including a bottle of wine. I, for one, would welcome M.’s return to the Top 33. So, why isn’t it there? As mentioned above, M. has seen its share of turmoil. Founded and overseen by Miklós Sulyok in 2001, the place not only attracted foodies, but mounds of paperwork and red tape. Tired of the headaches, he gave it up four years later, handing it over to partners he preferred not to name. Without its founder, M. nosedived, luring more cockroaches and unpaid bill than customers, something Sulyok could not bear: he returned to the fold last summer, with a new team (of old friends) and, with little fanfare, restored M. to its former glory, giving me – and anybody else who loves casual fine-dining – but one more reason on Thanksgiving to be grateful.
looks good, thanks for the recommendation
It doesn’t only look good, it is really good. The wine list could be really optimized but food and staff is really nice.
i wonder how come M make to you top 33 list and restaurants like Costes (probably the best in Budapest…) doesnt…
yes, i would like to know your criteria, maybe it consists of friendship and free meals nem?! because looking at your 33 top restaurants in budapest… my god!!!
Makay, just check the other article Tacos Locos, 65 comments and everybody there is killing the reviewer( by the way the same who wrote this one) Interesting no?. There must be a reason why and I am complewtely agree with you!!!!! this guy is a joker!!
i know! ive been ther myself had good, correct food and spend 2 pleasent hours, in my opinion thats what is all about or am i wrong?! the is a BIG difference between i dont like it or its bad!
God, you guys sound like a bunch of pissy little bitches. No one makes you come here.
If you have something to say about the food, good or bad, fine but if you doubt the integrity of the reviews why come back? I don’t agree with them on many things but at least they are trying these restaurants before you go an have a bad meal there.
Do you really think the food blog is that important they they get served free meals at these places… Hungarian owners just don’t care.
Makay, doesn’t make any sense to be angry and play their games. You can figure out very easy who is manipulating the information and who’s not.
Unfortunately that’s all about this blogs, but also we can show that they are wrong, the problem is that don’t have the guts to accepted. Many good restaurants got bad reviews here just to rise others. what a stupid game.
Wilbur, I read most of your comments, we don’t need reviewer’s cheerleader like you. every time you are defending him, what a coincidence?
Next time show your education reffering properly to the people in this blog
yes mustang you are right. we are loosing our time with this people…
Makay, you know my Mom? Next time you have to write angry, try to take a few deep breaths first so you don’t make so many mistakes, I am still trying to makes sense of your last sentence.
Mustang, you are a bit out of line. You jokers dragged the Taco Loco review here, please show where else I have defended him. If you think I am a review’s cheerleader you can just fuck right off.
I like this site, I read it, and I comment on it. What’s the point of whining here about how everything is fixed and based on friendship, a modicum of reason would keep you from returning to something you thought was biased.
Hey, it’s the boss here. Note that no one is gonna get their comments zapped if they are on-topic, but a lot of what was just posted has *nothing* to do with this review whatsoever (or anything else). So either be relevant, or be zapped.
Meanwhile, anyone who suggests that our reviews are bent is either ignorant of how we operate (cleanest rules in Hungary) or a liar.
its a shame that you Mr. Erik doesnt let the people express their opinion… let me ask you, do you have any share in budapest restaurants?! it seems like it…
Is like that Makay. We are just trying just give our opinion,
Erik, your reviewer is the ignorant, you have say thanks to the guys which are reading and make your site running, instead call us ignorants or liars. Is not a open blog? we can’t place our opinion, instead you allow Wilbur to insulte people?
Wilbur I will not put in your cultural level to answer you.
I am out of the blog, enjoy your snake’s club
you know what going to happen no, when erik comes home after his free dinner somewhere, maybe at arriba taqueria, all our opinion are going to be deleted but you know what, ERIK I DONT GIVE A FUCK AND U CAN STICK YOU BLOG UP YOUR ASS!!!! im off to…
Posted by Makay “ERIK I DONT GIVE A FUCK AND U CAN STICK YOU BLOG UP YOUR ASS!!!! im off to…”
Help!! The city is being overrun by crazy mexicans… how very sad.
?????????????????,,,
Hey this site is a joke, say a word agaist the reviewer’s opinion and you get deleted…. !!! Very sad, if that’s the only way you can react…….
Strange! What site is that here?
The reviewer can write what he wants and when somebody does not agree the comments are deleted?
Ridiculous……..
What’s really strange is that “Tomas” “Stefan” and “Tibi” all have the same IP number (194.24.158.8)
Erik, you are right that’s strage, maybe you should check your system. But for me it’s much more alarming that this is your only reaction!
Would be interesting to know on which aspects you take the decision to delete a comment, when a user doesn’t agree with your opinion…..
“Tomas”/”Stefan”/”Tibi”: Here’s a short list of reasons a comment would get deleted:
1. If it has nothing to do with the particular article in question.
2. If it is just name calling.
3. If it is pointlessly repetitive.
4. If it is from someone who posts under several assumed aliases, for the purpose of making it seem like there are many people who share their views.
Otherwise, policy is to let people continue jabbering as long as they like. Hope that helps clear things up!
You are right gaspar b, you need help, the AFI already got your info and is looking for you. What a paranoic and pathetic you are.
Hey Burro Blanco, I think you need to lighten up a little. I was just pointing out how upset some of these posts were, the type of language used, etc. Do you think that’s okay, to write such nasty things? I think you need to chill out a little, this is just a food blog. Why all the hostility?
gaspar b, I am totally cool. I never used a bad language in my comments and attack somebody without reason like you. Even more I never refer disrespect about nationalities like you. Even you don’t know who post that expression which also I do not agree, but also was not even related with the article in question. You better read carefully and be smart instead of being paranoic.
Erik,
thank you for your explanation, this makes sense.
But have you guys ever considered that you may be wrong with your evaluation? At least partly?
Those articles are written based on one visit from one single person. And all the users here give their impression based on one or more visits EACH. As we all humans here os is Matt, I guess?
Especially in such cases when, much more than just “the simple majority” disagree with the reviewers opinion, you should consider to review your evaluation, no?
Tomas: Yes, for sure, especially in Hungary reviewing is a very tricky business, because the “consistent inconsistency” that prevails means a review’s experience can be “atypical” even if they go more than once! And this is why I encourage comments, as well as the star rating system on Caboodle. So sure, our man Matt may have had atypically good expereinces at the places he’s liked and atypically bad experiences at the places he hasn’t liked. But what I won’t concede is that he is being paid or told to give thumbs up to some places and thumbs down to others, because it simply isn’t true.
Thanks all for a very entertaining comment thread. I laughed my ass off. I must say Erik – there are some extremely grammatically insane people out there reading Chew…
And so I don’t get deleted:
I’ve never been to M. but will definitely give it a try.
so erik! c’mon and play by your own rules and get the suckers off of here. expressing their opinion yeah, but not about the review but everything else. now you can zap mine too cause i just went the way they did.
keep up the good work and remember ‘you can’t please everyone so you’ve got to please yourself’
Hello,
I think some of you forget about the sense of this site.
I will have a new years dinner in this place and after leaving
my headache I will write my opinion to this place.
So stop writing all that stuff. Do something useful.
M’s been one of my favourite Bp restaurants since
my first visit there several years ago. If the
chronology given in the review is correct, I ate
there a few times during the dark years of the
owner’s absence, but even on these occassions, I
enjoyed it. A frequent problem, granted, was that
they’d run out of ingredients early in the evening
and wouldn’t be able to serve half the selections
on the menu. This was a barrier for my wife, who
needs a place with a good and reliable veg
selection. However, the unpredictability did’t
bother me and everything I even had there has made
my night.
Some things I like about it are:
- they have Staropramen on draught and a selection
(albeit small) of quality wines (a rare combo);
- excellent bread baked on premises;
- polite, attentive service;
- great value for money.
Now that the original owner is back running
things, we’ll have to visit again.
Based on all the promising reviews, I headed towards M a couple days ago.
My experience was not so satisfactory. Yes, the place is lovely, yes, the staff is even lovelier, and the atmosphere is catching. On the other hand, the food was of an average quality.
My porcini mushroom soup contained porcini mushroom only in traces, and was longing for some fresh herbs, spices, even salt (and I am not even a salt-person).
The roasted trout with spinach and polenta was mediocre. The trout iself was fine, but the spinach was not cleaned right, so the sand was cracking under my teeth.
The apple flavored poppy pie was probably the best course of the night. Not to sweet, just the right amount of sugar.
Overall, the food was rather disappointing, or maybe I just had high expectations. But I will definitely go back just because of the atmosphere and kind staff
Lamb with couscous was decent, if a bit on the salty side (though most places in Budapest are too salty for me). My friend enjoyed his couscous. Nice ambience. Price wise (not including the wine), it’s pretty much the same as Klassz, though the latter has better food. Drinks more reasonable here though!
I’m glad some people who have actually been to M have decided to comment here. Fear not the trolls: we are making troll tacos of them as we speak. RE: Klassz: I agree, very similar experience as M, but note that the later’s prices just hiked with the new menu. I commented on my meal at Klassz more fully on caboodle, but I will say that I found the service erratic, though the overall experience was wonderful. For me it is a toss up between M and Klassz, but I stand by highly recommending both.
I think its time for Chew to reconsider having M. as one of the top 33 restaurants in Budapest. I was there on thursday hoping for a nice dinner and the food turned out to be a disaster. I chose Goose liver with apple palinka for starter and it was horrible, they absolutely killed the flavours of the liver. It was uneatable but since we were sitting right next to the bar, and having the chef just behind me, I felt i had to make an effort to eat some of it, luckily my friends pitched in and all of them disliked my food. For main course i had the vegetarian surprise, ha ha yeah right it was a surprise of canned beans added to some tagliatelle and a white sauce tasting of nothing at all.I ate half of it… I was so disapointed so I decided to go for a desert, mmmm yum i thought they have choco fondant! Really looking forward to some desert i asked the waiter who told me they were out of chocolate!! If they have such a small menu, and only three deserts (one being cheese)I think its unacceptable to run out of ingridients. The only positive aspect of this evening was the ambience of the place and my good company, but I will never ever go back to M.