What's Cooking in Donatella's Kitchen?
[Editor's Note: In the spirit of full transparency, I would like to disclose that I have had a long-running "feud" with one of the investors behind this restaurant: Peter Freed, who is also the driving force behind the annual "Best of Budapest" PR campaign. As a result of this potential conflict, I assigned the review of this restaurant to a neutral outsider, reader/contributor Tom Viscelli. I hope that when Donatella's Kitchen comes up for review by whomever decides what restaurants qualify for the "Best of Budapest" they take a similarly transparent approach, though I am not holding my breath. - Erik D'Amato]
Donatella's Kitchen (follow link for contact details and user feedback) first showed an impressive little bit of chutzpah opening up around the corner from Italian-heaven Fausto's, looking at first glance to be yet another swaggering (and overpriced) Tom-George look-alike. Sleek black-and-wood interior, name in faux Broadway marquee lights, and… antler chandeliers?
But from the day it opened, the clientele showed a more refreshing and down-to-earth mix of chic and simple, reflecting the state of that little stretch of Király utca almost too poetically to mention in a review… almost. Turns out that Donatella's sleek look is only skin deep, with prices and attitude more fitting to Hungarian salaries and expectations than international ones. Throw reasonable traditional-Italian fare with some delectable desserts and you find that tables are rarely available without a reservation on any day of the week. So despite all the obvious energy put into the décor and ambience - no surprise to anyone who dines out enough in Budapest - I'm going to ignore all that and instead focus on the food and service.
On a recent visit with some friends, two of our first orders weren't available because of a lack of ingredients, but the menu offered enough selection to make up for it. We started with an unremarkable buffalo mozzarella caprese (Ft 1,980) and saffron risotto with shrimp (Ft 2,650) that was nicely creamy and fresh, if slightly bland. Afterwards there was a Neapolitan lasagna with veal meatballs and mozzarella (Ft 1,750) that was one diner's favorite dish from an earlier meal, and an interesting crepe with ricotta and spinach and fresh tomato sauce (Ft 1,850) that got high marks and is certainly a unique offering. We also had braised chicken with red wine sauce over polenta (Ft 1,950) and my very disappointing roasted veal with au gratin potatoes (Ft 3,900) - mostly disappointing because I ordered veal-filled ravioli and was unwilling to wait for the right dish after the hour-plus we had already been sitting at the table by the time the mains came.
Which leads to the obligatory mention of service, which was uneven at best. Two of our group had been to the restaurant twice before and had been completely happy with their servers, which took some of the edge off of the unacceptable service we received during my visit. I'll leave it at that, because the desserts really are worth a special mention.
All of the desserts on the menu are priced at Ft 980 and all three we ordered were delectable. Sable with Chantilly cream was highlighted with some great fresh berries and the tiramisu was strong and large. Our favorite though was a very creamy and sweet panna cotta, also with fresh fruits and a beautiful presentation.
Donatella's also features an extensive pizza menu, including an intriguing-sounding pizze dolce (sweet pizza). The pies run between Ft 1,000 and Ft 2,000 get cooked in a wood-fired stove that is open to the dining room.
All in all Donatella's offers a pleasant and sometimes sexy meal with sleek design, low lighting, an un-cramped dining room, and (finally!) music that's neither too loud nor too soft, all without breaking the bank.
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We have had a rather mediocre meal there with overwhelming, yet unprofessional service. What nerves me most are the hints about Donatella's Michelin star. This restaurant is OK, but far from Michelin and far from the Budapest upper class. For an Italian restaurant the wine list is rather poor, especially the Italian part ...
Note for Szulfit!
You should go after your info's more accuratly,the chef
Donatella has got 2 Michelin stars not the restaurant.
When i had a dinner there the 89 different choise of Italian wine
seemed sufficient!Probably u are more picky then we were!
Tom
Thomas, comments from people like you just add skepticism about the restaurant before even visiting and turning off at least the type of person I am.
No average restaurant customer counts the number of italian wines on the menu and few will know how many Michelin stars a chef gets. Unless the customer is somehow affiliated with the restaurant, that is.
Szulfit has an opinion and his/her opinion is that the restaurant does not meet Michelin star standards. You may or may not agree with it but your accusatory tone suggests that you need to defend something. It is not exactly what one expects from other customers in a forum like this and if you are affiliated with the restaurant and not uncovering such affiliation it leaves a bad taste in one's mouth. I for one am no longer interested in trying out the place largely because of your tone. There are too many good choices out there...
Tom's tone AND the ABYSMAL word of mouth this restaurant has been getting (much worse than the overly kind review on this site reflected).
Not to mention the decor that made me turn in my shoes before entering the restaurant....
Have been here a few times now but will say that it is a nice place to drink and does have some rather cheap bottles of Veuve on the wine card (where they come from lets not ask!) If it lasts until winter it will give Negro a run for its money as a bar ...but in terms of food and service, i can not rate this place highly at all. The staff, whilst all very young and attractive have a lot of wind between the ears and dont seem to know much about what they are serving. You can get way way better Italian food just around the corner. I always dine on business but even i felt that this place had taken something away from me ... i.e. a dining experience!
It was very strange for me to find so many negative remarks about Donatalla's kitchen. We have been there once and absolutely loved the food and the ambiance. The decore was fine too and the service was perfect (water was far from young). About the size of the dish - normally people who expect fine cousine don't intend consuming enormous portions of food; for us the quantity of food was just fine - not too much, not to little. In general the menu was quite sofisticated and decoration of the dishes only added the charm of the place. I think it is perfect for going out with friends as well as for romantic dinner. Also would like to add - I have no relation to the restaurant and the owners and have no idea who is the cook and how many Michelin stars he has, but he is definitely doing a good job!
What's the most important thing when you go out to eat? The food, right? At Donatella's it's perfect. At least my spaghetti with seafood was.
Excellent food, reasonably priced. Good service, nice interior. I rest my case.
I have been in Donatella's kitchen this weekend and was fascinated.
We were 6 girls from Austria and did not expect such a restaurant in Hungary!
The location is modern & nice decorated.
The food was excellent!
The service was very good: they were friendly, fast,attentive and competent.
(I do not know what problem Yvonne has with young and attractive staff???)
The prices are more than ok, especially the wine prices!
I also want to say that I do not have a relation to the restaurant. But I am working in a Michelin Star restaurant in Austria and we offer about 800 different wines, so I think I am in a position to evaluate something like this...
Donatella's kitchen is on my list for my next Budapest trip and I will also recommend it to all my friends!!!
To me, the faddy decor does suggest the place is about style and appearance, instead of the food. So it has been a surprise to find the food is in fact really quite good.
I ate there last week and had a great dinner - fresh seasonal ingredients cooked with competence and élan.
But after we had paid the bill, our waiter came back to the table and asked if I could change two 1000 Forint notes for a 2000. I did, but I was a bit puzzled why he'd asked me to do this since it wouldn't help him make change. I found out then next day when I got chased around a Metro station for trying to pass an old 1000 Forint note.
I did go back to exchange the dud note and explain to them the concept of not shitting on their own doorstep, but I think I was wasting my time. This is the first time someone has tried to stiff me in Budapest and I suppose I am a little insulted that it was so small-time and amateur.
JOSH did they at least exchange the notes for you?