A Konyha (which translates as The Kitchen), having been open for less than a year, is in its infancy. The know-how behind the place, though, is firmly rooted in Hungary’s longstanding culinary tradition: the project’s spearheaded by head chef and owner Ottó Laczkó, former executive chef of the city’s legendary Gundel restaurant.
As any good kitchen should be, A Konyha’s all about cooking. In fact, it’s the only restaurant in the city where the kind of cooking that’s about to take place isn’t pre-determined by a menu before you sit down. Instead, though pre-designed starters and desserts feature, when it comes to the main course, the only thing you’re offered are the raw materials; the way they’re prepared is up to you. “If someone comes in with memories of a goose dish they ate in Prague ten years ago, we’ll do our best to recreate it”, explained Ottó’s wife (and A Konyha’s manager, Ildikó). An open kitchen operates, with guests invited to make requests and suggestions, and even taste the food as it’s being prepared. If you’re not in the mood to get so involved, though, wait staff (including Ottó’s fantastically entertaining and extremely knowledgeable son, Zoltán) will be happy to provide suggestions.
I dined with a Hungarian friend who was also new to the place. He went for the goose liver cake with fruits dried in Tokaj wine to start, while I decided to chat with Zoltán some more and come up with how I’d like my fish. I went for a fillet of pangasius slow cooked in white wine and butter with fresh lemon and lime, and fancied something light to accompany it. After the throwing around of some ideas, I decided upon wok fried vegetables (with some less than obvious Hungarian root vegetable additions). My dining companion had disappeared, returning after a chat with Ottó over the kitchen counter. A duck dish was designed between them and an accompanying wine discussed with Zoltán on the way back to our table. When our mains arrived, I was informed, with utter sincerity, that it was the best duck he’d ever tasted. My fish, too, was great, accompanied as it was by a recommended, well-matched glass of white. Raspberry soufflé was being prepared, and, after being urged to try, two arrived, warm, fluffy and, we were told, with about 60 seconds left in them before they fell – as should be the case with any good soufflé. They lasted about that long, and only because we were distracted by the great Magita Cuvée dessert wine that had arrived!
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be bringing you a series of features compiled with the help of Ottó and the team. We’ll be looking at some traditional (and not so traditional) Hungarian dishes, as well as introducing you to some perhaps lesser-known ingredients (you know, the kind you pick up in the market but are to afraid to ask what they are), ways to prepare them and, perhaps most importantly, how to order them!
A Konyha
1037 Budapest, Mikoviny u. 2-4.
Tel.: +36.1.887.3657
Open Mon.-Sat. midday-11 p.m., Sun. midday-5 p.m.
www.akonyha.com