Floating on river Danube, Spoon the Boat Restaurant offers the bests of Hungarian cuisine with a pinch of international influence, occupying a massive 1,600-square-meter area with three different themed dining rooms, three kitchens, five bars and two open-air terraces during the summer months. The icing on the cake is the astounding panorama one can get immersed in dining on board, as the restaurant anchors nearby Chain Bridge with spectacular views on the Buda side and its castle. We had the great pleasure of tasting some exquisite dishes in this extraordinary place.
We arrived to Spoon the Boat Restaurant on an exceptionally chilly, rainy day of July. As we were guided to our table on the sundeck, I was silently praying for a leeward spot. Upstairs I came to realize that a great part of the open-air terrace was protected from the wind thanks to a vast canopy that doesn’t ruin the panorama by any means.
Browsing the menu, two starters immediately caught our attention: my companion ordered zander tartar with black scones and courgette salad, whereas I decided to give the chilled pickled cucumber cream soup with dill jelly a go. The fish hors d’oeuvre arrived enriched with citrus mascarpone that harmoniously complemented the flavours of the zander tartar (with California pepper and zucchini pieces) and the traditional scones that were, as the attentive waiter shared the secret with us, tinted with squid ink. As for my part, I have to admit that I didn’t expect for the cucumber soup to be this palatable. I can’t image a more refreshing summer dish than this cold soup with the sour taste of the pickled cucumber and the exceptional dill jellies.
We didn’t dare to dream about the main courses surpassing the formerly tasted starters, so we only hoped that they could keep up the high culinary standards. How pessimistic we were! In just a few minutes, sea bream fillet with ratatouille cream, roasted bell peppers and green beans, and calamarata with king prawns in a creamy, Sicilian red pesto sauce with parmesan came, accompanied by two glasses of fine wine, one from Pátzay’s Olaszrizling and another from Kázsmér’s Excellence Chardonnay.
At first glance, the seafood dishes looked so aesthetically pleasing placed on plates that matched their textures and tones that I almost felt sorry ruining the gastronomic masterpiece. Looking back, I have no regrets doing so, as it would have been a mere act of foolishness missing on trying these delicacies. If perfection exists, I think we got to taste it.
The only problem we needed to face during our dining experience in Spoon the Boat was the feeling of fullness after enjoying every bite of the entrees. Luckily, we were determined enough to complete our lunch with hazelnut doughnut, coffee truffle, cappuccino ice cream, all sprinkled with Piedmont hazelnut, and a strawberry dessert with white chocolate and apricot coulis with Prosecco. The latter was the unique embodiment of summer itself: following the copious menu, the fresh strawberries and apricot puree with just a little bit of white chocolate cream made me feel invigorating. I had to stay away from the hazelnut treat to be able to walk back to the office, but judging by the look on my companion’s face, it was a pure source of joy.
Our culinary pleasures aboard were accompanied by an attentive service of the ever-so-helpful staff and a beautiful panorama over Buda that showed its unusual face, coloured grey by the rain clouds. In Spoon the Boat two hours just flew by, but for us, the world stopped for a delicious moment.
In Hungary, we celebrate 20 August with spectacular fireworks over the capital city. As no one wants to miss out on watching the colourful show, most of the panoramic spots in Budapest are full on this day, including Spoon the Boat that offers a special 3-course dinner menu for the national holiday. Book in advance, and experience a unique culinary journey while enjoying the firework show from an exceptional place!