Located just off a major thoroughfare, Művész is a convenient and reliable place to get an excellent meal. Attentive service makes distinguished patrons feel at home in a local haunt of players from the artistic world.
Long-time residents of the desirable Újlipótváros neighborhood of the 13th district probably count Művész as one of their treasured restaurants due to it’s combination of easy access just behind the Vigszinház (Vig Theater), that marvelous palatial theater halfway between Nyugati Square and the Danube river on the busy Szent István avenue, and the quiet coziness that nevertheless prevails on the tiny street where it can be found. Travelers new to the city would also enjoy a stop here, perhaps for lunch between the sights or museums of Andrássy Avenue or City Park and the Castle District or for dinner within easy reach of most of the downtown hotels.
The décor at Művész follows the theater’s artistic lead, with a sort of neo-baroque theme played out by dark cylindrical drapes over chandeliers, illustrated wall designs, white tablecloths and fancifully-carved (and quite comfortable) chairs. While certainly stylistic, we’re not entirely convinced that it works, especially when referenced with the venue’s choice of music – ‘50s favorites, Barry White, the Beatles – but then a smiling maître d’ takes your coat and leads you to your table, and the real reason you came here quickly becomes apparent.
A menu of Hungarian and continental delicacies to suit just about any taste makes choosing what to eat difficult. At the time of our visit the restaurant was serving a special goose-leg with mashed potatoes in celebration of St. Martin’s day, which was being happily consumed by just about everyone around us. Not wanting to just join the chorus of happy ‘mmm’s and ‘finom’s, I opted for a light halibut filet which came with a zesty but not overbearing crust of cheese that jazzed up a normally very plain fish, accompanied by some truly mouth-watering peeled and roasted tomatoes and just-done zucchini and a real homemade tartar sauce. Just before this I had the celery cream soup with chili shrimps, which come on the side. Delectable in itself, the celery soup was given a very agreeable twist with the addition of the spicy-yet-sweet shrimps.
My companion started with an appetizer perfectly suited to the season, a grilled apple stuffed with a goat-cheese puff that was artfully presented with blueberries and quite tasty without being overfilling. She then took the most prototypically Hungarian of our choices, with a generous serving of hearty sirloin lecsó (pepper and tomato stew) and baked potatoes that she reported as a satisfying spectrum of tastes.
Not surprisingly, the wine list at Művész was teeming with terrific choices in Hungarian wine; ask the waiter for what best suits your dish. Though we declined the alcoholic beverages on this occasion, we could not resist the classic Gundel palacsinta, the archetypal Hungarian dessert of walnut paste wrapped in crêpes and doused with chocolate sauce, powdered sugar and a splash of brandy and served flaming – now that’s a finale! Also of note in the sweets department is the hot caramel beverage, which was a creamy honeyed version of hot chocolate and perfect for a cold winter day.
For older, more refined diners, Művész has a great mix of excellent food and service, with a good location and no shortage of charm. Don’t be surprised if you bump into some of the players and performers from the arts world while there – it’s reputed as a favorite among members of the theater world, and for good reasons. Bon appetite!
-Daniel Freeman
Starters
Grilled apple stuffed with goat cheese
Celery cream soup with roasted chili shrimp
Mains
Sirloin stew with letcho and baked potatoes
Halibut filet in spicy cheese crust with roasted tomato and zucchini
Dessert
Gundel palacsinta
Hot caramel
