The Eighth Tribe, 1978 (5. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1978-09-01 / 9. szám

September, 1978

THE EIGHTH TRIBE

Page 7

shadows on the medieval tapestry, handsome oak tables and straight-backed knights’ chairs, and even the food — some of which dates back to recipes from the 14th century — reflect the restaurant’s medieval atmosphere. Stuffed Pheasant with Chestnut Sauce. Larded Deer Steak, Noisette of Venison and Escalope of Goose Liver a la King Mátyás are a few of the delicacies. While dining, if you listen closely you can almost “hear” the pealing of the bells in the Tower, or the soft chants of the monks who, with heads bowed, once shuffled through the corridors of this venerable establishment.

The dramatic Troubador Bar is named for the itinerant musicians who wandered from castle to castle singing praises of brave knights. Here the entire ceiling is covered in chain mail, and regal red velvet chairs and settees adorn the room. The Codex Bar now stands on the spot which housed Hungary’s first print shop some 20 years before Christopher Columbus sighted the New World.

The main dining room, the Kalocsa, is the complete antithesis to the somber beauty of the other dining and drinking salons. It is incredibly bright and gay with a magnificent view of the Danube and Fisherman’s Bastion, a Disney-like fantasy of parapets and turrets. The dazzling floral designs of artisans from the Kalocsa region abound on the walls, ceiling and coordinating table linens and china.

The cuisine is purely and superbly Hungarian, including such specialties as Gulyás Soup, Alföld Catfish with Paprika Sauce, Pork Saddle Stuffed with Debrecziner Sausage and Cabbage and Beef Pörkölt with Tarhonya ... all to be enjoyed against a background of vibrant gypsy music. The function rooms of the hotel are named for famous kings and dynasties of Hungary, and are decorated in period furnishings so that each gives a brief insight into Hungary’s past.

!