By Cuisine - Chef Archives

8 Restaurants and Eateries in Budapest [Part 2]

Even though Budapest might not be the first destination that comes to mind when thinking about food, it will disappoint the hungry foodie tourist. I visited Budapest for 5 days, ate and drank a lot, and now I’m here to help you experience the best Budapest has to offer.

The first post in the series covered 8 great coffee and pastry destinations in Budapest.

In the second of three posts I’ll be taking you on a savory journey through the streets of Budapest. From cheap street food to Michelin starred restaurants, I’ve got everything your heart (and stomach) desires, including some places to stay clear of.

Jungsik is one of our most memorable dining experiences in Seoul. It blends traditional Korean flavors with modern techniques to create highly accessible dishes.

The restaurant’s New York sister has held two Michelin stars for quite some time now and this year Seoul Jungsik received its acclaimed 1 Michelin star award in the first edition of the South Korean capital.

Lung King Heen, led by chef Chan Yan Tak, owns many accolades – it is the first Chinese restaurant in the world to receive three Michelin stars; ranked #17 on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant 2017; and received 5 stars from The Fobes. Naturally – our expectations were set very high. I booked a table for lunch and got all excited for my first three starred Michelin restaurant experience.

Our lunch at Tippling Club, a serial Asia’s Best 50 restaurant, was stellar. It was a creative, innovative and tasty journey that lasted 3 hours. Chef Ryan Clift has made sure every step of the way was filled with fun, playful and surprising elements.

Ranked #27 on 2015 Asia’s 50 Best, Ryunique by Tae Hwan Ryu offers modern fusion cooking showcasing cutting edge techniques. It mixes Japanese and French cuisine, all while using Korean ingredients. Don’t expect Kimchi here, though – the flavors are very familiar to the western palate.

The kitchen is headed by chef Tae Hwan Ryu, who previously worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo, Sydney and London. Ryunique, an amalgamation of his name and the premise of his concept for the flagship restaurant, was opened in 2011.

During the last couple of months my friend started collecting Ottolenghi’s cookbooks. Each time I visited her we dogeared dishes from them and prepared meals based completely on their content. The recipes aren’t simple in most cases and contain many techniques and components. It was worth it though – almost every dish we tasted from these books blew our minds. So when I had plans to visit London, I just knew I must visit one of Ottolenghi’s restaurants.

Sometimes the timing works out just right. We’re really excited to share this post with you, since our lunch at JAAN under chef Kirk Westaway last month was one of our best ever, and only a few days ago have they received their first star in Singapore’s debut Michelin guide. If it were up to us, we would give them ten of those, and we’re about to tell you just why!

Located In the lobby of the boutique Mendeli Hotel, Mashya offers modern interpretation of local cuisine and serves Moroccan and mediterranean dishes with a fine, modern touch. The kitchen is headed by Yossi Shitrit, which is also the chef of two other great restaurants in town – Onza and Kitchen Market. Mashya prides itself on using local ingredients, produce and spices with advanced cooking techniques.

OCD opened several months ago in Noga neighborhood, an area that is becoming a creative center in Old Jaffa. OCD offers a unique culinary experience in the TLV scene. First it only offers a set degustation menu and second, the place contains only 18 seats located around the bar overlooking the open kitchen. I was first exposed to this way of dining in Tokyo, and since then it has definitely become my favorite. It provides a great view to the kitchen action and enables direct interaction with the kitchen staff. It also prevents awkward situations where your waiter doesn’t know which fish he just served you (happened to me in a pretty expensive restaurant).

This March we had the opportunity to celebrate Tali’s birthday in Atera, a 2 Michelin starred restaurant based in New York’s Tribeca Neighborhood. Its founding chef, Matthew Lightner, who ran the kitchen for three years, was replaced last year by the Danish Ronny Emborg. This change made quite the ruckus online with mixed opinions on the decision to have a Danish chef as the head of a well-established American restaurant.

Om Nom Nomad

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By Cuisine – Chef

8 Restaurants and Eateries in Budapest [Part 2]

Upscale Korean | Jungsik, Seoul

Three Stars and a View | Lung King Heen , Hong Kong

Fun & Innovative Lunch | Tippling Club, Singapore

Fine Korean Dining for a Western Palate | Ryunique, Seoul

Out of the Cookbook and into the Fire | Nopi, London

Spectacular Degustation Lunch | JAAN, Singapore

Modern, Moroccan and Magnificent | Mashya, Tel Aviv

Fine Dining meets Street Food for Brunch | OCD, Tel Aviv

Cause for Celebration | Atera, New York City