Taste the mangalica

She describes herself as “restaurant geek” and, with extreme brevity, instantly sums up her passions and, we could say, her many lives spent between her native Hungary, Rome and now Milan. It’s not normal for an entrepreneur with a website development and online advertising agency to jump ship and, almost overnight, become one of the leading restaurateurs in Milan, with a specialisation as a sommelier. Tunde Pecsvari did it successfully with her Osteria del Brunello, in the heart of the city, and Macha Café chain, which reveals her other passion: Japan.

Tunde, how old were you when you left Hungary? What memories do you have of that period in Balatonfüred and of your country in general? Do you come back here often?

TP: I’ve been in Italy since I was 18. Actually, I came for a holiday; I meant to stay two weeks… which became 27 years! I have lived all my adult life in Italy, which I consider my home. The town where I was born and raised, Balatonfüred, is a very popular summer holiday destination. For a few months of the year, it is very lively, full of programmes, events and worldly life. During winter, it becomes a very quiet, sleepy town where very little happens. For some years now, I no longer have a base there. However, I bought a small historic house, protected by National Heritage, in a village not far away, which, despite being on the shore of the lake, is much less known and popular. It is a paradise in all seasons, which for now I’m only able to enjoy for a few weeks a year, mainly in the summer.

Coming from the province and Lake Balaton, what impression did the capital make on you?

TP: It’s a different world, in many ways. Hungary is basically divided into two parts: Budapest, and everything else. The capital has an economic and cultural impact that is unique in the country; everything is concentrated there. I have lived in Budapest at various times. I love its energy, its thousand faces to explore, the two souls of Buda and Pest, so different but so intertwined.

What are Hungary and Budapest in particular like today? How are they now compared to then?

TP: I lived in Budapest mainly in the late ’90s-early 2000s, when I was also collaborating as Rome correspondent (the city where I lived at the time) for the largest Hungarian information site. They were exciting times: the wall had fallen about a decade earlier and it was a time of enthusiasm and building. The same cannot be said today. The country is broken politically; it’s not a time for large projects or investments. None of this, however, impacts those who come to this beautiful city for a visit: you will find a lively, very scenic city, where, between a visit to the Castle or the Parliament and a tour of the Jewish quarter, you’ll be spoiled for choice over where to enjoy an excellent specialty coffee, a slice of cake with a dozen layers or a great lunch in a signature bistro.

Trieste writer Claudio Magris wrote: “If modern Vienna imitates the Paris of Baron Haussmann, with its great boulevards, Budapest in turn imitates this appropriated Viennese urban planning. It is the mimesis of a mimesis”. Maybe it was true once. Today I recognise highly original features in Budapest. In my opinion, Budapest is among the most underrated cities in Europe. Do you agree? Why do you think that is?

TP: It is, although in recent years, thanks also to frequent low-cost flights, more people are coming here. Budapest is a unique city, which may have been inspired in some aspects by Vienna, but it was equally inspired by Paris. Suffice it to say that the Western Railway Station building was designed by Gustave Eiffel’s studio a century and a half ago. Its location on the banks of the majestic river Danube, with the hills and the historical area of Buda on one side, and the modern area, with its tree-lined avenues and magnificent Parliament building, make it a unique location in Europe. I don’t find the often-used description “Paris of the East”, or mimesis of Vienna, very fitting. Budapest has a location and soul all of its own, and it more than compares with other cities. Despite this, it is perhaps not yet as well-known as it should be. We could probably do better in terms of marketing and communication.

All cities built beside water see themselves reflected on its surface. What does the Danube mean to a Hungarian? And what does Lake Balaton mean to you?

TP: For all Hungarians, the Danube and Balaton are two very strong symbols, two essential elements of their country’s identity. The Danube is literally the waterway, the symbolic road that connects us to several other countries, from Germany to the Black Sea. Once the frontier of the Roman Empire, it now forms the border with Slovakia. It runs through the heart of Budapest and creates many islands, such as Margaret Island, a place for strolling, or the island in the northern part of Budapest that has hosted the famous Sziget festival every August for 25 years.
Balaton is simply the word that every Hungarian uses from birth as a synonym for holidays. Everyone has to go there at least once a year, everyone has indelible memories of summer evenings at Lake Balaton, and they use it as a haven from stress at other times of the year.

Caterer, award-winning food & beverage entrepreneur. Let’s talk about one of Hungary’s excellences: dining. I read somewhere that Hungarians even claim that there are only three authentic types of cuisine in the world: French, Chinese and Hungarian. Of course, we’re not just talking about goulash (as good as it is…).

TP: It’s true, Hungarians like to think that their cuisine is second to none. There is indeed an exceptional variety of dishes and recipes, so much so that it can be difficult even for Hungarians to orient themselves. Restaurants nowadays serve a domesticated version of this cuisine, which mainly includes meat dishes (mangalica, a Hungarian pig breed with exquisite meat, should be tried). Meals very often start with soup, which comes in infinite versions: a Hungarian is able to put together a soup using any ingredients, whether vegetables, fish or meat. We even make soups with eggs or fruit, the latter mainly in the summer, served cold. The desserts are also exquisite, both the more elaborate ones served in pastry shops and restaurants and kürtöskalács, a sweet street food served exclusively outdoors as it is cooked on a grill.

Can you recommend some places where we can pamper our taste buds?

TP: I’ll start with the pastry shops, or as the Hungarians say, the Kávéház, or coffee house. They are a symbol of the lifestyle at the time of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, when people spent entire days in these places. They were the centre of the cultural scene and the haunt of writers (some wrote exclusively in the Kávéház), artists and musicians. The most famous is perhaps the Gerbeaud, in the heart of the city, which has been serving its specialties continuously for 140 years. The Central Kávéház is also very nice, and is excellent for brunch or an aperitif. My favourite, however, is still the double hazelnut cake at Muvesz Kávéház, on the city’s most beautiful tree-lined avenue, Andrássy, which is also worth seeing.
With regard to the ruin bars, a very interesting trend that started in Budapest, the Szimpla Kert, which was the first to open, I still find the most interesting. The Gozsdu Udvar is worth seeing. More than a courtyard, it’s almost an entire neighbourhood dedicated to nightlife. DiVino, a wine bar with an excellent by-glass selection, is located right there and could be your choice for an aperitif.
Among the restaurants, in Buda I’d recommend Stand25, an informal bistro run by the most awarded Hungarian chef, Tamas Széll, whose restaurant Stand, in Pest, has two Michelin stars. Budapest is also famous for its Jewish quarter and cuisine, which you can try more informally at Köleves, or in a spectacular location such as Mazel Tov. If you want to try modern Hungarian cuisine in fine dining style, I’d recommend the Borkonyha and Textura restaurants, both in the Bazilika district.


What ingredient tells us most about Hungary? A dish that foreigners do not know but should absolutely try.

TP: Regarding ingredients, there are at least two I should mention: poppy seeds, which you’ll find in every home and are used for savoury dishes, on pasta (yes, really…), quiches and salads, and also as a base or condiment for numerous desserts. The other ingredient is, as I said, mangalica, a very particular breed of native pork, with thick, curly fur, which has very tasty meat.
The dish I’d recommend, although it’s almost impossible to find in a restaurant, is “rakott krumpli”, a potato, egg, spicy sausage and sour cream hash. You could eat a whole panful! Fun fact: a few years ago in Milan, I cooked it for the food critic Allan Bay, who then included it in his book, with lots of photos.

You’re a sommelier. Hungary also has wine. Do you ever feature Hungarian wines in your menus? Can you describe the Hungarian approach to wine?

TP: Wine culture in Hungary is very deeply rooted. In the wine-growing areas, everyone has a vineyard. My grandfather also had one. The most famous Hungarian wine, Tokaj, comes from the area with the oldest denomination of origin in the world. Its cru classification predates even than that of Bordeaux.
There is excellent wine production in Hungary today, both white (especially the olaszrizling cultivar) and red (I recommend trying kadarka and kékfrankos), but the sparkling wines are also excellent and, of course, the famous Tokaji Aszú.

Do you have a favourite place in Budapest?

TP: Of course, one of the places that symbolise Budapest, namely the thermal baths. I love them all. It’s a tradition that began in the 16th century, during the Ottoman era, and some spas (such as the Kiraly) actually date back to that period. The Szechenyi is also very interesting, with its year-round outdoor bathtubs and truly spectacular Art Deco building.
A district I particularly like is the one known as Viziváros (literally, water city), losing yourself in its alleyways, so central and yet so scarcely frequented, is an experience.

Hungary is not just Budapest. Would you recommend a few places to see outside of the capital?

TP: A pretty town just outside Budapest, which you can visit in half a day, is Szentendre. It’s a real treat and a favourite residence of many Hungarian artists.
In late spring and summer, of course, there’s Lake Balaton, mainly the north shore, which is more hilly and has a wonderful national park as well as several of the best wine-growing areas. A few kilometres from the lake, in a north-westerly direction, there is Heviz, the largest thermal bathing lake in Europe, where you can bathe outdoors all year round, but the most enjoyable period is from April to October.
If you having a little more time and are interested in visiting a wine-growing area, I would recommend Tokaj, which has many scenic views as well as very good restaurants and wineries.