"A decade or more ago I often walked through the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest before it was restored. Stepping through the side doors on Mérleg utca and walking through the building was a kind of time travel, back to Budapest before the Second World War. The crumbling architecture, the rusted ironwork and the gloomy passageways were all still vivid, if dilapidated, reminders of the building's glory days as the very centre of glamorous 1930s Budapest.The Gresham Palace once hosted a finishing school for young ladies of good background, where they would learn high-society etiquette and how to make polite conversation in at least three languages. During the war it was even rumored that its cloakroom was run by a British secret agent, which is quite possible, as wartime Budapest was crowded with spies from virtually every nation in Europe.
Restoring this magnificent building demanded a tricky balancing act from the Four Seasons hotel chain: between renovating its unique architectural heritage and maintaining its historic atmosphere. I think they have succeeded magnificently.
The Gresham Palace is one of the city’s landmarks, and every time I see the building I give thanks that it has not been turned into another Austrian bank or German insurance company, but the art nouveau palace remains an organic part of Budapest’s city-scape, complete with public space in the Kávéház and the more upmarket Páva restaurant, reckoned by many to be the best restaurant in town.
The Páva is a little too formal for my taste, but when the hotel first opened I would occasionally splurge on lunch or dinner in the Kávéház, and enjoyed its stylish atmosphere and excellent cuisine. However, over the last couple of years the prices have risen dramatically.
On one recent visit, four coffees, several cakes and a soft drink came to around Ft10,000, which, even taking into account the Four Seasons’ famed service, seemed excessive. So I was pleased to see that the Kávéház now offers a business lunch of two courses for Ft5,900 per head, which includes a soft drink or coffee, between noon and 3pm. Dishes can be chosen from the main menu, the Magyar Ízek (Hungarian specials) or the seasonal mushroom menu.
Mrs Ferrari opened with a light but tartly satisfying goat cheese starter, while I opted for the seared Foie Gras, which was masterful, the richness of the goose liver deftly contrasting with the Tokaji dressing.
Other starter possibilities include Hortobágyi palacsinta, a trio of Foie Gras served with various fruits and jams, and a plate of mixed Hungarian appetizers, including a good selection of salamis, kolbasz, Mangalica ham and goose crackling.
From there, Mrs F moved onto a tasty, flaky cod fillet garnished with tomatoes. I had recently been invited to a tasting dinner at the hotel, to introduce its new Magyar Ízek menu. I am usually a fan of fogas (pike-perch), but was disappointed in the new offering of fogas in a cabbage parcel with porcine mushroom sauce. The mushrooms overpowered the delicate taste of the fish and the creamy sauce did not, for my taste, harmonize with the cabbage.
Excellent
This time I opted for duck with garlic roast potatoes and caramelized plums. Both main courses were excellent: beautifully presented and very balanced dishes, that could be enjoyed to full without feeling overfull.
The only fault was, strangely enough, with the service, which was faultlessly polite but slow. We had to wait at least 15 minutes for our starters, which is unacceptable, especially when eating a business lunch. However, the difference at the Four Seasons is that the waiter apologized and offered us a free dessert on the house: a delicious, creamy tiramisu. The business lunch at the Gresham Palace, is, as they say in London, the business."
Kávéház
Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest, Roosevelt tér 5-6, Pest District V.
Tel: 268 6000
Atmosphere: ****
Quality of food: *****
Service: ****
Value for money: ****
Source: Budapest Sun
28.09.2008