Food Blog of the Month: Mrs. Timian // Bistro Budapest

Article taken from: Food Bloggers of the Month, Mrs. Thyme

There's a flurry of activity inside Bistro Budapest when we arrive on a typical morning. The Hungarian bistro has just rolled a 5 and a ton of praise in VG, and it's noticeable in the traffic!

Bistro Budapest opened in November and is thus one of the newcomers to Mathallen. “We have been received really well,” says one of the place's two owners, Morten Estensmo.

– Since 2011, we have been making and selling modern and urban Hungarian food at various markets. We have been to many festivals and Christmas markets and have thus gained a lot of good expertise in what sells and how we could best build and run a Hungarian bistro here in Mathallen. Because we wanted to be here in Mathallen! It is super urban and modern here, the customers who come here are interested in new trends, street food and comfort food, and they like to have fun.

The food served at Bistro Budapest is not just traditional Hungarian home cooking. Goulash soup is of course there. There is also room for our own twists on Hungarian. – The taste should be genuine, says Estensmo. You should really recognize the Hungarian. But, at the same time, we want it to have a modern touch. That we should serve food that is deliciously presented.

In addition to good meat dishes, both vegetarian and vegan dishes are served at Bistro Budapest. “If we want to attract an urban audience, we also have to follow food trends,” says Estensmo. And then we think it is important to be able to serve really good food to everyone.

– Here we have good dishes with properly slow-roasted meat, served quickly, and for those with a little more time, we are happy to serve full menus that take guests on a culinary journey through Hungary, both in terms of food and wine.

– Something that has also been a hit is langos, which is the ultimate Hungarian street food! Langos are deliciously fried, hot and crispy potato bread that we serve with various toppings, such as confit beef, pulled pork, cheese, sour cream and garlic.

What are your favorites on the menu?

– Goulash and duck liver pâté are my favorites, says Estensmo.

What does it do to a restaurant to get such good reviews?

– It's great fun to get such good feedback on the work we do, answers Estensmo. We feel we have been working slowly but surely forward since we started with the market-based serving in 2011, so we have matured the market for Hungarian food in Norway. It also commits us when we receive this feedback. And of course we hope that it means that customers will continue to flock to Bistro Budapest. Both on weekends, but also on weekdays. It is important for us, so that we can secure operations in the future as well.

The photographer and I each order our own dish. I go for beef stew, which is tender beef cooked in red wine served with “nokedli,” which are Hungarian pasta pieces. The photographer happily slurps down a bowl of creamy mushroom soup.

– Mrs. Thyme