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March 5, 2008 Hungarian food flavors her life and work |
 | October 25, 2006 Out on The Town - The Epicurean Hungarian |
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| October 20, 2006 Time Out - Hungry for Hungarian? |
 | July 22, 2006 Chicagói Krónika |
 | July 7, 2006 Weekend - Epicurean Delight |
Hungarian food flavors her life and work
March 5, 2008
By Leah A. Zeldes
After Alina Bosze emigrated to Chicago, she fell in love with a brand-new culture and cuisine.
Not the ethos of her newly adopted nation -- but that of a country much closer to her native Poland -- Hungary.
While working at a Polish bakery on Chicago's Northwest Side, she met the owner of the Hungarian restaurant next door when he came in to buy bread.
It wasn't only Hungarian food she fell in love with. Within a few years, she was not only the pastry chef at Paprikash, but also the wife of its owner.
Tamas Bosze opened Paprikash restaurant in 1995, and for many years it was Chicago's only Hungarian restaurant. He sold the Chicago eatery in 2004 (the new owners relocated to Arlington Heights) and the next year the Boszes opened The Epicurean, a Hungarian restaurant in Hillside, where Alina Bosze, 30, is head chef.
How did you become a chef? My grandmother was a chef in white-tablecloth restaurants. During the war, she was cooking for German officers. Since I was 14, I was doing the cooking with her. I come from a very small town, that's where I grew up with my grandma. We had our own chickens. We made our own sausage.
I didn't start out to be a chef. I went to engineering school. Seven years ago, I came to the U.S. I was visiting my friends from college. My friend invited me and I was traveling here for six months. Six months is a long time for just traveling, so I found the job in the bakery.
What made you stay in Chicago? Tom, he introduced me to Paprikash. And I really fell in love with everything Hungarian. I was spending all my time there. I was learning to speak Hungarian.
When we opened this restaurant, my mother asked, "Why don't you have Polish food, too," but I said, "No, I want to have only Hungarian." No one else is promoting the beauty of Hungarian cuisine and culture. We are promoting not only food.
What are the differences between Polish and Hungarian cooking? It's not too different. The taste of Polish cuisine is more mild. The Hungarian cuisine is spicier. In Hungarian food, there are more vegetables. Hungarian cuisine is the art of the vegetables with the meat. I've learned a lot about paprika. I was surprised that people were saying Hungarian food was heavy food. I know that the grandma-style was using lard, but we don't cook that way.
What's your style in the kitchen? I'm very easy to work with. I have four cooks under me. I'm trying to build a team in the family style. They know when I'm happy, when I'm sad. I try to tell them, "This is what I know, but if you know something better, I'm happy to learn." What do you like to cook most? I real like to do goulash. It's really very important to me. It has to taste perfect. I also like to do the pastries. We have a huge oven, a five-level pizza oven, so I bake my own bread. I make the Dobosh torte.
I like to do new things, too. 
What do you enjoy in your spare time? I don't have much time. This is our baby. We think about this place like our own home. Most of our time, we're spending together.
I really like to watch old movies. And I definitely like classical music. And country music. One of the things I like about coming to the United States, they have really nice country music. I really like gypsy music, too. We have gypsy music at the restaurant on Friday nights and Sunday brunch.
Were there things you found hard to get used to in the U.S.? No, not much. I was a young person, so it was something new. I really like to learn new things. I was surprised that everyone in the United States is always working, working, working. In the old movies, it seems like you spend all your time drinking margaritas. But everybody's working hard. Life in America is about work.
Tell us about this dish. Csirkepaprikas or Chicken Paprikash. Chicken paprikash enjoys fame in both average homes and top Hungarian restaurants. At The Epicurean, it is served over steaming nokedli (small dumplings).
Enjoy this at home or at The Epicurean, 4431 W. Roosevelt Road, Hillside, (708) 449-1000, www.thehungarianrestaurant.com.
Csirkepaprikas -- Chicken Paprikash
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 small onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 pounds chicken breast, cut into serving pieces
2 pounds chicken thighs, cut into serving pieces
2 small tomatoes, finely chopped
3 red peppers, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
3 Hungarian white peppers, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
½ tablespoon hot Hungarian paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup sour cream
½ cup whipping cream (preferably heavy whipping cream, 40 percent butterfat)
2 tablespoons flour
Heat the oil in skillet over moderate heat, add the onions, and cook and stir for 10 minutes, until they turn a golden color. Add the tomatoes, and cook and stir for 5 minutes more. Add the red and white peppers; cook and stir for another 20 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, and add the chicken. Season with the salt, black pepper and hot and sweet paprikas. Cover and cook 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Mix the sour cream, heavy cream and flour together in the small bowl and pour into the chicken. Heat until steaming.
Serve the chicken paprikas with egg noodles and steamed vegetables.
Serves six.
Chef Alina Bosze, The Epicurean, Hillside
Out on The Town - The Epicurean Hungarian
October 25, 2006
The west suburban-based Epicurean Hungarian showcases delicious western European foods prepared in the traditional style with an American flare.
This relatively new addition to Hillside is the venture of husband and wife business partners Tomas and Alina Bosze. As previous owners of the popular Chicago-based eatery Paprikas, they hope to put their newest suburban location on the map as the next stop in destination dining. By bringing many of the most popular dishes with them and developing new menu choices this traditional restaurant is abundant with delicious meal options.
"The biggest difference in Hungarian cooking is that everything is cooked in its own juice." explained Tomas. ``And also the use of paprika."
Imported Hungarian paprika is used tor both flavor and color and with six levels to try from sweet to hot there is definitely a paprika for everyone.
Starting meals with a farmers platter, a combination of sausages and cheeses, is a way of life in many countries. All the sausages at The Epicurean Hungarian, except for the smoked varieties, are made on site and the finest yellow cheeses are imported to capture the flavors not found in American yellow cheese.
Another excellent appetizer selection is the Hortobagyi or savory style crepes. The thin pancakes are filled with a chicken or veal paprikas then topped with mushroom sauce and garnished with caramelized cabbage. The traditional Hungarian dish paprikas is a prepared by braising the paprika seasoned white meats, chicken or veal, and then combining the meats with sour cream to finish the dish.
Salad choices include, red cabbage salad, marinated beet salad, a fresh garden salad, a mixed vegetable salad and the most popular cucumber salad. The cucumber salad is prepared by thinly slicing the vegetable which is marinated in a vinaigrette. The dish is presented just as it would be in Hungary, the sour cream is served on the side, allowing guests desiring a lighter version to skip the sour cream or the indulgent can add a dollop to their salad.
Velvety mushroom, robust beef vegetable, chicken noodle and the traditional fish soup are prepared in house. Many of the entree items are served with a cup of soup or salad. A definite must is a side dish of the langos or garlic bread. This tasty bread is served in triangle shaped wedges and seasoned with just the right amount of garlic. 
Possibly, the most famous Hungarian dish adapted to American life is goulash However, traditional Hungarian goulash is served as a soup. American goulash, a stew-like dish, is a actually what the Hungarians call porkolt. At the Epicurean Hungarian, they offer both the soup version and the stew.
The scrumptious beef (American-style) goulash at the Epicurean Hungarian is prepared with chunks offender seasoned beef stewed in a mild paprika sauce. The dish is served with Hungarian potatoes, a creamy potato pancake and sauteed zucchini. The menu also has a pork goulash and a classic tripe goulash.
Other traditional dishes on the menu are stuffed cabbage, roasted lamb shanks, roasted duck and Mosoni pork chops which are prepared by topping fried pork chops with ham, and mushrooms then covering them with a melted smoke cheese. There is chicken and veal cordon blue, rib eye and fillet mignon steaks. Fish selections on the that menu include salmon and catfish. One of the most requested dishes is the schnitzel.
The Weiner schnitzel is superbly prepared by lightly breading a cutlet of veal and then pan frying to a light golden brown crust topped with lemon wedges and then accompanied with potato pancakes. Schnitzel can also be prepared with pork or chicken fillets.
Alina Bosze, the baker in the family, creates delightful dessert dishes. Crepes are filled with a choice of smooth walnut puree, sweet cottage cheese, strawberry or apricot preserves and then glazed with a chocolate sauce.
The Somoloi cake or sponge cake is vanilla, chocolate and walnut cake layered with vanilla cream, ground walnuts and raisins then soaked in a combination of rum, triple- sec and kahlua and finished with marvelous fresh whipped cream. This dessert is a sensational combination of sugary, creamy ingredients.
The Bosze's have decorated the Hillside eatery with large scale photos of historic Budapest, original Hungarian oil painting and handcrafted folk art creating a very warm and inviting atmosphere. The full bar area in the front of the space offers a great space for conversation. The bar also features a well rounded selection of Hungarian wines, including several excellent Hungarian pinot gris. And not to be missed is traditional Hungarian dessert wine, Tokaji.
The restaurant offers a lunch buffet where you can sample many of the famously classic dishes. There is ample room for private parties in the 250 seat venue which is nicely separated into three sections.
The Epicurean Hungarian is located at 4431 W. Roosevelt Road, Hillside. The Epicurean Hungarian is open 11 a.m. to 1I p.m., daily. For more infor�mation call (708)449-1000 or visit the web at www. TheHungarianRestaurant.com.
Time Out - Hungry for Hungarian?
October 20, 2006
By Leah A. Zeldes
Full of rich and piquant flavors drawn from eastern and western Europe, the food of Hungary is one of the world's great cuisines.
Unfortunately, Hungarian restaurants aren't thick on the
grounds in these parts. In fact, the Chicago area has only two.
But that's twice as many as we had a year ago. For many years, local fans of Hungarian cuisine had but one choice: the cramped Paprikash on Chicago's Northwest Side. Opened as a tavern in 1995 by Tam�s Bosze, Paprikash eventually expanded to a full menu of home-style Hungarian fare without expanding its space. Bosze sold this spot a couple of years ago and the new owners opened a second restaurant in Arlington Heights last spring but closed the original.
Meanwhile, Bosze has opened The Epicurean in Hillside, a much worthier setting for fine food than his last place. Named in homage of a legendary Hungarian eatery once located on Chicago's South Wabash Avenue, this spacious and attractive restaurant boasts walls paneled in rustic dark wood and hung with folk art and large photos of Hungarian scenes.
The food is even better, ranging from hearty, paprika-seasoned stews and sausages to more elegant entrees and delicate desserts.
A nice basket of hearty bread, baked in-house, starts your meal. Several starter choices go well with that, such as the paraszttal for two, a farmer's platter of sliced Hungarian salami, sausage and ham, served with cheese spread, peppers and onions. The chunky, salty and addictive cheese spread, korozott, laced with onion and paprika, can also be ordered on its own, served mounded on a plate with a garnish of cut lettuce, red and green bell pepper sticks, and red and green onion.
It takes a bit of time to get the csevapcsicsa, but the made-to order, grilled fresh sausages, served four to an order, are worth the wait. Don't mess up the subtle garlic flavor of these plump, juicy 2-inch skinless sausages � more like small, oblong meat patties � with a heavy application of the accompanying mustard or horseradish; their seasoning is delicate. They come on a bed of lettuce with colorful slivers of red and green bell pepper, red onion and piquant, lightly pickled red cabbage.
Alongside, you might want a small bowl of the brilliant scarlet ceklasalata, a delicious relish of finely chopped beets and onion, nicely spiked with dill.
Your choice of soup or salad accompanies most entrees, and several soups figure on the menu. A generous amount of paprika seasons the zesty bogracs gulyas, a hearty beef broth laden with chunks of tender beef, carrots, potato and celery. The flavorful orange spice also lightly tints the gombaleves, milky mushroom and vegetable soup.
Mitteleuropean entree classics include several kinds of schnitzel, sauteed calf's liver, roast duck and stuffed cabbage. The menu claims that the suit baranycomb, or braised lamb shank, comes from a Transylvanian recipe. And while plenty of ribsticking trenchermen's selections appear on the menu � like a country platter of Hungarian sausage, liver sausage, pan-fried pork shoulder and roasted potatoes � you can also find more refined choices such as poached salmon and veal cordon bleu.
The borjupaprikas, or veal paprikash, combines fork-tender chunks of veal with sauteed mushrooms in a richly complex paprika cream. The galuska � spatzle-like dumplings � served with it taste fairly bland alone but provide a perfect medium for sopping up the heavenly sauce.
Several styles of goulash appear throughout the menu, including varieties made from pork and from beef tripe. Don't miss the option under "House Specialties" called placki ziemi-aczne po wegiersku, which pairs the intensely flavorful beef goulash, full of tender morsels of meat, with two large, crisp and beautiful potato pancakes, as well as a garnish of pickled red cabbage.
The Epicurean also offers a few options for vegetarians, such as potato pancakes served with sauteed peppers and onions and egg noodles with shredded cabbage.
Although the entree portions are ample and well-garnished, you can supplement from a list of 10 sides such as tarhonya, shredded egg noodles, and puliszka, Hungarian polenta, with farmer's cheese or sauteed onions.
A long list of desserts, all made in-house, offers several types of palacsinta, or crepes, and such Hungarian classics as Dobos torta and chestnut puree with rum. A lighter choice, the walnut gateau, layers an airy, nutty sponge cake, lightly infused with rum, with walnut buttercream. Somloi galuska takes this a step further, adding vanilla and chocolate sponge cakes, raisins, ground nuts and lashings of triple-sec and kahlua, plus chocolate sauce and fresh whipped cream.
At lunch. The Epicurean serves an all-you-can-eat buffet, a groaning board of soups, salads, chicken paprikash, goulash, stuffed cabbage, egg noodles, Hungarian boiled potatoes and more, for $8.95.
A large bar offers a variety of cocktail choices and a wine list with many rarely seen Hungarian options, including many of the famed tokaji dessert wines. The bar also displays a huge flatscreen TV, one of the few downsides of The Epicurean experience, since it can be heard in the dining room, broadcasting pundits from FOX-TV.
� Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. Our aim is to describe the overall dining experience while guiding the reader toward the menu's strengths. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
Chicagói Krónika
July 22, 2006
By Harmath István
A Chicago Sun-Times július 7-én megjelent számában, Pat Brúnó a lap vendéglőkritikusa két oldalon, képes riportban mutatta be az Epicureant olvasóinak, amellyel, megfizethetetlen publicitást adott a tavalyi év végén nyílt vendéglőnek. A kiváló kritikus már a beszámolója elején megjegyzi, hogy bizony nagy bátorságra vall Bősze Tamás és Alina 
tulajdonosoktól Epicureannek nevezni a vendéglőt, hiszen maga a görög eredetű szó, ínyencet jelent. A fura nevű étterem elnevezésének is van története, amelyhez e sorok írójának is volt néminemű szerepe. Az történt ugyanis, hogy Bősze Tamásék, miután 2004-ben eladták a városban lévő Paprikásht, új hely után kezdtek nézni. Végül Hillside-ban, a Roosevelt Road-on, nem messze a US 294-es országúttól találtak egy megfelelőnek látszó működő éttermet, amelyhez hatalmas parkoló is tartozott. Az épület megfelelt, amint a helyszín is, a várostól nyugatra lévő. könnyen megközelíthető peremvárosban. Már csak a név hiányzott a teljes boldogsághoz, ezen vívódott a tulajdonos házaspár, amikor eszembe jutott, hogy a 60 - 70-es években, Chicago belvárosában működött már egy Epicurean Restaurant a Wabash Streeten, a Balbo közelében. Akkoriban ez volt az egyetlen sikeres magyar restaurant a városban, amelyet néhai Szathmáry Lajos barátom, a később világhíressé vált The Bakery vendéglője követett. Az Epicureant ajánlottam Bősze Tamáséknak, akiknek a név lassan megtetszett, mondhatnám rájuk nőtt, és amikor a vendéglő tavaly kaput nyitott, már The Epicurean Hungarian Restaurant nevet viselte.
Ha most azt mondanám, hogy az étterem a megnyitása után rögtön sikeres lett, akkor nem mondanák igazat. Azt viszont elmondhatom, hogy viszonylag gyorsan fejlődött magyar és amerikai körökben egyaránt. 
Ez kezdetben a jó megközelítés és a kényelmes parkolás számlájára volt írható. A tulajdonosok, komolyra vették a „gazda szeme hizlalja a disznót" magyar mondást, ezért a hét minden napján jelen vannak az éttermükben. Az érkezőket mosolyogva fogadják, és jelenlétükkel biztosítják azt a miliőt, amiért az emberek vendégként érzik magukat náluk.
Nagyon fontos ez a hozzáállás a vendéglős szakmában, mert így a tulaj ott van akkor, amikor dicsérik és akkor is, amikor kritizálják az ételt vagy a kiszolgálást. 
Bősze Tamás 1976-ban nyitotta az első kisvendéglőjét Chicagóban, a Clark és a Devon utcák kereszteződésénél. A helyiség az EMKE nevet viselte, amely nem hasonlított az egykoron Budapesten működő hírneves éttermi mulatóhoz. A kisvendéglő helyett nyugodtan írhattam volna kocsmát, vagy bárt, de miután az EMKÉ-ben egy időben főztek is, ezért a polgáribb kifejezést használtam. A tulaj nemsokára túladott az EMKÉ-n, és lassanként több bárt vásárolt és vezetett a város északi oldalán.
Chicagóban mindenütt a parkolás volt a probléma, amely a Hillside-on, az Epicurean körül nagyszerűen megoldódott. A vendéglő előzőleg a Leona étteremhálózathoz tartozott, és az eredeti berendezésen az új tulajdonosok eddig csak keveset változtattak. A bejáratánál jobbra tágas, jól felszerelt bár várja a vendégeket, de legtöbbször rögtön találnak helyet az embernek. Az asztalokon fehér és piros térítők, a magyaros vázákban friss virággal várják a vendégeket. Azok, akik délben érkeznek, bőséges választékot találnak a büféasztalon, ahol $8.95-ért annyit ehet a kedves vendég, amennyit csak akar. Kezdetnek frissen sült lángos található szeletekre vágva, hozzá tejföl vagy foghagyma, majd kétféle leves. Az egyik alkalommal gulyásleves, máskor a tyúkleves mellé kiváló tejfölös gombaleves volt az ajánlat. Ez a fajta gombaleves Petik András ifjú szakács invenciója volt. aki 1998-ban dolgozott a Paprikáshhan. A büféasztalon többféle saláta: cékla, piros káposzta, tejfölös uborka és csalamádé, majd a főételek következnek. Paprikás csirke nokedlival, marhapörkölt, rántott csirkemell, valamit rántott csirke szárny, többféle köret, továbbá lecsó, paradicsomos káposzta, végül pedig kávé. Ez volt a büféasztalon, amikor mi vizitáltunk, a kínálat naponta változik, de nyugodtan elmondhatom, hogy a vendég mindennap finom és bőséges ebédet kap a pénzéért.
Külön figyelmet érdemel a magyar konyha sokaig titkolt különlegessége, a főzelék, ez alkalommal az ajájilat a paradicsomos káposzta volt. Máskor lehet tökfőzelék, spenót vagy éppen sóskafőzelék. Itt azonban az Epicurean konyhájának el kell határoznia, hogy a magyar kuncsaft a fontos, vagy pedig az amerikai. Az amerikaiak ugyanis enyhén párolva eszik a zöldséget. A magyarok ugyanakkor sokszor péppé főzik a főzeléket, így a zöldség elveszti a finom ízét, és egyben megölik a benne rejlő vitaminokat is. Magyarországon, legtöbb helyen így készül a főzelék, sőt, ráadásul még elég vastagon behabarják. Szathmáry Lajos barátom szerint, a főzelékben a zöldséget harapni kell, úgy őrzi meg a jellegzetes ízét és értékeit. A The Bakery című szakácskönyvében található a Sweet-Sour Red Cabbage recept, amely tökéletesen elkészítve, az egyik legfinomabb zöldségféleség, amit valaha ettem életemben. A paradicsomos káposzta ez alkalommal nagyon finom volt, csak túl volt főzve, pontosan a magyar szájíz szerint.
Az. Epicureant azonban nem a büfé miatt kedvelik majd a vendégek, hanem a vacsora választékok miatt. A Chicago Sun-Times kritikusának a Disznótoros ajánlat tetszett a legjobban, valamint a kényes ínyencfalat, a Bécsi szelet, amelyet manapság kevés helyen készítenek tökéletesen. Ezt a tüneményes ételt lehet jól, vagy rosszul készíteni. Legtöbb helyen az úgynevezett „deep fried" metódussal készítik, s az olajban előtte halat, vagy csirkét, disznóhúst vagy éppen padlizsánt rántottak, mire az általunk megrendelt Bécsi következett. Csoda, hogy elmegy az ember kedve a rántott szeletektől, akár a Kentucky Fried Chickenbe is mehetnénk étkezni. Az Epicurean szakácsa az un. „pan fried", a serpenyőben rántott metódust alkalmazza, természetesen más az íze, más az illata és más a színe is, mint a másfajta módon készült rántott húsnak. Jómagam a rántott karajt szeretem legjobban, benne a csonttal, úgy ahogy édesanyám készítette annakidején, a vasárnapi ebédre. Az Epcureanben is így készítik, és akkor sem szólnak rám, amikor a csontot kézben fogva, cuppogva lerágom.
Őszre új menü készül, s azon többek között az Erdélyi konyha híres specialitása, a Fatányéros is helyet kap, a többi magyaros ételkülönlegesség mellett. Persze nem kell őszig várni, az Epicurean étlapján jelenleg is kiváló magyaros fogások találhatók. Az ízlésesen teritett asztalok láttán talán megijed a vendég, de kellemesen fog csalódni, nem ürül ki a pénztárcája a vacsora végén. A beszámoló végére értem, mindezek után azt tudom ajánlani a kedves olvasóknak, látogassanak el az új Epicurean Hungarian Restaurantba, vigyék el amerikai barátaikat is. Nem fogják megbánni.
July 7, 2006
By Pat Bruno
You can count the number of Hungarian restaurants in the Chicago area on two fingers. One is relatively new -- Epicurean Hungarian Restaurant in Hillside (it opened earlier this year). The other -- Paprikash on West Diversey -- has been around for a while.
I happen to enjoy the simple goodness of Hungarian food, so I took a couple of trips to Hillside to find out how Epicurean Hungarian is making out. If customers' filling up the place tells the story, then the story is that Epicurean Hungarian is a very good read.
It's a bold move to use the word "Epicurean" as part of the name, but confidence is part of the game in the restaurant business. And it turns out that owners Arelena and Tamas Bosze are not just tooting their horn with the name, they are backing it up with the bravado of a brass band. The food here is very good, it is authentic and it is relatively inexpensive. Who could ask for anything more?
Not to oversell the deal, but when you do the lunch buffet prep walk and take in the wealth of choices, you just know that the plate you are holding isn't going to be big enough by a long shot. A plate the size of a manhole cover is what you need. Ah, but you can make a couple of trips, pace yourself and do a real number on the likes of two soups, several salads, chicken paprikas, gypsy beef, beef goulash, pork goulash, schnitzel, cabbage in tomato sauce, homemade egg noodles, Hungarian boiled potatoes, beets, potato pancakes, and a torte or two (I am sure I left something out) -- you get the idea. And it's all-you-can-eat, for $8.95.
Not everything on the buffet was terrific (the potato pancakes were a bit on the gummy side). And, as a friend pointed out, a little more zing in the chicken paprikas would help (but he also noted that the chicken was all white meat). On the other hand, I could have made a meal on the Hungarian garlic bread and the delicious beef and vegetable soup alone. And there was a definitive spiciness connected to the gypsy beef, and enjoyment in every bite of the pork goulash too. Not every buffet bats a thousand, but Epicurean Hungarian's spread came close. (If you are anti-buffet, you can order from the lunch menu, which does offer a number of Hungarian specialties that are not part of the buffet.)
But it is time to move on to dinner. Obviously there are carryovers onto the dinner menu from the buffet spread and the lunch menu; no cuisine is deep enough to avoid dishes in duplicate. Nevertheless, I did manage to single out a few that I had my eye on (I always ask to see a dinner menu when I am having lunch).
The quest for the perfect wiener schnitzel goes on. Epicurean Hungarian almost had me with its rendition of this great dish. I am working on a story called "The Greatest Dishes in the History of Food -- Up Until Now." Wiener schnitzel is already on the list. What I liked about the Epicurean Hungarian's wiener schnitzel was that it was lightly breaded, so there was balance between the veal and the coating. And there was a pleasing crispiness to the breading. Interestingly enough, one half of the veal cutlet was excellent, and one half was so-so. I am not sure how that happened. However, overall, if you are a fan of wiener schnitzel, you won't find much better (the problem these days is finding restaurants that even do schnitzel). The schnitzel comes with boiled potatoes and spinach and both were fine (hard to screw up either of those).
OK, you are really hungry and you want real food, hearty food, a dish that will hammer those hunger pangs into submission. May I suggest a dish called "Disznotoros"? I have no idea what the translation of that word is, but if it were "tons of food," I wouldn't be surprised. Spicy Hungarian sausage, liver sausage and hunks of pan-fried boneless pork shoulder mixed it up with a rubble of oven-roasted potatoes. If that weren't enough, soup or salad is included in the price (just $15.95).
Calve's liver can be found on the menu at Epicurean Hungarian, and it was quite a slab of good eating. Sauteed with onions, of course, and served quite beautifully with boiled potatoes and puliszka (polenta with farmer's cheese).
Desserts. Palacsinta. It's been a while since I have seen that word, which is Hungarian for "crepes." Epicurean Hungarian offers crepes in three guises: stuffed with cheese, or apricot or strawberry preserves; stuffed with walnut cream with raisins and topped with chocolate sauce, and a bombastic crepe affair that essentially includes all of the above. I like a simple approach to crepes, so I chose apricot preserves. One thing I know, Hungarian restaurants really know how to do crepes, and Epicurean Hungarian did it right, two light and silky crepes to an order, with pleasure written all over them. And the low price of four bucks is easy to digest, too.
Other dessert choices include a layered sponge cake affair (that was part of the lunch buffet), and a Dobostorte of a sort, which implies seven layers. I did not count the layers, but it was on the dry side.
Pat Bruno is a free-lance writer, critic and author. E-mail brunoeats@aol.com