Burgers and Dogs in Városliget

Pántlika is a temporary old school summer wonder nicely tucked away in a not very busy corner of Városliget, offering a wide array of magnificent burgers. And it seems to be an efficient dog magnet too.

360 degrees of Budapest

Last year they tried to plant a fancy bar atop the Párizsi store, but it’s success was moderate -and that’s if we’re being moderate ourselves when it comes to the assessment. This year a similar horror should be planted on the infuriatingly smelling Il Bacio di Stile- though I wonder who will be able to enjoy the cool Budapest nights through the fumes of cheap patchouli and when will someone realize that a fancy store should not smell like a roadside restroom.

The good news in all this is that, encouraged by the popularity of Tip Top Bar, the new spot which opened on the terrace of Párizsi, 360 bar, is laid back and thoroughly enjoyable- though, of course, it might get considerably more crowded once the weather settles into summer sunshine. For those fearing the climb to Tip Top, 360 has a a lift, and once up, you can enjoy the view and a delightful cup of coffee.

Party with the Potatoes: Gorillaz Sound System @ Budapest Essentials Urban Festival

There was a bit of apprehension on people’s faces as they walked onto the main aisle of the Great Market Hall on Saturday evening, and quite a lot of it on the faces of the few grocers who had their stands open throughout the Gorillaz Sound System DJ set. So technically it was more than possible to purchase your lettuce and turnips and then join the party- the resident Brits went for some tomatoes, which they mercifully consumed on the spot and did not use to express dissatisfaction with whatever was happening onstage.

For the idea of the show in the Market Hall was genuinely innovative, but the final result fell a bit flat, as Gorrillaz Sound System did not particularly deliver whatever was expected of them. There were some thumping beats and a light show, but not enough monkey business to make it truly special. 

One could not help but imagine that Damon Albarn crooning away at a piano behind the carrots would have been more entertaining, which is of course normal, since he is more entertaining than your average mortal by default. And the feathered headdress of the main DJ would have been oh-so amazing on Jarvis Cocker lazily cruising down the aisles in a shopping cart- now that is something to be planned for next year in some downtown supermarket.

George Ezra @ Budapest Essentials Urban Festival

So this is what happens to you when you sit in Bristol and decide to write a song about a random European city, ostensibly because it sounds good. Well yes, Budapest does sound good.And luckily so does the song, therefore the people of the city immediately take to you as an unsung hero of their hometown, to which you've never been to. 

The above scenario made George Ezra hurtle in a train (why not?) over much of the continent, to end up in Budapest's Hello Baby, out of all places. The decision to have him play in that location might be questionable and he does sound a bit raw still, but there is much promise in young George, and the already scheduled November date in Akvárium should prove more suitable to both his style and his fans. 

Of course the idea of the Budapest Essentials Urban festival (to which he was invited as an alternative to a Sziget show, as, quite inexplicably, he is unavailable in August)is to make surprising mixes- such as indie youngster with guitar in fancy club. With screaming Dutch scenesters. Right, that actually does sound a bit like Sziget all over, so, maybe in the end all the pieces of the puzzle will fall into place.

Flowers from Hunyadi Market

May Ramblings

The Praguest City that is not Prague

I remember the first days when Czech import beers started trickling into Hungary- a friend of a friend told us they would be having an event  at the Czech Centre where they might be having beers other than Pilsner Urquell. This propelled us into a frenzy, as little did we know that in a few years’ time Budapest would become pretty much the praguest city that is not Prague.

These days there is a Czech beer joint at every second corner in the central quarters, with a mindbending range of awesome (and cheap- that’s a hint to you, Belgians) beers, usually accompanied by some hearthy Central European food.  

Jaromir is the one closest to where I live, resulting in the natural fact that I’ve never been there. I have however successfully navigated my way to their summer  garden, which is tucked away in the back yard of one of my university’s dorms on Ajtósi Dürer sor, right across the Városliget.  The place has that old school charm that many establishments in the area, such as Pántlika and Kertem, tend to have: good food and drinks, friendly and laid back atmosphere and not so many loud tourists gurgling local beer.