Gastro experiences at the weekend - 1. station: Shalimar Restaurant

My long weekend was very stirring but supergood, I'm full of gastro and cultural experiences. As I mentioned before my mum came to Budapest to spend the long weekend with me. Since the day of my moving nears, it seems, this was our last weekend together therefore we decided that we visit every place what we want to see, visit, try for years or rather we go to those restaurants what we were talking about for donkey's years but haven't tried together yet.

1. station: Shalimar

That's the way how we finally got to Budapest's best and oldest Indian restaurant, the Shalimar last Friday. I was here for the first time last year, after we returned from India. Since I have benchmark between the real and "Hungarian" Indian restaurants, I can state surely that the Shalimar is the best Indian resturant in Budapest nowadays.

If you want to taste numerous food for friendly price, I can highly recommend the restaurant's business lunch on working days between 12 and 16. I know that not everyone can settle to have one hour lunch time but if you once got here during lunch time, you will be satisfied sure enough.

Traditionally the lunch menu is served as thali. They serve the 3 different kind of main dishes on a big metal tray in small metal pots, plus a raita (yoghurt salad), a dessert. Besides these you can find rice and naan, Indian tandoori bread.

You can always choose between 2 kinds of menu, vegetarian and non-vegetarian (with chicken). The menus contain two same type of main dish, generally "Dal makhani a la Shalimar" which is the speciality of the restaurant's chef, made from assorted lentils in a smooth gravy with cream and a dash of fenugreek. This is my big favorite. The second main dish is always variable, this time "Punjabi ehhole" chickpeas tempered with  whole spices and cooked Punjabi style. The third main dish can be - depends on which menu we order - "Shahi paneer" paneer cooked in an opulent tomato and cream gravy with fenugreek, or "Chicken curry" diced chicken breast simmered with a fine balance of spices and herbs. The dessert is always "Gulab jamun" which are fried milk balls in a syrup with a hint of rosewater and cardamom.

And one more thing which is very important: the waitor, waitress always asks how hot do you want your dishes. Keep on your mind that an Indian chef's taste buds are not the same as ours therefore who generally can't stand the hot, ask without hot spices because the mild also comes off quite hot. I who can stand the hot flavours compared to the average, always order my food mildly hot but I also sweat a bit from it. :)

Shalimar Indian Restaurant

Address: 1072 Budapest, Dob utca 50.

Open: every day 11:30-16:00 and 18:00-23:30