One of the most interesting of the listed buildings of the 135 year old Budapest Zoo and Botanical Gardens is the Europa Nostra prize-winning elephant house, and it is here in the City Park that the one hundred plus year old exquisite Gundel Restaurant (a museum in itself) is located. This restaurant is owned by our New York friend George Lang. I know you’ve been to his famous New York City restaurant Café des Artistes. George came along in 1992 to awaken the ‘sleeping beauty’ with a complete restoration.

Gundel has a great wine cellar, party space, also its own vineyards from which the house and local folk are supplied with some boutique wines.

I had the opportunity to taste the famous Hungarian Bull’s Blood, which is an exquisite wine (a mixture of the blue kadarka grape from the Szekszard area, one of 22 wine producing regions, mixed with kekfrankos, merlot and carbernet.

email: lovechef@thelovechef.com