Modern MÁK Bistro, Budapest

Online research makes it so easy to find amazing restaurants.

We found MÁK Bistro this way as distinct wired editorials declared that it was known for their modern and youthful energy.

And so we decided to check this place out for lunch. Initially, Mak Mistro’s façade looked quite simple yet the restaurant interior has a very modern, hip, and classy atmosphere. I really liked the wine bottle wall. The interior design was so charming and impactful.

Style Details
Top & Skirt | TOPSHOP
Cardigan | FROM MANILA
Bag | GIVENCHY
Boots| FROM HONG KONG

We enjoyed our server, Emri, who was very friendly and charismatic. She explained to us that the menu changes weekly but generally the a la carte part of the menu changes only every month. That’s pretty cool as it can never be boring when eating at this restaurant. Emri quickly served us some homemade bread and butter. There were actually different kinds of bread and butter served. I enjoyed the bread with coffee beans with vanilla and Szechwan butter.

My husband wanted to try a new local beer in which Emri recommended the lager – the Fóti Kézműves Sörfőzde foti zurkel. I have no idea how to pronounce that but my husband confirms that it is very good and smooth. Its not as hard hitting in the flavor compared to darker lagers in which my husband appreciates. It had hints of hoppy flavor.

“For a simple lunch menu, the dishes were above and beyond the norm.”

We started off with some pork spring roll with garlic cream, caramel parsley and pumpkin seed cream. The shredded pork inside had wonderful flavor but is a bit dry. I’m sure it’s part of the chef’s intention as the sauce served with it compliments the texture without distracting from the natural pork flavor. I always enjoy such contrasting textures.

The second appetizer we had was a hot fish soup with molecular caviar fish eggs. It had a very sophisticated light taste and was lightly salted to perfection. The pasta added a unique touch to the soup. Our third appetizer was the breaded calf tongue, which was very soft and tender. Its delicateness was accented with the wonderful texture of deep fried breading. The richness certainly comes out of the deep fried cows tongue yet it is balanced with a small mayonnaise salad. We can’t say it’s the healthiest but it certainly has the flavor to make it feel like it was worth it.

We picked the duck dish as our first main. Normally, duck is quite oily joined with a rich fatty flavor. In this case, it seems that the oil was highly reduced; instead the only thing left would be the natural richness of the duck flavor. I’m sure this was intended as the dish came with a variety of sauces. I love the play on textures.

The second dish was the mangalica pork fillet with squash stew. The duck dish and the pork fillet dishes were about the same size, just right for a properly portioned lunch. I must say though that I have never had pork as tender as this. It was so soft it initially shocked me when I first stuck my fork into it. If I had my eyes blindfolded, I would’ve thought this was a high quality steak.

For dessert, we enjoyed a hazelnut crème brûlée with raspberry and a chocolate tart with tonka bean. The crème brulee came in a warm, petite, and cute pot.

The raspberry provided a wonderful fruity flavor to the chocolate contribution of the hazelnut. I love the top caramelized texture. The chocolate tart was almost like a flourless cake. It was quite rich and dense. The outside crust was a great addition to the texture as it created depth to the chewing experience.

All in all, this restaurant is just as amazing as the reviewers online stated. The service was very good and the recommendations from Emri are on point. Don’t be shy about asking for the servers’ opinion, as they are happy to provide you with more information in order to make a more informed decision.

For a simple lunch menu, the dishes were above and beyond the norm. Well-done MÁK Bistro! You definitely put Budapest on the map with your youthful attitude and amazing culinary products.