The Corinthia Hotel Budapest is a 5-star hotel set on a bustling high street in the centre of the city. The hotel is an iconic hotel, being there since 1896, and was the inspiration for the film The Grand Budapest Hotel.
When we entered the restaurant we were shown to out table by Brigette. Brigette knew we were coming and had our reservation so we were seated quickly and given a menu before we even had a chance to look around. Excellent!
The restaurant serves food that is a fusion of eastern cuisine from across the Orient. The theme of the restaurant reflects this being decorated with buddhas, orchids and middle eastern symbols. An elegant but authentic eastern decor.
We ordered a bottle of the house white, a Chardonnay which was fresh with flavours of lychees and gooseberries and a bottle of still water whilst we examined the menu.
The menu contains classics like Peking Duck, and Teriyaki Pork, to more unusual items such as Rendang Buaya Katak, which is Rendang style crocodile. We ordered from the menu and while we waited Brigette brought us prawn crackers with a peanut sauce. The prawn crackers were crispy, light and non-greasy and the peanut sauce was tasty, but perhaps could have done with a little spice. We were given warm towels to wipe our hands after our prawn crackers which were a lovely touch.
As we waited for our starters we discussed the menu. We thought the prices were good for a restaurant in a 5-star hotel but were obviously higher than the average Budapest restaurant, being between 2900HUF to 6400HUF, which is about £8 to £18 without side orders of rice or noodles.
After a short wait, our starters were brought to us. I had scallops with poppadums and my husband had the Asian style chicken salad.
As you can see the scallops were beautifully presented. The scallops were nestled on a bed of grated carrot and were surrounded by a light mayonnaise dressing and the plate was decorated with wasabi drops and a spicy red sauce. I really enjoyed the carrot salad mixed with the sauces. The scallops were very lightly browned and I feel they could have been cooked just that little bit more and the poppadoms were a little soggy. Still great flavours.
MR W has a lovely Asian salad which was fresh and tasty. The chicken was browned and the shredded vegetables had a lovely crunch, with peanuts adding even more texture. Wasabi peanuts also added a bit of a kick at the end. A very nutritious and healthy dish.
After a short break, the main courses were brought over - Massaman beef curry and jasmine rice for myself and Kung Po chicken and stir fry noodles for Mr W.
The Massaman curry tasted delicious, the sauce was very authentic, rich thick and tasty, the beef tender and the sweet potatoes added a great flavour. If I was being extra picky it was a little sweeter than similar dishes I have had in the past, probably due ti the addition of the sweet potato.
The jasmine rice which accompanied the dish was similar to sticky rice and was very pleasant.
Mr W really rated the Kung Po chicken. The chicken was in a sticky and spicy sauce with onions and bamboo shoots. Accompanying the dish was stir-fry noodles which were well seasoned with soy sauce.
We ordered stir fry Asian vegetables but unfortunately the waitress forgot these but was very apologetic when we reminded her and they then were quickly brought. The Asian vegetables were a mix of Chinese mushrooms, broccoli, bamboo shoots and other vegetables in a light soy sauce with ginger and a hint of garlic. The vegetables were al dente and still had some crunch and the sauce was similar to an authentic Cantonese style sauce. Personally, I felt this was the best dish being extra flavourful and the vegetables being perfectly cooked.
The food was plentiful and delicious so I wasn't sure if I could manage a dessert but the lure of a green tea Mille Feuille persuaded me.
When it came the dessert was elegant and beautiful, presented on a black plate. The Mille Feuille, which is a French dessert of layers of flaky puff pastry with a cream filling, had an extra twist with the green tea flavoured cream. The sesame seed coated ice cream which it was served with, added a nutty crunch.
When browsing the menu I noticed that the Corinthia hotel chain make a point of having a "Food For Thought' section on their menu. This is designed in conjunction with a nutritional therapist to provide fresh vitamin packed options which they say increase mental alertness. I loved this idea, as, especially if you eat out often, or if you are watching your weight, you may want a healthier menu choice.
Rickshaw restaurant is a restaurant that is worth visiting if you enjoy Far Eastern cuisine. Whilst not everything was perfect, the food, on the whole, was delicious, the starters and desserts particularly served with finesse and was a feast for the eyes. Perhaps a little thought on the presentation of the mains would have made the courses even more enticing. Service was efficient and although the prices were on the high side, you must remember you are in a 5-star hotel.
Mr W and I both enjoyed our meal and would return. Recommended 4 out of 5 stars.
