Dining in Budapest

From a trip my wife, Barbara, and I took to Hungary in May ’06, I strongly recommend these three restaurants in Budapest.

• Sorforras (Vaci utsa 15, Budapest) — a clean restaurant with very good food, reasonably priced. Food, drinks and wine for two cost $38. Original artwork on the walls.
• The beautifully restored Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal (Erzebet krt. 43-49, Budapest) has one of the best restaurants in the city, Brasserie Royale. The food was excellent, well prepared and well presented. Food and cocktails for two, $75.
• The New York Palace (Erzebet krt. 9-11, Budapest) is located in the beautiful Boscolo Hotel. The hotel and restaurant were restored by 200 artisans over a 2-year period and opened on May 5, 2006. With beautiful artwork all around, dining here is like dining in a palace.
  Food, cocktails and wine for two cost $116. The service and food were excellent — a pure pleasure!

MEL McBETH
Concord, CA