When out on an excursion into the outer edges of Buda, on the other side of the lovely hills we see from downtown, we never know exactly what we’ll find – but every now and then, it’s something extraordinary. We recently learned about a place in Budakeszi where they hold special dinner sessions in the garden of a homey family house, so we popped in for a visit and left with a memorable experience. The mouthwatering meats were made by Zsolt Serényi, Hungary’s increasingly famous “tattooed chef”, and by Ferenc Szabó, formerly the meat master at Prime Steak House.
Let’s admit that the already great expectations towards gastronomy are getting higher and higher; nowadays it is almost assumed that delicious dishes are served with some extras. We are striving for an exciting culinary experience that we can only get at outstanding restaurants and at special events. The apartment-restaurant trend has recently subsided in Budapest, and during the past two years, pop-up dining events and meal-sharing sessions have become the new craze. Sebestyén Ölveczki aims to follow these new trends; his advantages were a family house with a lovely garden inherited from his grandmother, his great love for gastronomy, and his respect towards BBQ grill technologies. With his team, they worked very hard to create a beautiful outdoor kitchen with an oven, grill units, spacious work surfaces, and several BBQ smokers. Besides all that, there is also a huge round table, a cozy chilling spot covered with comfy pillows, and a hall for winter days; these all together make up Briquette, one of the coolest units in Budapest at the moment.
The garden parties warmly welcome anyone, but spaces quickly get filled up after an event is publicly announced. After browsing their Facebook page, you might think that Briquette is a permanent restaurant, but this is not true; the garden gates only open up for special events, and guests need to check-in ahead of time. Groups of friends, couples, colleagues, families, and soon-to-be-friends all gather here, and this is what makes Briquette really exciting; it is possible that we will make new and long-lasting friendships here. The guys told us that normally only the first 15 minutes are spent in slight awkwardness, and then thanks to the homey but still stylish atmosphere, the welcoming hospitality, and the aromas of the toothsome meals in the making, everyone soon loosens up. Here there is no embarrassment at all, and it’s not just an empty phrase with which bistros try to persuade dubious visitors. Everything here is very friendly and laid-back.
Briquette organizes thematic dinners, or lunches by request, so it is likely that they’ll have Asian- or Italian-themed dinners in the future. At the moment, meats are the main stars of the dinners, to our greatest pleasure. They are all strictly made with only premium-quality products, and they are prepared by the “tattooed chef”. Zsolt Serényi, and Ferenc Szabó, the former chef of Prime Steak House and the head cook at Pavillon de Paris. While the boys worked hard in the spacious garden kitchen, we learned many basic tips, tricks, anecdotes, and techniques about steaks, cooking times, the importance of a thermometer, the differences between meats from Uruguay and from Argentina, and about the current situation of the butchers’ selection in Hungary. In the meantime, the knives were ceaselessly cutting, and the scent of rosemary filled the air. The owner, Sebestyén, doesn’t have a diploma in hospitality, but he already learned a few tricks as an autodidact, and the roasted duck meat is marinated in a special sauce made according to his recipe. His aim is to bring out the best from every thematic evening. Zsolt and Feri are both professionals, and they are also very entertaining, so we were really glad to meet them. We could also admire two brutal knife sets, and while at first we couldn't decide whether this “instant hitman” set is sexy or frightening, we would probably still go for sexy.
As a teaser, we began with a slightly crackling-like, but very soft duck meat that was truly appetizing with some bread and veggies. They placed two types of shrimp on our big round table to complement the heavier meats; a classic butter-chili version, and an olive dip. Afterwards, finally the stars of the night arrived: duck breast from the grill, beautiful beef tenderloin, and rib-eye. As a garnish, we got potatoes roasted in duck fat, Caesar salad, and six types of sauces. After the questions, stories, and getting in the way in the kitchen, there was pure silence for minutes in Briquette’s cozy garden, while our group devoured all of the perfectly made meats, and quickly cleared the plates; dessert came from the high-quality mókusch confectionery. After a few glasses of wine we really had to catch the bus, so the suburban BBQ party had to come to an end; however, we really haven’t had such an all-encompassing dining experience for a long time, even despite the city’s abundant selection of high-quality restaurants. Briquette holds something new, friendly, and entertaining; a place where everyone who likes eating, drinking, chatting, and meeting new people will certainly have lots of fun.
To see the upcoming Briquette events you can browse their Facebook page or website, and the good news is that from time to time they also hold special sessions when guests can actively participate in making the delicious dishes.
Briquette
Address: Budakeszi 2092, Rákóczi utca
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