The counter of the former Méter Bar on Dob Street used to be lined with beer taps and shot glasses, at least until January of this year. Now that Cupákos opened in place of the bar, grease and leftover bones are more common. Chef Ákos Tasnádi came over from Macesz Bistro across the street, to try something different from that esteemed eatery’s sophisticated Hungarian-Jewish cuisine. Something homier, with more grease, paprika, and cracklings. Is this what you’d call a new-wave butcher shop? We searched for answers during a recent visit.
The younger generation won’t remember the classic butcher shops of old times, which we had to visit early in the morning in order to get the finest black pudding and sausages. Here we could get as much mustard on our sausage as we wanted, where the plastic fork often gave up the fight and broke in two, and where we could wash our hands (and clothes) in the back. Today, there are only a few such original butcher shops: at most places, we only get a dollop of mustard, no chance to wash our hands, and sometimes, the sausages aren’t the real deal, either.
Ákos Tasnádi always liked the aforementioned butcher-shop atmosphere, and exploring old markets and shops. The idea for Cupákos arose much earlier, but the circumstances only now allowed for its implementation. According to the concept, they offer both classic Hungarian meat dishes, either with a new or international twist or prepared with new culinary technologies. We’ve been craving a place that blends retro with revolutionary in this neighborhood for awhile, so we were excited to see if Cupákos could live up to our expectations.
The interior design focuses on the colors white and red, and on wooden surfaces. We especially like the storage space above the open kitchen, separated by the guest area by glass, and the metal counter where we receive our order. A digital display shows our order number, but a loudspeaker also announces when our food is ready – in case we zone out and aren’t paying attention. In good weather, we can also enjoy the dishes of the initial menu on the terrace.
Among the appetizers, we tried the chicken liver paté on toast (990 HUF), which brought the traditional flavors paired with a very soft and creamy texture and topped with applesauce seasoned with thyme and ginger, which gives the dish a modern twist. The ‘starters’ section of the menu also features classiccracklings and a ham-and-sausage plate (both 1,190 HUF). Making our way on the protein list, we notice three kinds of sausages: classic Hungarian pork sausage (1,890 HUF), East-African merguez beef sausage (1,990 HUF), and Bavarian chicken sausage (1,990 HUF). Ribs are next on the menu: we tasted the beef version (2,200 HUF), which, due to the lengthy sous-vide preparation, was tender and fell right off the bone. They also offer pig knuckle (1,690 HUF) and gizzard stew (1,290 HUF), both classics among Hungarian meat dishes. There’s a wide variety of side dishes, including bread (120 HUF), green-pea soup (450 HUF), and even paprikás krumpli (550 HUF), another Hungarian dish that could even be served on its own. The ketchup and the hot paprika cream (dubbed Erős Pityu) are both made with special recipes.
The only dessert we can taste here is rather unconventional: chocolate mousse with pig popcorn and pork belly crumbs (890 HUF). We’ve tasted something similar at MészárSteak Kitchen in the past, and were glad to see that Cupákos didn’t shy away from potentially divisive ideas, either. Now we’ll be sure to visit the Király-Dob-Wesselényi Street axis more often.
CupákosAddress:
Budapest 1074, Dob utca 31
Opening hours: Sunday - Wednesday, 11:30am - 11pm; Thursday, 11:30am - midnight; Friday - Saturday, 11:30am - 1am
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