KHAN is Budapest’s newest hotspot for Asian specialties

KHAN opened in Budapest's District XIII about a 10-minute walk from the Pest side of Margaret Bridge, in what is definitely not one of the most frequented and most popular neighborhoods in town. Stepping inside, we face a well-thought-out design and a homey atmosphere, where the aromas of lemon grass and coriander intermingle in the air in a mouthwatering but not overwhelming way. KHAN is enhanced with lots of glass surfaces, and even though it is not surrounded by cool Classicist buildings but more modern edifices, we actually like the location.

Behind the scenes we find Anh Tuan and Attila Kertész, who are both truly stylish guys, and who are eager to constantly improve quality. They are definitely not the kind of guys who host one huge project every month and then disappear as quick as they came. Sáo has already proved its worth, and now boasts countless regulars, and never compromises on quality. If anything, maybe the prices can be criticized a bit, as Sáo is a little more expensive than most Asian restaurants, but definitely for a reason…

Based on our experience at KHAN, the service is not overly attentive or artificially friendly, but rather to-the-point. The menu abandons current trends, and divides the selection of meals into 14 categories. We could say that they offer Asian specialties in a way that can be best experienced during a friendly feast. If you come with friends, we recommend choosing two meals each, and sharing everything with each other in order to try as many courses as you wish. We did no differently, but after browsing the menu we asked our hosts to choose something for us in order to get the best experience possible.

Obviously we tried the most characteristic course of Vietnamese cuisine, pho soup, but instead of the version that comes with roasted or boiled meat, we instead tried a beef ragout made with red wine. The bowl is huge, and contains nearly one liter of soup, generously packed with pasta, meat, and vegetables. It costs 2,690 forints, but we really did have to share it. It is a silky and flavorful soup, and thanks to the meat enhanced with red wine, it might sound funny, but it has a slight Hungarian touch; however, we perhaps should call this fusion homey.

Something truly refreshing that matches every salad and main course on the menu is the bún chá pasta dish. The bún pasta, grilled meat, peppermint meatloaf, fresh Asian herbs, and vegetables are served in a bowl for 2,650 forints. It comes with homemade pickles that we should instantly pour onto the pasta, as the flavors then truly come into harmony.

Their salad selection is truly impressive; our favorite was the nóm bac há that is technically a mint salad with spiced cold beef slices, onions, cucumber, and dominant sesame oil. It costs 2,450 forints, but can be ordered enhanced with tiger prawn for 2,890 forints. Out of everything we tried, perhaps this course was the best, and it had the most unknown flavors. Among their wok vegetable assortment, we found the eggplant slightly strange (1,750 HUF), however, after trying it we realized why they included it on the menu. We never tried eggplant like this before. After the spicy courses, the Yoú yú cuttlefish salad (2,150 HUF) was truly refreshing. These are all the meals that we could try without absolutely overeating, and left wraps, baked pastas, and rice for next time. If we still have any space in your belly after a meal here, we can order mochi or caramel cream, but their homemade lemonade or lassi are both a perfect choice, too.

KHAN is the most special opening of the passing summer, and we wholeheartedly recommend it. It is advised to book a table before visiting.

KHAN

Address: Budapest 1133, Ipoly utca 3

Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday: 11am - 10pm

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