Godunov Restaurant & Vodka Bar – a tale of 108 vodkas and Russian fine dining

водка и мерцание: чем больше, тем лучше (Vodka and glamour: the more, the better)Let's admit: Russians love glamour, and glamour loves them back. Godunov Restaurant & Vodka Bar, nesting in Sas Street near St. Stephen’s Basilica, was opened in the spirit of this rather complimentary stereotype, so it’s no wonder that Godunov’s uniqueness is through the roof.

The tastefully extravagant interior’s highlights include bottles of top-notch drinks illuminated with the soft purple glow of LEDs, a hand-painted Matryoshka mural covering the whole ceiling, and treasured vodkas sheltered by glass cabinets.водка-бар: 108 типов водки со всего мира (Vodka bar: 108 types of vodka from all around the world)The bar's main specialty is its immense vodka selection, which consists of 108 types of everyone’s favorite Russian mood-booster coming from all around the globe. As of now, 90 vodkas are available, but we’re hundred percent sure that is more than enough.

A few standouts from the prestigious line-up: the royalty of vodkas, Russian Standard; Belvedere, made from Polish rye ergot; the unique Royal Dragon Superior Vodka; Ciroco, made from grape distillate; British Skorppio Vodka; the world-famous Smirnoff; the elegant and clean Syy Vodka; the Snow Queen, made in Kazakhstan; the Polish super-premium Sobieski; and our grand favorite, the limited series (130 000 bottles per year) Kalashnikov Vodka, sold in a machine gun-shaped bottle. The volume varies from the traditional 0.7 liter to the brutal grizzly-killer 6-liter barrel.

Oddly, the liquid wonders belonging to crème of the vodka crop are only available by the bottle, thus cannot be ordered as shots, although a special bottle service is included in the price, which definitely puts some extra sauce on the experience.

The usual suspects such as whisky, cognac, and cocktails can also be sipped in Vodka Bar, but being adventurous is always more rewarding, so forget about ordinary booze, and take a dive into the parallel universe of so-called cocktail capsules, and say a Russian hallelujah for molecular gastronomy.

Ресторан премиум-класса: Традиции и креативность (Fine dining: tradition and creativity)The creation myth of Godunov’s fusion kitchen is the least bit complicated: the on-top-of-their-cooking-game chefs took traditional Russian recipes, and inserted them into the context of high-end, contemporary European cuisine. The results, as we’ve experienced firsthand, are amazing.

First came the widely-known Ukrainian borsch soup (1190 Ft) with sour cream mousse; then arrived the similarly famous Kiev pullet with Gorgonzola mashed potatoes (3590 Ft). Our photographer, who’s a black-belted gastro-veteran, described the dishes with a simple Dear God!, and was the embodiment of food-induced joy during the course of the meal.

Other dishes worth munching and mentioning: patties filled with beef and hard-boiled eggs (1890 Ft), cold salmon with lavender (3390 Ft), tiger shrimp with coconut milk sauce (6890 Ft), rack of lamb in hazelnut croustade (5490 Ft), Argentine steak with parboiled pencil beans (9490 Ft), wild mushrooms with thyme butter (3490 Ft), Caesar salad with pullet breast filet and shrimp skewer (2290 Ft), and of course a variety of caviars (10990 Ft - 35 000 Ft).

Планы на будущее (Future plans)It’s unclear what the future holds for Godunov. There are plans of a 3-meter tall Matryoshka doll, a terrace from spring, live music every night, a VIP section, and of course the sustainment of premium quality.

The bar officially opens on 31 January, which, not coincidentally, is the birthday of vodka. Until then, enjoy the test drive and keep your eyes open, because discounts are sure to pop up at Godunov as the staff eagerly awaits your feedback.
Godunov Restaurant & Vodka Bar (closed)
Address:

1051 Budapest, 4 Sas Street