The formerly dilapidated industrial building had been scheduled for demolition, but with the help of a team including chief architect Sándor Finta, the building was saved. And now, courtesy of minusplus, Kocka has became one of the most exciting contemporary buildings in Budapest. White tiles and glass surfaces cover the façade, while the interior is dominated by concrete, and coloured, black and wooden surfaces.
Upon entering the building, we can see tables and bar chairs where the counter had been, while the counter itself was moved further back. The lower level has remained unchanged and still functions as a party venue, although in the future, it will also be a hub for cultural programs, live music and dinners. As an event space, it can accommodate up to 300 people.
Kocka’s kitchen is somewhere between fine dining and bistro style. It's most influenced by French cuisine, but there are also elements of Asian and Scandinavian cuisine as well. The surprisingly young pair of chefs - Gábor Fehér and Tamás Nagy - learned their skills at the best Hungarian restaurants. Later on, Gábor also took part in the Parisian Le Cordon Bleu course, which explains Kocka's French influences. The chefs were given a free hand by the owners, which definitely shows in the end result. Some of the premium raw materials (eg baby vegetables) are from a hobby horticulture in Budaörs, while the marine fish and shellfish are from Vienna and Paris. The à la carte menu changes roughly every two weeks, in line with the market’s supply.
For appetisers, we ordered foie gras with orange and homemade milk loaf (1490 HUF) and crab soup served with pak choi and keta caviar (990 HUF). Both are rather exciting dishes: the duck’s flavour is compensated by the tangy jelly, while the soup’s flavour is completed by the slightly bitter Metaxa. The braised beef cheek with pepper oil and gnocchi (3250 HUF) was soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, thus creating a very exciting combination of textures.
The highlight of the entire meal, however, was the platter with St. James scallops, cockles, crunchy baby vegetables and butter sauce (2850 HUF).
The presentation was beautiful, and the flavours created perfect harmony with each other.
The honey mousse with green tea jelly (990 HUF) stands out from among the other desserts, alongside with the sous vide cottage cheese dumplings, served with black currant and yuzu (990 HUF).
Kocka is not only an important player in the nightlife scene in Budapest, but also an excellent choice if you would like something special for dinner with your partner or friends. With these two young chefs, Kocka officially has its place on the gastronomic map of Budapest.
Kocka (closed)
Address:
1073 Budapest, 48. Kazinczy Street
