Nutritionist and lifestyle advisor Viki Bocsi has just opened a health-conscious eatery in District VII. With nearly 40,000 followers on Facebook, Viki has changed many people’s lives with her personalized method that creates an ideal diet by taking as its base the metabolism, hormones and blood type of every individual. According to Viki, we should then feel fitter and healthier, as we kiss goodbye to excessive eating and that feeling of discomfort after devouring a hearty meal. At her new restaurant in Dob Street, Viki has adapted her philosophy to provide meals that you can go and order. She also does home delivery.
When we visited Kitchen of Health, we were expecting a simple spot specializing in salads, alternative and gluten-free dishes. This restaurant quickly exceeded our expectations. They do not use any gluten in the kitchen, where everything is also milk-free (therefore also lactose- and milk protein-free), as well as sugar-, soy- and corn-free, and they do not use any additives or sunflower oil when making their meals. We had a proper look around, and there really are no prepacked meals either.
Perhaps unusual for a restaurant, at this Dob Street eatery a leaflet on every table provides information about their mission and their meals. “We do not try to substitute aforementioned elements with anything... our ingredients simply do not contain any of them.” They use olive oil or coconut oil as fat, the garnish is often sweet potatoes, rice or banana flour, and they prefer Himalayan salt to regular versions. When we sat down for a chat and a burger with the owner, Viki Bocsi, we thought we would be getting little more than a snack in a gluten-free bun. However, as it turned out, this dish really is a beef patty with sweet potatoes and salad.
Viki told us about her lifestyle, the essence of which is that if we consume clean, high-quality ingredients, fats and easily digestible fruit and vegetables, our health, figure and even the way we feel will change for the better. She has been a personal advisor since 2008, as well as working in home food deliveries, and has therefore met a bunch of experts and caterers, including the chef at Kitchen of Health. They put the first menu together and launched the business at the end of August.
Kitchen of Health has a simple and spacious interior enhanced with an open kitchen, where everything – except for the sauces and soups – is made à la minute. Their hashtag on Instagram is “cleaneating”, as there is not even a sprinkle of Vegeta, bulking agent or glutamate in their meals. We should admit that this may not be the case at many street-food stands.
Their sweet potato cream soup (790 HUF) topped with various seeds is truly hearty and an autumn favorite. We also tried their grapefruit-avocado salad (1,790 HUF), and the aforementioned burger (2,990 HUF) – make sure to say how you like your meat cooked when choosing this meal. Our favorite course was sweet potatoes served like chips that also complete the rosemary duck liver dish (1,790 HUF). One course worth trying – by this stage we were too full – was their bundás csirke (chicken coated in rice flakes), a perfect alternative to tasty but less-healthy meaty meals from street-food stands. Interestingly, they do not work with pork at all, perhaps understandable considering the location, right in the heart of the Jewish District.
Kitchen of Health will soon start offering home deliveries downtown as well. This restaurant cannot be categorized as a follower of a specific diet like Paleo, Ketogenic or any other kind, but is certainly a good option for anyone choosing a health-conscious lifestyle.
