Lined with theatres and steeped in stage lore, Nagymező utca is culturally important if somewhat jaded these days. Enter a new, exciting character. The Budapest branch of the Hard Rock Hotel has been built, with the Sessions restaurant on the ground floor, integral to the hotel but with its own separate entrance from the street. Its atmosphere is elegant but not uptight – the laid-back, bistro interior was designed by the Barcelona studio of Lázaro Rosa-Violán, which also worked on some of the most famous boutique hotels in Europe.
Look closely and, in addition to Western trends, you may discover rethought Hungarian motifs all around, for example on the stylish uniforms. Musical elements are also dominant, in keeping with the hotel: a Ramones poster here, a neon-lit Joy Division lyric there, and the beady-eyed might spot the plectrum-shaped name tags of the waitstaff. Of course, the music isn’t only about design, but like other Hard Rock Hotels, you can count on expert mixes, DJ sets and live shows.
The global-Hungarian duality is also carried by the menu: familiar flavours and domestic ingredients are used, with creative methods and pairings. At the opening, for example, cream of almond soup was served with avocado tartare and corn crisps, neck of mangalica pork was accompanied by sheeps’ cheese pasta, and for dessert, dried beetroot arrived on the plate with meringue and roasted chocolate crumbs.
The spread reflected the work of executive chef Tamás Lipták and sous-chef István Sziszik, who can point to a 15-year shared professional past, in award-winning and Michelin-starred restaurants, in Denmark and the UK.
The cocktails pay homage to Hungarian celebrities, and were also designed by a special personality: mixologist George Valdez from the Dominican Republic. According to him, he was striving to make the drinks reflect domestic tastes, so among the ingredients you find not only wines and pálinka brandy, but also lavender and paprika. In addition to cocktails, nearly 100 domestic and international wines are available.
After-dinner drinks can be enjoyed in the sumptuous panoramic rooftop bar – soon. Like the hotel’s 136 rooms and suites, this is on ice for a little while longer.
Sessions
District VI. Nagymező utca 38
Open: Mon-Thur, Sun 6pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 6pm-2am
