Ideally located just a few steps away from St Stephen's Basilica near Deák tér, Berale opened its doors hidden in the back of a hummusbar, a local favourite chain of eateries giving Hungarians a taste of the Middle East. In true Russian doll style, the new unit operates as a restaurant within a restaurant, but don't worry, you can't miss it. Berale's design makes it loud and clear where the hummusbar ends and the BBQ party starts – but you can also follow the unmistakable smell. The interior, the logo, as well as the staple semi-circular grill are all coloured in deep black and vivid red, which gives a simple yet cool vibe to the place. In the kiosk-like open kitchen, you will find truly unmatched flavours.
Born from family memories and chef expertise
While the hummusbar chain has long been a fundamental part of the gastronomy of the Hungarian capital, its owner, Uri Gotlibovich is constantly tinkering with new ideas. And that's how he recently came up with the concept of Berale – a place that's rollin' on fire.
“I imagined a dish that's truly unique on the city's gastro map – something that is simple yet very innovative. Something that guests love and keep coming back for, and within 10 years, if I walk around Budapest, I can find it in many places. Berale was my grandpa's nickname, and the inspiration came from my childhood memory of cooking over a campfire,” reveals Uri.
With the concept born, Uri teamed up with chef Viktor Segal, who was dreaming of opening a place that features just one dish – something striking, something spicy. He has long been friends and neighbours with Uri, so it was a match made in heaven. Their visions joined along the lines of 'one food, but the best of its kind'. It came in handy that Viktor was already seasoned in the gastronomy of many cultures as this new dish stands right at the crossroads of various cuisines.
A BBQ experience like no other
At Berale, BBQ means more than simply piling heavily spiced food on a grill. Their staple dish can be best described by comparing its roasting method to that of shawarma. The meat is wrapped in multiple layers on a skewer over an open fire. The thing is it's easier to taste than to describe it, but one thing is certain: Berale causes serious addiction. If you try it once, you'll surely crave more!
THE MEAT, THE SPICES, AND THE SAUCES ALL CAME TO LIFE AFTER LONG EXPERIMENTING AND many rounds of tasting.
It's not just the ingredients and the endless tasting rounds that make the Berale flavours so mouth-watering, but also the custom-made grill they only use for vegetables. This is also good news for those on a meatless diet: they can be sure that no animal product ever touches this grill. The veal is made separately rolling on an open fire.
It all comes down to the ingredients
The excellent, premium-quality Dutch veal arrives fresh, while the vegetables come with a twist. The tomato, the pepper, the onion, the cabbage, and the potato all get slightly seasoned before going on the grill, and once done, they get sprinkled with even more spices. The meat is made on a skewer, but instead of rolling it up, they shape it as a rectangle, which is another Berale peculiarity. It makes it very juicy, crumbly, and sometimes smoky, and thanks to the extra spices, the unparalleled taste is guaranteed.
The secret spices are made from 15 ingredients, which make up for a special flavour combination that you can't taste anywhere else.
All that is topped by the characteristic flavour of the open fire. Both the meat and the veggies get their own spices at the end, adding the perfect finishing touches to this unique dish. They serve three types of homemade special sauces: a flavour bomb chimichurri, a creamy tahini, and a fresh parsley-lemon pesto sauce. And the best bit is that all three are part of the deal. If you're not into hot spicy food, just let them know when placing your order.
As a side, you can pick from three types of bread: lavash, which is a soft and layered Armenian flatbread, an Israeli-style pita, the perfect sourdough type with a touch of sourness, and a soft and light long bun made with almond milk.
When it comes to the serving of the Berale dish, you can choose from getting the meat stuffed in the bread or piled on your plate. The veggies are always served separately to make sure that the extra flavour and juiciness of the meat come out in its full glory. All these flavours are best washed down with their homemade pomegranate lemonade with a pinch of mint and lemon for the slightly sour taste. Alternatively, you can choose from your usual selection of sodas and Peroni beer.
Eco-friendly takeaway boxes, cashless payment
To ensure the perfect hygiene of the open kitchen where everything is made fresh, in front of our eyes, Berale operates cashless. You can only pay by contactless card, which makes ordering is quick and easy. All you have to do is decide on the serving mode, the bread type, if you'd like anything extra, and what you don't want on your plate. A vegan version is also available.
You can have it all for takeaway: the eco-friendly boxes are sealed with special heat technology, ensuring a safe and leak-proof way. And soon you can also get your Berale dish delivered to your home or hotel.
Berale is a real summer spot, perfect for bringing back the memories of beach holidays all year round. They'll surely keep rollin' on fire long after the summer, and we'd love to see them open their own units. It's definitely the kind of spice we need all around Budapest.
CONTACT DETAILS
Berale
(Cover Photo: Emil Chalhoub)
