I’ve been to Szeged Etterem several times, primarily due to the fact that they always have a great daily menu in the pub area for about 5 Euros. But Gyorgyi and I decided to have dinner there last weekend because the weather was perfect and they have a really nice patio.

We started with the Sigillum Loliense 2009, which is a terrific blend between Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and f Reisling. It’s a dry wine from the southern Balaton region, but had a lot of lively acids and character. Like my mother, I’m perpetually drawn to Chard, but this really isn’t a wine that takes itself too seriously. It was perfect for a warm evening.

Because we wanted to sit and enjoy the last of the sunlight and the great wine, we ordered a little appetizer. I don’t remember what it was called now, but it was a trio of spreads, pickled vegetables and some freshly baked bread. My favorite was the red pepper spread. The pesto had a little too much garlic, but mixed with the peppers it was a divine bite. I had to resist the desire to eat more than two pieces of bread, especially since we wanted to stay hungry for our entrees.

I should mention here that our waiter was very friendly and patient. One great thing about eating in Europe is that you can really have the time to sit and enjoy your drink, small plate or long meal without being pushed out of the table. Our waiter spoke English, didn’t bother us, and was very attentive and helpful when we needed him. Sincerity isn’t a typical wait-staff trait here in Hungary, and I really appreciated that he didn’t try to rush us.

For my main course, I ordered the duck breast steak with spring seasoned mashed potatoes and red-currant sauce. The light was getting dark and I didn’t have my main camera on me, just my iphone, so the picture doesn’t really do this dish justice. It was incredibly delicious. Decadent, actually. On the top of the duck was a perfectly crisped layer of fat, which just added the most remarkable flavor to the meat. I only dipped one time into the red currant sauce because I didn’t want to disrupt the duck. The mashed potatoes were also delicious, though considering the recent E. coli scare, I wasn’t rushing to go near the sprouts.

I haven’t eaten duck or goose that often since coming to Hungary, which I know acknowledge to be a grave mistake considering how abundant it is and how well it can be prepared at restaurants such as Szeged Etterm. I will certainly endeavor to try more.

Gyorgyi had the pork medallions with a goat cheese cap, which were served with mashed potatoes, asparagus and rosemary sauce. She said that everything was delicious and the pork was cooked perfectly. Not overdone, which is the tendency here. She’s also going through an asparagus stage right now so it was a welcome side. I think ultimately, however, she was a little jealous of my duck. I would have been too.

Next time we go we will have desert, but we were just too pleasantly stuffed to think about overdoing it that night. Instead, we just sat back and enjoyed the auburn colors of the sun setting behind city hall.

Wine, water, food and tip came to 17,000 HUF, which is just under 64 Euros. It’s one of the more expensive restaurants in the city, but I think still worth a few extra pennies.

Szeged Étterem
6720 Szeged,
Széchenyi tér 9
06 62 649 448
szegedetterem.hu