Chili does Csalogány
Our food aficionado friend over at the Chili and Vanilla food blog has kindly provided us with this review of a place everyone in Budapest is going ga ga for.
Csalogány 26
I District
Csalogány u. 26.
Tel: +36-1-201-78-92
You know that there is really something going on in the Budapest food world when people start gossiping about certain new places, giving each other insider tips about the menu or some specific dishes. 
Csalogány 26 opened only a few months ago but ever since it has gained great popularity and prestige among local food lovers who consider it to be THE restaurant of the moment. The chef, Balázs Pethő is said to be one of the few new generation of chefs (in terms of rather attitude, not age), who strive culinary excellence and represent a seasonal, market-oriented approach, obsession with high quality ingredients and an innovative, creative cuisine based on classical and new techniques. Of course, we had to check out his cooking.
Let's start with lunch. They offer a killer bargain lunch: three courses for 1400 HUF - the menu changes every week according to what is available at the market. We tried several different dishes and were not disappointed. The mixed salad consist of super fresh leaves and a velvety vinaigrette with just the right hint of Dijon mustard (while this sounds rudimentary, it is a challenge to find something like this in Budapest).
We ordered the tarragon plum soup, which was both refreshing and smooth, although it unfortunately lacked of any scent of the herb. We tried the pork fillet, different types of fish, a roast chicken cooked in raspberry vinegar - all of them delicious and perfectly cooked. On the side you can have sautéed seasonal vegetables (which I found a little oily) or mashed potatoes (so rich that I wanted to run into the kitchen and ask what kind of butter they use).
Check the daily offers on the blackboard too. I had a really unforgettable dish: a carefully poached, tender trout fillet on a bed of sautéed summer squash (very Hungarian), sprinkled with fresh dill and chervil, plated with a smooth butter sauce and few drops of basil-infused olive oil - heaven!
However, if you really are interested in the vision, cooking philosophy and creativity of the chef, I recommend going for an evening meal. That's when the more sophisticated dishes are being prepared. This time they serve their famous homemade bread that became a sort of signature for the restaurant (during lunch it comes from a nearby bakery).
As for appetizers, we are totally impressed by the truffle risotto that is topped with a perfect piece of grilled, creamy marrow. For main courses we had the lamb (beautiful but a little tough), the cod with saffron risotto, accompanied, surprisingly, by refreshing strips of marinated cucumber and squid ink.
The highlight was my piece of veal which wa truly exceptional: tender and pinkish enough inside to please any Michelin inspector. It came with caramelized Belgian endive and a classic, rich butter sauce. They have a wonderful Hungarian wine list and we took the advice of the sommelier who offers perfect pairings with the food (don't miss out on the Szepsy Tokaji with desserts).
I have to admit that we were a little disappointed by the desserts though, which proved to be rather on the conventional side. Nothing terrible, but also nothing mind-blowing. After having tasted all the other dishes, we just imagined they would be more sophisticated and elaborate. We tried practically all sweets from the dinner menu: a vanilla goat cheese cake - we would have preferred a creamier consistency and a thinner crust; a great, gooey chocolate cake that was paired with pineapple juice, créme fraiche ice cream and fresh basil leaves. Although the cake itself was to die for- rich, bitter and dense -I found the overall combination to be slightly too much. I had the créme Chiboust (a light sabayon-like custard, based on egg yolks lightened with whipped cream) which was runny and bland; I didn't touch it at all (I heard the waiter whispering that they are probably taking it off the menu as people don't seem to like it). The peach ice cream was wonderful though.
The restaurant is not exactly located in the heart of the city but accessible and worth every tram ticket or forint spent on a cab. Don't expect a fancy interior at the Csalogány - this is a small, elegant but very simple place. Service seems to be the most discussed point: I've heard several complaints about the attitude of the waiters. Although the staff may not be the friendliest in town, I've always found them to be very professional and pleasant.
All in all, Csalogány might have its strengths and weaknesses but it's certainly true that their whole approach towards cooking is very unique in the contemporary Hungarian culinary world. There are only a few other restaurants right now in Budapest that can show off such a consistent quality level, both in terms of ingredients and techniques and a very talented chef who likes to play with flavors and textures and who has such a clear vision about his food but also the skills to put it on the plate.