When I was presented with bargain flights to Budapest over my mum’s birthday weekend and a budget-friendly apartment, I couldn’t resist booking a hasty getaway. However, all budgeting went out the window when I came across the jewel of Budapest that is ONYX, where we were lucky enough to snag the last two seats at their communal dining table on a Saturday night.
ONYX has broken boundaries since its original opening in 2007, becoming the first two-star restaurant in East-Central Europe. Now, the team bring us ‘community innovative fine dining’ in the form of ONYX Műhely, an experience which showcases community, sustainable cooking and the best of Hungarian produce – along with a peek into what the future of ONYX will be.
Currently, what is on offer is a menu revolving around the concept of time, dividing the evening into three segments: Was, Is, and Will Be.
Was
Bouillon – fried vegetable soup, verjus-hollandaise, marinated celeriac, pearl barley crisps.
Catfish – baby brown bullhead, fried fish garum, spinach, pickled onion, toast bread, black garlic oil (vegetarian option replaced fish elements with quail eggs).
White Pottage – koji rice cream, root vegetables, cornflakes, elderberry, ginger, tomato-mint almond mousse.
The location for ‘Was’ was nothing short of stunning. As we sat in a reserved section of Café Gerbeaud, the only giveaway that we were in the 21st century was the fact that most of us were snapping photos of our first three courses on smartphones (the camera eats first). Paying homage to Industrial Revolution, the first three dishes revolved around components such as toast, refined sugar, bouillon and porcelain.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first two courses of this section. I thought every dish was perfectly balanced in texture and acidity, and I particularly appreciated the nod to ancient past with the use of garum. I did feel that the third course was quite busy, and could have done with one less element on the plate.
IS
Perch – smoked fish soup, perch fillet, elderberry capri, pickled grape leaves, fresh greens (or Green Peas – green pea miso, courgette, angel hair, fresh greens, pea oil).
Tempeh – oat tempeh, dried fruit, pickled rose petals, yeast hazelnut cream, mushrooms, mushroom jus (or Lamb – glazed leg of lamb, kebab with crispy, yoghurt lamb jus, coriander oil).
Bread – home-made sourdough bread, butters, tea.
Parfait – walnut parfait, apricots, smoked pecans, muscovado crumbs (or Sponge Cake – mollases-nut sponge cake, citrus liqueur, white coffee ice cream, coffee crumbs).
Gerbeaud – filled cat’s tongue chocolate, bonbons.
For the next and main section of the menu, ‘Is’, we were led back outside and around to Műhely. ONYX call this the creative space of their collective, where diners get to not only observe the creative process but also play an active role. Feedback on the food and tableware is encouraged, as this kitchen is used as an experimental zone before dishes can be finalised and promoted to the new incoming restaurant (we’ll get to that soon).
This space really allowed the theatre of the experience to shine through, from the reveal of the chefs from behind the glass to the opportunities to explore the room between courses. The design of this room and the library above it is nothing short of spectacular – you can read more about the design choices here.
Dishes were interactive, elegant and explained in detail by the service team, and as diners we got to watch the chefs plate everything as the kitchen was right beside the communal table. It is hard to pick any favourites from this section of the evening, but I think Bread has to be the one that stood out the most. Invited up to stand around the kitchen counter, we shared warm locally-made bread freshly torn up by the chefs. Two types of butter were shared between pairs, one of which was beautifully browned and almost caramel-like, seasoned generously with cracked black pepper and flakes of salt. This was served with some kind of cold tea, which was a nice addition for those of us not participating in the additional beverage pairings. Sometimes less is more-ish, and this course encapsulated that.
I was a bit disappointed to observe that diners didn’t use these communal experiences to speak to those outside their own parties, even during the bread course. Perhaps this was due to language barriers as most diners seemed to be visiting Budapest from outside of Hungary. I love the intention of interaction and community in fine dining, nevertheless.
I must also express how impressed I was by the dedication to sustainability that was demonstrated throughout the evening. Minimisation of waste was a priority in the kitchen across the dishes, and diners leave the restaurant with a final treat of bonbons made from leftover zserbó cake made next door in Café Gerbeaud. Hungarian produce was showcased, as were local wines and digestifs. They are also the first restaurant in Hungary to have an organisational carbon footprint calculation made. You can read more about ONYX’s commitments to sustainability here.
Will Be
Buckwheat – buckwheat porridge, chamomile, sunflower, horseradish ice cream.
Between Bread and Parfait, we were led through a mysterious door and into a building site – yes, an actual building site. This part of the evening was thrilling not because of the potential health and safety risks, but because we were standing in the future of ONYX – the ‘will be’. The site is being transformed into ONYX’s next gastronomic venture ÆTHER. While we were shown blueprints of the new space (no photos allowed, thank you!) something of a pre-dessert was served – buckwheat porridge topped with a horseradish ice cream. The coolness of the ice cream was a welcome and refreshing palate cleanser before dessert, but I felt that the horseradish wasn’t balanced with the rest of the dish; it was too overpowering.
Without giving away too much, the new restaurant looks like it will be absolutely stunning. With ambitions for two Michelin stars within its first five years, there is no doubt that ÆTHER is going to make its presence known in Europe’s food scene.
Final Thoughts
If there is anything I love more than great food, it might be great service – and ONYX Műhely has both in abundance. It is evident from just one evening in their company that this team is passionate about food, design and sustainability. If you are looking something extra special to remember a city break in Budapest by, this is worth pushing the boat out for. I will definitely be returning for a meal at ÆTHER.