WALKING into this Adelphi eatery almost feels like venturing into Mr Ben’s wardrobe and finding yourself in the rustic dining room of a Hungarian family.
The cosy restaurant just about fits eight tables of varying sizes. But what it lacks in room, Goulash – which boasts of being Scotland’s only Hungarian restaurant – more than makes up for in charm.
On a Saturday night my friend and I wandered into the welcoming surroundings of the restaurant.
And straight away we were greeted by charm captured in a man – the owner and head waiter Zoltan Dragan.
His laid-back style immediately made us feel comfortable, that there was no rush, just make ourselves feel at home.
The menu is packed with unusual food combinations titled with wonderful names at very reasonable prices – two courses at dinner for just £13.75.
For starters I went for the Hungarian hors d’ouvres. The plate came piled high with a fantastic selection of Hungarian meats which tasted like strong salami. This was accompanied by a smoothly delicious goose liver pate, a rough, spicy cheese pate, salad and bread.
My dining partner chose hortobagy palacsinta – chicken pancake.
The lightly textured pancake was filled with minced, delicately-spiced chicken. The whole dish was smothered in an aromatic paprika sauce. My friend said it was tasty without being too heavy.
Our host had told us to “eat in the Hungarian way”.
“If you see food in front of you, grab it and eat it.”
So I got stuck in to my tempting toltott csirkemell as soon as it arrived.
The beautifully cooked breast of chicken was char-grilled on the outside then stuffed with a crispy, smokey bacon and creamy herb sauce.
The dish was served with a vegetable sauce and rice.
The flavours were fantastic and the hearty portion left me suitable stuffed.
My pal went for the game stew. Chunks of meaty wild boar and tenderly cooked venison were bound in a heady gravy served with rice and salad. She left a very clean plate.
The desserts looked delicious with fruit strudels and sticky, spiced rice balls – but we were too full to be tempted.
With a couple of glasses of wine, the satisfying meal came to just under £36. And I would happily have paid double that for the cracking food and fantastic experience that is dinner at Goulash.