Hableány Bisztró

According to local legend, the lord of the Badacsony volcano fell in love with a mermaid ('hableány') from Lake Balaton. When he had jumped into the lake for her, the volcano quieted down forever. The 1960s retro building preserves this story, and the wine production on the slopes of the nearby buttes is also nourished by the unique volcanic terroir. The Hableány has been taken care of by the Laposas, a local winemaking family. They renovated it years ago, and now it is also the center of their winery, alongside the restaurant. The building hides huge spaces, and thanks to all the glass surfaces, the dining area is bathed by the sunlight. Outside, there is the iconic long terrace. The entire moderinzed complex has a youthful vibe, and the menu reflects this with its world-open, vibrant style. When we visited, the service was a bit unorganized, and the drinks we had ordered to go with the dishes arrived a bit later. For the aubergine cream we had as a starter, we had to buy the bread separately, even though the dish's name included "with bread," which didn’t seem like the most elegant pricing. The deliciously prepared duck foie gras with the pleasantly light, sweet langos was a highlight. Our plum poppy seed bread pudding came with a frozen poppy mousse, so we could not even cut it, although the plum cream and the poppy seed bread pudding slice were delicious. With a bit more care and attention in the kitchen, this place could really develop into something special with its great potential.