| People say this city doesn’t have much cultural distinction. I often agree until I go to a restaurant like Jonas’ Restaruant that features Hungarian cuisine.
Keeping this in mind with Chinook winds whistling in my ears, my friends and I went to get a taste of Hungary on a Wednesday night in the downtown core. Arriving at Jonas’, we were escorted past a rather massive gothic-looking melted-down candle, traditional Hungarian folk dance costumes and various embroidered wall-hangings. Upon being seated at our conference-like table adorned with a red and white checkered vinyl tablecloth, I deduced from the number of "reserved" signs on various tables that there was something special about Jonas’, and my hunch was that it wasn’t the décor. We had arrived at 5:45 p.m. and we were the first table of the evening. By 6:30 p.m., the restaurant was nearly full.
First on the agenda was the procurement of a delicious Hungarian wine, which was easily and inexpensively done. For $20, we enjoyed a bottle of Egri Bikaver, or "Bull’s Blood." It was fantastic. Commonly referred to as the Hungarian Bordeaux, Egri Bikaver is one of the most reputable and traditional wines to come out of Hungary, and is usually aged for at least two to three years. It was light, fruity and spicy – the perfect complement to our meal.
Much to my chagrin, Jonas’ was already sold out of the special of the day (it must have been a busy lunch), a roasted duck served with homemade potatoes and red cabbage ($12), so I took a stab at a vegetarian offering of breaded cheese served with homemade potatoes (small, $9.50). Our server suggested I try it with their homemade tartar sauce, but I was somewhat skeptical. She understood my confusion and explained to me it wasn’t like Canadian tartar sauce. She was right. It was a tasty complement to this odd little dish that consisted of mashed herb potatoes and wedges of breaded, melted cheddar cheese. It was a simple dish but flavourful and unique.
My Polish friend, no stranger to Eastern Bloc food, was quick to order the pork Wiener schnitzel (regular, $11.50). It was a fantastic schnitzel and massive in portion size. The "regular" consisted of two large culets served with the signature homemade potatoes.
My Hungarian friend had the chicken paprikash (small, $9.50), traditional Hungarian fare made with chicken and served in a paprika-spiced sauce. The dish was topped off with sour cream and served with spatzle. Heartwarming and savoury.
To top off our experience at Jonas’, we had a crepe filled with nuts and chocolate sauce for dessert (regular, $6.50). It was quite nice. It actually tasted like a melted Ferrero Rocher chocolate within a crepe, which I noted in a tipsy fashion to my comrades. Rich with hazelnuts and chocolate, it was a fine end to our meal.
The only thing that could possibly have made our meal better would have been the St. Hubertus pear liqueur ($5), if one of us had tried it. It described itself as "a liqueur from the herbs of woods and meadows recalling the harmony and mystic power of nature."
I would definitely recommend Jonas’ for a casual night out. Good food, good wine and good company.
Jonas’ Restaurant is located at 937 6th Avenue S.W.; phone, 262-3302. |
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