Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2010

Keigo Moriyama

The owners of Paprika.hu picked the perfect time to open a Hungarian restaurant in Tokyo. In recent years, the Japanese have developed a taste for meat—so much so that they’re now consuming more animal flesh than seafood. And the chef at this new eatery certainly knows his meat, serving dozens of pork and chicken dishes that are sure to appeal to carnivorous locals.

Anyone familiar with Hungarian food and drink will feel right at home at Paprika.hu. Meals are best begun with unicum (¥1,000), the anise seed-based aperitif traditionally drunk as a digestive. The wine list features Egri Bikavér (lit: “bull’s blood”), the locally produced red that’s bold enough to stand up to Hungary’s gutsy cuisine (from ¥2,900/350ml bottle). Later in the evening, the fruit brandy known as palinka offers a bracing postprandial tipple (¥1,000).

For newcomers whose knowledge of Hungarian food is limited to goulash, Paprika.hu’s menu provides ample opportunity for discovery. Appetizers like májkrémes pirítós (beef liver pate and cheese on toast; ¥700 for two) and körözöttes fálatkak (a mild cottage cheese spread; ¥700 for two) are familiar fare in restaurants and households around the country. Main dishes include cigány pecsenye (literally, “gypsy roast”), a tenderloin of pork topped with a slab of bacon and a side of fries (¥1,800), and téliszalámis töltött csirke (¥2,100), chicken breast stuffed with a pepperoni-like sausage. For dessert, the palacsinta rolled crepes come with a variety of sweet fillings (¥800). Pickles and vegetable garnishes abound. Though unsubtle, this food is uniformly delicious and never feels gratuitously heavy.

Paprika.hu promotes Hungarian culture and cuisine via regular events, including music performances, cooking lessons and wine and palinka tastings; a variety of discounts are always on offer. In early spring, for instance, the season’s first batch of cherry soup was served for free. A weekday happy hour sees the price of drinks cut to ¥300.

And the goulash, by the way, is fantastic.