We end up going to Lake Balaton at least once a year, sometimes more. But, I have to admit, I am not a big fan of the lake itself. I do love looking at it, preferably from the terrace of a restaurant, with a glass of wine in my hand. But, although I try every visit, I just don’t really like swimming in it. On our last trip there, about a month ago, I didn’t have this problem. Since it wasn’t swimming season, we just stuck to eating and drinking.

I wrote about what we ate and drank at two great restaurants here on Chew.hu. And I’d just like to emphasize that a meal at Szent Orbán Borház in Badacsony (a restaurant owned by winemaker Huba Szeremley) in itself makes a trip to Balaton totally worthwhile. Definitely, it’s one of Hungary’s finest restaurants, and for what you get it’s a great value. Pictured above is one of the tables from the restaurant’s big patio, surrounded by Szeremley’s vineyards and the lake in the background (although it’s not very visible since it was a cloudy day).  A highlight of our meal at Szent Orbán was the  hidegtál (“cold plate”), which is a common offer on the appetizer menu in Hungary. Here, though, it is special since all of the meat on it comes from the heritage breeds like Mangalica pigs and Hungarian Grey Cattle which Szermley raises on his nearby farm.

–Carolyn