It only takes a visit to shift your point of view slightly, and KerékBár on the edge of Köveskál will become the centre of the world of Kál. This is the place where only the classic blue public drinking fountain had delivered salvation to cyclists after the long kilometres of the Kővágóörs road. Zsuzsa Somlyódy and her family decided: there had to be a resting point here.
'For years, I had watched cyclists fall into the ditch on account of weariness. Then I opened this place,' says Zsuzsa Somlyódy. Kerékbár is doctor's orders for cyclists just reaching the edge of Köveskál, where Mother Mary is smiling at the other side of the road, above a huge lavender bush and in front of the backdrop that is the Balaton Uplands National Park. There are leavened pickles soaking up the sun in the window, the bikes rest leaning on the well, while Betti (who helps in the kitchen) and Ms Zsuzsa wink at each other to signal whether the guest that just arrived is new to the place or someone who had already been here - and thus is engraved in the memory of Betti - in 2011.
Woven, painted, cut to size
The first positive thing you'll notice here is that you are indeed allowed to arrive. There is no one leaping at you at once, pushing you to order something - and they are alright with guests who can't seem to make up their mind when choosing their seat. True, the choice is difficult, as there is an abundance of chairs. Ms Zsuzsa's chair-hoarding passion can only be matched with the number of woven basket she owns.
This is part of the charm: some of the furniture was retained from the old house, others were purchased at the Tapolca market and then repainted. For us, another crucial bit of the authentic KerékBár style is that the tables are covered by tailored, colourful carpets - this gives the place a slightly Oriental, slightly Balaton Uplands and a truly unique vibe.
The famed Liptauer
As for gastronomy, the spotlight at KerékBár is one one thing: Zsuzsa Somlyódy's Liptauer. Her family always suspected that it would one day be served up to someone, being extremely delicious. They were right, and today they even have returning (grown up!) guests who would never start a day without the Liptauer kifli on their holiday in Kál.
The range of dishes include (our object of desire) the bread and dripping, the eggplant spread, the soup of the day and the dessert, quince cheese with almonds. All of them are as delicious and simple as our grandma's cooking.
One house and the other
Zsuzsa and her family used to spend summers for 15 years at Lake Balaton, then they bought the - by now beautifully renovated - neighbouring house and lot. The building that currently houses Kerékbár was abandoned for a while back then. Once the family settled into the end-of-village tranquility, they started to worry that someone might see THE investment opportunity in the lot in question, so they bought it themselves.
The old house came with dilapidated stables, which has been rebuilt into a cooling spot and the residence of the infamous woven baskets. The space, however, is dominated by the garden: under the huge walnut tree, one can instantly sense the peace and silence of the place, and if you happen to look for dimensions, you can walk up the hill and catch sight of the two church spires of Kővágóörs.
Zsuzsa makes a point of stating that the last wedding they will have ever hosted here was that of her daughter: they'd like to avoid becoming overcrowded or trendy. The place is cozy and lovable, at which you shouldn't be surprised, given that the neighbour is the owner: this means that guests are almost like family friends on a visit.
