You can run into good jokes from time to time: like Balaton''s hake is made from a special kind of sea fish. To say, you''ll find the best mussels and cattle fish at a hidden restaurant on Balaton''s North Shore, Alsóörs sounds like a surreal joke as well. We checked it, and it''s not some prank on Fool''s day: Carpaccio''s food is delicious!
Word of Mouth
Carpaccio has been there for over 20 years, but our guide Ádám Mohos (the owner of Bor és Szóda) discovered it only 2 years ago, when one of his friends suggested him to pay a visit. Since then he has no clue why did it take so long to find this little piece of Italia, because he is crazy about outstanding quality. He did his homework: after the discovery he became a regular guest, andhe knows the meals' numbers by heart. When we enter the restaurant and ask him what we should eat, he sounds like some kind of monk who is mumbling his prayers when he responds with numbers. It seems like his faith for the place has grown quite strong over the years, so we believe him. Consuming the Number 14 appetizer (black mussels with tomato sauce and garlic) and the number 86 (wonderful) main dish (Saltimbocca alla Roszkopf) will really make you feel like a noble man from Sicilia. We raised the stakes with number 92 (pancakes with mascarpone cream and strawberry topping), but in the end we needed everyone’s (we were four) stomach to finish it. The reason is simple: in Carpaccio the Italian food comes in Hungarian (meaning: really-really big) portions.
Born to be a chef
Zsolt Kárpáti the owner and chef of Carpaccio learned how to cook by himself at the age of 35. It's kind of a secret though, because the restaurant's regular guests like hotel owners and other businessmen are used to the finest chefs with Michelin stars all over on them.
The owner used to spend the winters in Italy as a track and field long distance runner, and he fell in love with the country’s cuisine. He opened a restaurant at the family's former vineyard in Alsóörs and started to work there as a waiter. In 1992 he said to himself: "I could do better than this" so he stepped into the kitchen and started to cook. In his opinion the young Hungarian chefs get ruined early, because their teachers kill their unique thoughts. You don't need to be meticulously precise, only a bit of talent, rational thinking and practicing are required. And passionate spicing, of course! Zsolt Kárpáti cooks and experiments passionately every day of the week. His freshest ideas are usually displayed on the offers' board. If you rely on the chef's imagination you can bring the ingredients with you, and he will fix some delicious meal for you. The Hungarian-Italian courses are accompanied by the wines of Balaton in Carpaccio, but we also recommend the homemade fruit syrups (especially the ginger!) and the artisan cheese as well. Where does the owner go when he's not creating something in the kitchen? He jumps in the car, heads to Balatonfüred to eat a marrow toast at Hatlépcsős.
