Beach Food v2.0 - CODE ZERO, Csopak

One can convert two containers into a trendy waterside grill terrace, especially if they serve dishes like beef ribs marinated in port and vegetable sauce, on a granite plate. You have 'til the end of September to test what the American grill equipment can deliver, or time your visit to spring. Not only for sailors.

So far, the gastronomical revolution has only brushed Lake Balaton and this summer did not bring a breakthrough either, but apparently, a switch has already been turned. The Paletta in Boglár is roaring, the Matróz in Füred is finally in gear, and now with CODE ZERO close to the local beach even Csopak has made it to the Balaton street (or beach) food map.

The youthful image that is based on two containers and gives even the bars of Budapest a run for their money was designed by András Ernst of Insiderdesign. The red-black colour combination, the bar and beanbags by the water are truly inviting: during the time we spent there, we saw a sailboat mooring to one of the berths of CODE ZERO.

But the real magic of the place lies in its combinable grill dishes. You can select your version of meat, side dish and salad for a standard price of 2500 HUF. Vegetarians could only go for the goat cheese this year, but the manager made promises to expand their options next summer. As for meat, the menu includes beef, chicken, shrimp and zander, marinated in various sauces.

We went for the Hickory beef ribs with grilled polenta and summer vegetables with basil. The meat had been marinated in port wine and vegetable sauce, and there were bacon bits in the polenta, which took the whole dish to a pleasantly seasoned level. The stove-baked jacket potatoes is always served with sour cream, and the inside of the potato remains nice and creamy under the cracking shell, thanks to the pre-cooking and freezing stages.

CODE ZERO (under the instruction of chef János Komonyi) uses two spectacular, multifunctional grill appliances: the American, kamado-type grill called Big Green Egg is fuelled with charcoal and you can smoke, grill and cook meat on its different tiers simultaneously. The finished products are served on a metal tray, the meat is placed on granite plates. The reason is quite straightforward: the granite keeps the food warm. The meat is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, while the side dish and the salad are also delightful.

Although they opened later than planned, and CODE ZERO is still in the testing phase, it is already difficult to find a free table in the weekends. Those who are lucky to find a free seat will definitely stay a few hours, as the tasty grill food, the excellent Balaton wines and the non-plus-ultra Balaton panorama all work against leaving. The same happened to us, despite the fact that we were served in mere fifteen minutes.

CODE ZERO remains open until the end of September and then hibernates for winter. Theey will await the opening next May with rain and sun protection and a waterside lounge section, which will probably further enhance the pleasant, staring-at-the-water-chilling qualities of the place. The beginnings and the current menu are promising, and come next spring, you might also bump into grill theme nights and wine dinners as well.