Once I have a particular food or restaurant stuck in my head then I have to try it. I am so determined when it comes to food that I even travelled all the way to Budapest to try TGI Fridays. That is a slight lie. I went there to see the amazing city. TGI’s was just a bonus.
The first thing I like notice when I go to an American-style restaurant is the décor. Did it have the token memorabilia on the wall? Yes. Was it overly tacky? No, I could eat my food without nausea. We were a little early for our reservation so sat at the bar and ordered some beer. They were serving a 1l glass of the local beer (Dreher) which was automatically the winning choice. Following the order was slight embarrassment when the drink was actually for one person and we had said we wanted to share. Oops! Let’s have another one of those immediately!
True to Joy blogging fashion, I have no pictures of the food. I will use the power of words to describe my meal instead. To start I had some ricotta wrapped in eggplant which I really enjoyed! It was delicious and a change from the standard garlic bread or bruschetta starter. The main menu is not very suitable for vegetarians. Luckily I am a pescatrian so was able to order the Jack Daniel’s Salmon. The salmon was very well cooked and the cheddar mashed potatoes were to die for. Vegetables are vegetables in fairness. What I really ordered this dish for though was the Jack Daniels sauce. For years I have been listening about this famous sauce. The build up was immense as I dropped my first bite of it onto my tongue. It was an anti-climax. A tasty sauce no doubt and one that I would order again but it was just like a more watery BBQ sauce. Yes, I know it is BBQ sauce but after all the talk about it I thought it would literally blow my mind. I can’t say it has put me off a revisit though.
Overall, my first TGI’s experience was a good one. The food was tasty, the décor was not vomit inducing and the staff were extremely friendly. Not the cheapest place to eat in a budget city like Budapest but one that is totally worth it if you like the whole American dining scene. TGI Fridays, I will probably see you again sometime.
Joyful Antidotes 