Rivalda Café & Restaurant

Frommer's Review

Rivalda serves up contemporary, creative food with a side of Hungarian history and personality. In the late 17th century Francis Joseph I established a casino with a theater where this restaurant now stands. And Rivalda, without a doubt, retains the theatrical charm: a sole saxophonist plays his lonely tunes, dwarfed by the château-yellow backdrop at the far end of the restaurant; theater lights and riggings adorn the ceilings; and the walls are painted with the backdrops of plays and caricatures of famous Hungarian actors. We started with the escargot baked in garlic and cheese, just browned slightly, followed by a tender but nondescript rack of lamb on a bed of sautéed spinach, with pine-nut sauce and dried fruit couscous. Agnes Weininger, the Canadian restauranteur at the helm, has become known for her creations, including the recently published story of a long-distance love affair with her Greek knight in shinning armor.

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