The Kulacs, on Dohany utca, comes close to the original spirit of the classic restaurants, as does the Matyas Pince, host to the Lakatos family dynasty's orchestra. The Gellert Hotel preserves the real atmosphere of the grand old days when the band strikes up an after dinner tune. Many first time diners are surprised when the violinist approaches the table to play. If you don't want to have a violin in your soup course politely decline. An after dinner bottle of wine, however, is the classic time to call over the band.
Most band leaders have an inexhaustible repertoire.
T he fashion of an evening of Gypsy violinists accompanying wine and nota, hardy enough to withstand two centuries of Hungary's turbulent history, has had a hard time maintaining itself among the young generation. Many younger Hungarians are more likely to dine on pizza and then slip out to discos. The Gypsy bands are no longer a ubiquitous part of the Hungarian cultural landscape. One has to hunt them out, preferably in countryside inns where tastes have not gone over to the cheesy sounds of the Casio organ and saxophone, or the all purpose cassette deck. The music is still out there, and now as ever, still worth the search.