I would give it 2.5 if I could. OK?
I finally got a chance to try this new place that got off to a checkered start: it opened last late summer, was open for maybe 6-8 weeks...then a sign on the door "closed until January". They finally opened late February. As we would often drove past while it was closed my wife and I speculated on why it could be closed so long? What had happened? (OK. Not writing a novel here so I will tell you this much... We never did figure out why so long. My wife figured rat droppings in the dumplings and I more courageously defended their potential 'cause I loves me some fried meat. Mmmm m mmmm.). Wife not crazy about Hungarian food and rat poo, this had to be a solo endeavour.
I ordered two mains. The layup: the schnitzel dinner with dumplings. And comfort food of sorts for me:cordon bleu.
Good news. The food was clean! The restaurant - which was closed remember? - was just not nice. Not pleasant. Not warm. Not comfy. No rats at all on my visit. Nada. Glad I was doing take out still.
Food was well cooked. Looked very nice but sparse. Just meat and starch and a bit of sauer kraut in a strange homemade tinfoil tray. Packing looked cheap: Bad choice in Styrofoam fold top trays.
Back to food. Good sized hunk of meat. Nice finish - golden brown all over. I was so excited. Huge huge huge schnitzel fan - remember the Corona, on Bloor, I think? That place was IT for schnitzel. Yum.
Now. Getting back to THIS dish...the side - dumplings: Were very good 8/10. Seemed homemade. Right texture. Right firmness.
Then the meat- First several bites were delicious. I will give them that. Lovely. Subtle. Just salt and the lemon I squeezed on the food. But after a few bites the quality of the meat was a bit sideways. Now much tougher and sinewy. Carried on for the rest of the slab - and it's not fun going into each bite wondering if you are going to discover a springy mouthful of ligaments. So the good bites were "meh. At least I didn't eat a rubber band"! and well. the bad bites were...well. (Insert gaggy sound)
And it was the same story for number two.
Not great.
So. You are a Hungarian restaurant - you are going to one thing really really well? It's schnitzel!!! Sigh.
And since it's a hole in the wall my other suggestion would be to cater to take out and delivery and narrow the menu - after you up the meat quality. The menu is some three full (if a bit sparse) pages - remember, there are 8 or 10 seats in this place. It is ridiculous that they have money tied up in Animal Shaped Chicken Fingers for kiddies and Regular Chicken Fingers sitting in their freezer when they are not getting the best quality of their core product from their suppliers. OK OK OK.
I really think If they geared the menu to take out, did less, like 8 items...and did it all really really well I think they would do better. If they want to be a restaurant they have a lot of decorating work to do.
I know these people who put their heart and souls into making that place work are working hard and are putting love into their product - it could just be so so great. But it wasn't even "good" in any regard.
I was really hoping for more.
They are close by. I will probably try them again. If it's different I will definitely update this review. I really wanted it to be good.