Cilantro Tropical Bistro opened its doors in the autumn of 2021 in the historic part of Esztergom, in Watertown. It is not a traditional restaurant, as here you can feel like you are in a real American bistro. We talked to the managers of the store, Orsolya Helfy and Szilárd.
Szilárd Helfy lived in the United States of America for about 30 years, 4 of them in New York and 26 in Florida. First he opened a Hungarian tavern, then he was a trainer at a popular “steakhouse”. “After I came home to Hungary, I decided that I had to show the american flavors to the locals, it really worked out. Moreover, I’ve had several residents from the United States visiting me, who, after coming in and having lunch, completely felt as if they were in a Florida bistro,” says Szilárd.
On Cilantro’s menu, you can find many steaks, seafood and scallops, and they also prepare lobster for pre-order. In the bistro, you can also choose a special dish such as marinated octopus, which is prepared in a citrus way and served with mango salsa sauce. The black mussels are also very tasty, which are delivered fresh to the restaurant twice a week. The menu also includes delicacies such as spicy Buffalo chicken wings, Louisiana clam chowder, mahi-mahi fish fillets, and salads with grilled toppings. The Tex-Mex selection is also very large: there are burgers, tacos, nachos and quesadillas. What’s more, you can also taste real chili beans, in addition, Florida’s official pie, the key lime pie. It is important to emphasize that all the cakes are made locally.
In the section called Uncle Pali’s Favorites, you can discover Hungarian dishes. “Uncle Pali, or Pál Helfy by his honest name, is my uncle. Those who know him know that he was a student of Ferenc Gundel, a great chef. He prepares the Hungarian dishes at our place,” said Szilárd, and then his wife, Orsolya, added: “We also follow American traditions in the bistro, and on Thanksgiving we welcome guests with a classic turkey dinner. In addition, we also offer seasonal and current offers, for example we served pheasant soup in December”.
If you are curious about American flavors, or if your friend who lives in the USA is coming to Hungary, be sure to visit the Cilantro Tropical Bistro located at 1 Pázmány Péter street. Would you rather eat your favorites at home? Via Wolt, you could also order some meals to be delivered to your home! Nearly two hundred people have already evaluated the restaurant on Google, you can read their opinions by clicking here!
