I traveled to Budapest this fall and experienced memorable meals during my stay.

On my first night, I dined at my hotel, Anantara New York Palace Budapest. My group and I enjoyed a three-course meal with wine pairings. For my meal, I opted for a beetroot gazpacho with burrata and horseradish, Mangalica pork with vegetables and Esterházy cake. My favorite was the soup, which arrived in a beautiful ceramic, egg-shaped bowl. The cake is a traditional Hungarian dessert made of hazelnut meringue and custard buttercream.

On the second night we dined at Gundel, one of Budapest’s oldest and best-known restaurants. I started my meal with a roasted goat cheese and beet salad. For my entrée I selected paprika chicken, which came with nokedli (Hungarian noodles) and cucumber salad. It was the perfect, cozy dish. For dessert I opted for a flambé pancake with chocolate. Overall, the meal was flavorful, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere was charming.

During a visit to Tard, Hungary, we sampled traditional goulash. We visited the small village for an afternoon to learn the Matyó embroidery traditions. For lunch we sampled goulash made by local women in the village. It was true comfort food and an incredibly special experience I won’t soon forget.

I tried my hand at cooking Hungarian dishes through Anantara’s immersive Spice Spoons cooking class. My group and I had a fun time making our own versions of Hungarian classics, with varying degrees of success. My favorite dish of the night was lángos, a Hungarian fried bread. We made the dough and fried it, with the help of the hotel’s chefs, then added traditional toppings of cheese, chives and sour cream.

Though my visit was short, I was happy I experienced these one-of-a-kind dining experiences in Hungary.

— Katie Skrzek, vice president/digital director