The concept of TERRA is to be close and faithful to nature, which is reflected in both the restaurant and the food. The restaurant, located in the heart of Taban, was born from Gianni's experience in the catering industry and Zsolti's gastronomic knowledge.
What happens to a restaurant a year after it opens? How can a restaurant present itself at this difficult time for the hospitality industry? Despite the many difficulties, it is the improvements that can keep the wheels moving forward in the long term. Chef Zsolt Haraszti told us what they expect from spring.
- What's happened in the terrarium since it opened?
- We continue the terra individuality, we're taking the same Hungarian line, with a little Italian/international twist. With a decent menu that caters to both the domestic and foreign clientele Opportunities offer. We started making pizza under the guidance of Dávid Varga. We have an excellent team of kitchen, pastry, bar and waiters. In a word, despite the difficulties, we are going ahead and even improving. That said, it is very difficult on the catering labour front. It has become almost a daily occurrence to look for staff, which takes a lot of energy, and unfortunately now restaurants are almost bidding against each other for wages. I don't think that's right!
- What could be the secret to survival?
- It is difficult to say. We always maintain that we source from small producers. Of course we work with large Suppliers but we never compromise on quality. Because it is a narrow group of people who use the services of the catering industry, no pardon in quality. If you are serious about what you do, if you run a restaurant, and you don't want to sell, for example, gyros from any kind of poor quality ingredients, you have to focus on quality.
- Why did you add pizza to the range and what kind do you make?
- We love pizza, it's a popular dish and there are few quality pizzas in the area. Dávid Varga and I did a lot of testing to make sure everything was perfect. The pizza oven is on our built-in, openable terrace, along with the grill, these are highlights of the restaurant that add a serious extra experience for the guests. We have one of the best Morello pizza ovens in the world, wood fired, to bring the traditional Italian flavours.
- Anyone who comes in and sees this kiln will be convinced that this is being taken seriously.
- Yes, we take it seriously! It's very important that we fire with acacia wood, and we also have an electric base that rotates the pizzas. So, as I like to put it, we make a European Neapolitan pizza. We typically work with Italian ingredients. Because Gianni, who oversees the project, so there can be no mistakes in the pizza. The restaurant's unique location will give it a wonderful feeling once the terrace season starts, with the unrivalled views of the city and the tranquillity of the green area, combined with the gastronomic experience.
- Do you also work with takeaway or home delivery?
- If the guest comes in and wants to take it home, there is no problem, it works now. Soon, if everything goes well, we will join one of the delivery companies from mid-February.
- What are the plans for the spring?
- Open the doors and the conservatory becomes a terrace. The natural feel of the terra will be much more pronounced. We'll put our spring emphasis on the barbecue dishes, which will bring a great atmosphere to the house. Here at the top of the Taban, with a terrace seating sixty people - especially as the culture of barbecuing has become fashionable in their country - we can give guests an outstanding impulse. We're looking forward to the spring season, with strawberries, green peas, asparagus and wild onions. We want to bring the flavours of wood and nature into our food, which we can showcase to the full with the barbecue. We have the largest, a beautiful Kamado grill, and we can't wait to fire it up!
- The terra has become part of the Taban. The public loved it. What can you do to attract guests even more?
- Marketing is a big part of hospitality these days. You can't do without the right amount and quality of publicity, it's a basic necessity. And of course the cuisine has to be of high quality. In addition to the a la carte menu, the lunch menu is prepared with complete precision and care, with a choice of starter, main course and dessert. Generous and sufficient, here too we work with care and good ingredients. It's always been about creating a cosy, relaxed but quality restaurant. If we have a good team - and we do - we can go for anything. Thankfully, we've become the talk of the town, and we're getting a lot of new customers.#
