Lunch Buffet at the Epicurean Hungarian Restaurant

I made it to the Epicurean Hungarian Restaurant for lunch Friday. I had originally intended to “score” some stuffed cabbage, but once I saw their buffet I couldn’t resist the temptation to do a “sampling” since there was such a great assortment. I didn’t recall seeing any reports here on this buffet, so here’s a few quick impressions.

Even though it was 2:30, the tail end of the buffet’s schedule, there was still plenty of good-looking food available in all of the trays. There were at least a half dozen different salads including a garden salad with or without chicken, fresh fruit, Hungarian cucumber salad, beet salad, and a cabbage salad. Two soups were available; one was pork based, the other was a cream of potato. Main dishes included chicken paprikash, beef goulash, fish filets, a Hungarian sausage of which I don’t know the name, and a pork loin schnitzel. Sides included potato pancakes, boiled potatoes, lecso, cabbage in tomato sauce, and 2 or 3 other dishes of which I am not familiar. There were several different varieties of Hungarian crepes and cakes available for dessert. Langos was also available. (I’m doing this from memory since it didn’t occur to me to take notes, and I know I have forgotten a few items).

I’m not going to critique any specific selections. I probably tried at least a small sampling of at least half of the dishes, and everything I tried was very good. None of the fried dishes were heavy or oily. All of the meats were of high quality. I especially liked the goulash, chicken paprikash, potato soup, langos, and the dessert crepes. Considering the quality and variety of the offerings, I think for $8.95 it is an excellent value. I have lived a major portion of my life on a diet of homemade Hungarian cooking, and I can tell you it doesn’t get much better than this. My only disappointment was not scoring any stuffed cabbage. It is obvious what makes this place good—the owners, Tom and Elena. I spoke to them after my meal. They are both very focused, detail-oriented, competent individuals who obviously take pride in their work.

The Epicurean Hungarian Restaurant
4431 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Hillside, IL 60162

I enjoyed your report, Cogito. Thanks!

Josephine wrote:I enjoyed your report, Cogito. Thanks!

Yes, me too. I've been meaning to hit this place for buffet, and your report has me wanting more than ever.

HI,

Is the lunch buffet also offered on weekends? I just learned from another thread the lunch buffet is Monday-Saturday.

Regards,

I was just looking at my calendar this week to see what day I could slip away for lunch. As I am second generation Hungarian, the cravings hit me more than your average, and with Paprikash's closing of the Chicago location, I have been left to my own goulash recipe, written down on the back of an Exxon receipt in my grandmother's kitchen.

Anyone up for an excursion this week??

Anyone up for an excursion this week??

Post a time and date on the Events Board, then see what happens next!

Regards,

Everytime I go to pay my husbands dues at his union office (it's right across the street), I wonder if that place is any good. We'll have to try it!

I work in that neck of the woods. If I'm free enough work-wise, I'd love to join a group for lunch.

A quick update. I stopped by EHR last Friday (day after Thanksgiving) for another sampling of their luncheon buffet.

There were at least a half dozen different salads again, this time including French potato salad, which was quite good. The soups were bean and cucumber. I was pleased and impressed to see that all of the entrees were different than on my first visit, and included chicken in mushroom sauce, chicken schnitzel, stuffed peppers, roast pork with mushrooms, tilapia, pork stew, and a pork and cabbage dish. Sides included potato stew, a broccoli dish, dilled zucchini, and a beet dish. I had walnut torte cake for dessert. I know I have forgotten a few items.

I thought everything I tried was very good. Either I'm easily pleased, or EHR is putting out a very consistent offering of excellent quality. I can't believe no one else has posted anything about this buffet yet. It's well worth a try.

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

Is the lunch buffet also offered on weekends? I just learned from another thread the lunch buffet is Monday-Saturday.

Regards,

Their website says "yes" -- Monday - Saturday, 11-3. (Open for lunch Monday - Sunday, so Sunday is the only day without the buffet.)

Definitely sounds like it's worth a try. For what it's worth, the Napoleonic Alliance is celebrating the anniversary of the battle of Austerlitz at this restaurant, and the director of the Alliance, who picked the restaurant, is extremely knowledgeable about food and he gave it very hight marks for quality.

I was actually pretty disappointed with the lunch buffet; I thought it was mediocre at best.

I think you're better off hitting up Priscilla's across the street.

I'm surprised you didn't like it. Was there anything specific you felt was a problem?

HI,

Several weeks ago I took my Mom and friends over to the Epicurean Hungarian for their buffet lunch after a Culinary Historians meeting. We loved the lunch buffet, which was well made and executed. I noticed the spaetzle looked similar to what I make at home. I asked how they prepared them, then the owner explained they modified a home shuttle-dispenser for their larger pots.

For a buffet meal, the service was not only attentive, it was very observant. One of our friends was observing her birthday, which we did not highlight to the staff. We simply planned to order a dessert from the menu. However they overheard it, then brought a plate of cream puffs, whipping cream and chocolate sauce with candles.

Later we had an extended conversation with owner, who gave us a tour of their meeting room and kitchen. We met his wife who is the pastry chef.

I was surprised to see how close they were to Priscilla's and the cemetary. I then inquired if they had a strong of funeral trade, which the owner affirmed they do indeed.

While service in any establishment can vary from day to day, I would be equally as happy going to Priscilla's as I am to the Epicurean Hungarian.

Regards,

Very sad to report that this wonderful restaurant apparently closed in May, leaving Chicago without Hungarian cuisine.

This news is a bummer, but not very surprising. The last couple of times I ate there business was very slow. The couple that owned the place were very nice folks, they probably took an extreme hit from the closing. I really can't figure it out, they had great food, reasonble pricing, and were the best Hungarian place in town (maybe only?).

Cogito wrote:This news is a bummer, but not very surprising. The last couple of times I ate there business was very slow. The couple that owned the place were very nice folks, they probably took an extreme hit from the closing. I really can't figure it out, they had great food, reasonble pricing, and were the best Hungarian place in town (maybe only?).

I'm pretty sure they were the only Hungarian restaurant in the Chicago area as of the last two years or so. For a period of time, if I'm remembering correctly, they co-existed with Paprikash, so there were two Hungarian choices in town, but Paprikash moved to Arlington Heights and soon went under and turned into yet another Italian joint.

It really doesn't make sense, as Hungarian cuisine should be a relatively easy sell in Chicago. It's not so exotic to turn off the meat-and-potatoes crowd who grew up with Polish or German cuisine, but it is just interesting enough that it's not just another Eastern European restaurant. On the other hand, the Epicurean was (from my perspective) not in the best of locations and perhaps a bit too ambitiously large.

Yeah, the place was pretty big. I wonder if the name "Epicurean" had any effect on their business. Someone told me they never went there because they figured the prices would be astronomical because of the implied upper eschelon effect in the name.

Hi,

Epicurean Hungarian Restaurant was in the middle of several major cemetaries. There is solid business in the post funeral trade, if you play your cards right. They did want that business, because they had printed information on funeral packages.*

The owner of Epicurean was the founder of Paprikash. The new owners bought Paprikash for the name and reputation. I never heard much admiration for the Arlington Height's location. I do recall eatchicago as a long time customer immediately identified a change in ownership at the flagship location. I surmise the new owners didn't execute the concept well, despite purchasing a name with a good reputation.

*I could envision a commission to the funeral home who directed the party to your restaurant. This may be highly competitive with prices lower than they may want. Do you compromise on quality to tweak a profit or maintain quality with less to no profit, then hope it garners repeat business. I can envision making and losing money playing to the funeral trade.

Regards,