CommentOld wine in new wineskins?New plan a chance to fix age-old problems. Proponents of the “not everything was bad under the Socialists” theory can feel confirmed in their views: the Wednesday before last the new government with its New Széchenyi Development Plan essentially advocated a continuation of the previous government’s New Hungary Development Plan which itself was a rehash of the original Széchenyi Plan that Fidesz undertook during its last term in power from 1998 to 2002. more
RegionFormer Yugoslavia marks anniversary of Operation Storm; Croatia unapologeticThe former Yugoslavia last week marked the 15th anniversary of Operation Storm when the Croatian army expelled Serbian forces from occupied parts of Croatia.Croatia’s Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said it was a “victory” over the policies of former Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic in a ceremony at Zagreb central cemetery. more
BusinessCornerstone of 2nd SMR factory laidWith blessings from above and approval from below. Before placing a time capsule in the cornerstone of what will be its new factory in Mosonmagyaróvár, Indian car-mirror producer SMR Automotive Mirror Technology marked the occasion with a colourful ceremony to ensure that the project will enjoy the favour of the gods. more
CultureJewish cultural celebration comes of ageInterview with Vera Vadas, director of the Jewish Summer Festival. The Jewish Summer Festival is celebrating its own Bar Mitzvah this year, and at 13 years old stands on the threshold between childhood and adulthood. The festival offers a diverse programme of events from 26 August to 6 September. The Budapest Times spoke to the director of these “days of joy”, Vera Vadas. more
Eating OutFrench charm at Lake BalatonReview: Kredenc Borbisztró, Balatonfüred. Strolling through the elegant quarter of Balatonfüred built during the Reform period (beginning of the 19th century), visitors will come across the Kredenc wine bistro right next to the Kedves confectioner’s in Blaha Lujza utca. For anyone who has been to France it will surely bring to mind the bistros there: small tables outside that invite one to linger, while the interior has a homely atmosphere with pleasant background music. more
HistoryCommunists stole labour movement’s momentBob Dent searches for some missing history. When I first came to Budapest in the 1980s there was a memorial plaque on the façade of the Műcsarnok or Hall of Arts in Heroes’ Square. The plaque commemorated a massive workers’ demonstration of 1 September 1930. The marchers had passed through Heroes’ Square on their way to City Park. In recent years it has struck me that the plaque is no longer there. more
Getting there Traveling to the city of Bukhara
in Uzbekistan
is not the easiest of trips. The opportunity to taste genuine Uzbek cuisine,
however, requires only a trip to Budapest’s
2nd district. For those of you who are familiar with the Náncsi néni Restaurant,
then all you have to do is go up Ördögárok utca a little ways. For more
comprehensive directions, go to the www.budapestbuzz.com,
search for the Bukhara Bar, and find it using the interactive map.
Atmosphere The
Bukhara Bar on the inside creates a colorful, inviting atmosphere that nicely
compliments the unique and flavorful cuisine that it serves. All of the plates
and accessories were imported in from Uzbekistan and the walls are adorned with
genuine Uzbek tapestries and artwork.
The
water pipe room will transport you to the Caravan Seraglio, which is the
guesthouse of the oasis of Bukhara where travellers and wanderers could take
some rest in the desert.
When
the weather turns warmer, then the Bukhara Bar offers a goregous terrace and
plenty of garden seating. They fire up a large outdoor grill that fills the
entire area with a wonderful smell. This is an ideal place for families as the
parents can relax while the kids can play on their plyground equipment or just
run around the scenic complex.
Uzbek Cuisine Before
visting the Bukhara Bar, none of us had a clue about what Uzbek cuisine would
be like. As we were all leaving the Bukhara Bar, we were all thinking what a
shame it was that we had not tried to much earlier. For a look at their entire
menu, along with more information about Uzbek cuisine and the Bukhara Bar
restaurant, please visit their web-site at www.bukharabar.hu
Here
are a few items that we tried and thoroughly enjoyed:
Shurpa-Kijma
Beef or lamb dumplings soup with vegetables
Plov
The main dish of the Uzbek people; preparing a good plov makes an Uzbek cook a
real chéf; it is made of meat, rice and carrot, flavoured with Uzbek spices and
spotted with raisin
Shashlyk, lamb
Samsa with lamb
Stuffed bundle baked in the oven
Samsa with beef
Stuffed bundle baked in the oven
Samsa with chicken
Stuffed bundle baked in the oven
Corporate Finance / M&A CornerManaging Risk to Build Corporate Value (Part II)
My previous column (Part I of this series) dealt with risks in the
valuation of companies, stressing in particular that the higher the risk
associated with a company, the lower the value of that company. This
is not static: investors’ perceptions of risks constantly evolve as they
assess a company and the valuation process is consequently also
evolving in tandem. In the context of privately-owned companies, few
things are more crucial than the due diligence process, when an investor
reviews — in detail — all of a company’s title documents, financial
records, contracts, etc. Because of this, it is in the interests of
all owners to identify and manage risks well in advance of engaging in
serious discussions with investors. more
What lies beneathLegal, againEscaping the Hungarian heat two weekends ago had us driving into an approaching Austrian cold front with its accompanying downbursts, thunder, lightning, dark foreboding clouds and refreshingly cool air. That cold front was a reprieve and the kind we needed on more than one front. more
Letters to the EditorRules not meant to be brokenDear Editor,I’m an Englishman who is resident in Budapest and works in the film industry.I fell in love with the city when we filmed Eragon about five years ago and decided to buy an apartment on the Buda side with a river frontage in District I, which has a World Heritage Site designation. more
Plov
