Address: Nitrianská cesta 58, 958 03 Partizánske
Hours:Mon.-Thu. 11-22, Fri.-Sat. 11-23, Sun. closed
Phone:0815/495-892
Prices:Sk Sk Sk
Reservations:Urged
English menu: No (German)
Credit Cards: No
Recommended:Definitely
Where do we begin to try to describe this restaurant? Probably the best place is first to apologize for keeping this secret to ourselves for such a long time. We have agonized over whether to publicize this jewel, and have finally decided it really is our responsibility to share this fantastic place with you.
So what makes this such a special find? After all, there are some delightful restaurants in Bratislava, and this gastronomic oasis is 140 kilometers away. Why should we encourage you to take this drive? Simply, it is a combination of the people, the food, and the service. With a little improvement in the ambience, and an upgrading of the table settings, this would be, without a doubt, a world class establishment.
As it is, there is little to criticize and everything to commend. The owners are Juraj Halmo, your host, and Marián Filo, the chef extraodinaire. Can you imagine walking into many restaurants, anywhere in the world, and being greeted by a host who remembers you dietary requirements? This is what happened to us on a recent visit, after not having been there for probably 6 months. Another nice feature, the restaurant is in full compliance with the No Smoking rules, and the No Smoking section is the larger room!
If you choose to make the trip, and we urge that you do, you will be greeted by an extensive menu. Everything we have ordered from the menu has been wonderful. But our recommendation is simply to introduce yourselves to Juraj and ask him to choose - even when selecting wines. Juraj does not speak any English, but it quite willing to bring you some of the finest food you can imagine. If you speak German or Slovak, Marián will be happy to discuss the selections with you. The pair are well-trained in catering to guests, as Marián spent 3 years in restaurants in Germany, and Juraj's background is in the hotel and hospitality industry.
On our latest sojourn, we indulged in a six-course meal. The first course was smoked salmon with three generous servings of sauces, elegantly framed in vegetables. This was followed by a salad, one with fish, the other with chicken. Our third course was a roll; one was turkey stuffed with carrot, ham and parsley and served with a lightly smoked mustard sauce, and surrounded by rice, a salad and wonderful potatoes au gratin. For the meat-free dish, the staff presented us with a medley of vegetables including baby carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumber and potatoes au gratin in a light sauce.
Our fourth course was wild game steak topped with a tangy, red berry sauce that melted in the mouth. The steak came with an elegant presentation of fresh apple, pear, kiwi and plum and croquette potatoes. The meat-free dish was a kale roll filled with surimi, carrots, sesame and accompanied by rice.
The fifth round consisted of three large prawns and salmon, served with a heart-shaped presentation of whipped potatoes, and for the meat eaters, a beef filet at least 5 centimeters thick and rare, but which again simply melted in the mouth.
Are you still with us, or are you already full? One of us certainly was, but dessert is a house specialty, so save some space. This time It was a chocolate mousse with pineapple ice-cream and a maraschino cherry, together with fresh fruit.
All this, well served, at a gentle pace, without any feeling of delay or of being rushed. Our meal, including an excellent Hungarian red wine and coffee, cost 1,700 Sk. including tip.
So, you may be asking by now, where is this place? To get there, take the freeway towards Trenčín, get off at Piešťany and follow the signs to Topoľčany. Partizánske is about 15 kilometers north on the road to Piešťany. Once you reach the town, you will pass the bus station and the CEBO shoe factory. After going a short distance north of the bus station, look for the sign on the left and drive in through the gate. The restaurant is in front of you behind a willow tree. The drive takes about one-and-half hours from the center of Bratislava. If you do not feel like facing the drive back, the hotel in the square is adequate.
Author: Michel Litt, Graham Wood
