TATABÁNYA (AFP) – Goulash-flavoured gelato, anyone? Curious customers are flocking from all over Hungary to taste the summer’s wackiest taste sensations – a small ice cream parlour serving up savoury Hungarian staples.
Robert Reinhardt and his taste-bud challenging flavours have become an overnight hit, creating a buzz on social media.
“We started with potato pancake flavours. That already blew some people’s minds,” the 44-year-old, who runs Roberto Confectionery in the city of Tatabanya north of Budapest, told AFP.
After receiving requests for new flavour creations from people online, Reinhardt began to experiment, mixing traditional Hungarian dishes such as paprika chicken, cabbage stew and meat pancakes with a variety of ice cream bases.
But he doesn’t limit himself to Hungarian cuisine, broadening his menu to include all-time favourites like spaghetti Bolognese and scrambled eggs.
“I realised that you could get really good flavours out of it. This is not a joke,” Reinhardt said, who sells his ice cream for HUF500 (EUR1.27) a scoop.
Turnover at the shop has since increased by “three or four times” since Hungarian media first got the scoop on his unusual treats, said his wife Ena.
“We are a little bit overwhelmed because we didn’t expect that it would become such a hit,” she told AFP.
“We’re constantly looking for more staff.”
So far the savoury ice creams have been popular with customers, although some admitted they are more of an acquired taste.
“I thought they were going to be very unusual, but they taste great,” said masseuse Ildiko, who declined to give her full name, after sampling all flavours for free before making her choice.
“The tomato soup, the sheep cheese with dill and the fried cheese tasted the best,” she told AFP, adding that she would soon be back for more.
