Straightaway Cafe

Hi. This restaurant is highly recommendable because of its location. As with many European restaurants, this one is located "in the middle of nowhere." However, it is only 4 miles from Black Mountain.

The cook is Hungarian, and the menu offers many Hungarian soups, entrees and desserts that are, more or less, authentic. I say that because I have lived in Hungary and know what is truly authentic, and what is not.

The Hortobagy palatchinken (crepes) were not. Instead of being filled with a pork filling, the cook used mashed up chicken. This had a not very nice texture and was not warm. The sour cream with paprika sauce that goes over these crepes was bland. Good news or bad news, the cook is not heavy on the salt, that's for sure.

The stuffed cabbage roll with accompanying kraut was wonderful. This is not usually on the menu, however. A big plus is the wine and beer selection. A really excellent glass of pinot grigio was only 3.50. One could have ordered a whole bottle for only 12 dollars. Ditto for the bubbly. Twice has the Straightaway Cafe offered a delectable, golden draft beer from Austria, the Goesser Bier.

It is lovely to sit outside under the old apple trees. One doesn't mind the sometimes slow service because of this quaint, European style atmosphere.

One complaint I might have: Some items on the menu are iffy, that is, great one time, poor the next. Although I recommend the fish and chips, as the fish is perfectly fried and delicious, the french fries were not crispy the first time this dish was ordered. The second time, the french fries were hot, crispy and, in my opinion, "doesn't get better than this."

Ditto for the cheeseburger, lovely, thick and hot the first time, thinner with congealed, cold cheese the second time, although, surprisingly, the bun was warm.

Don't order the spaghetti and meatballs. The pasta is overcooked, which doesn't seem to be the case with the linguine and seafood/vegetable dish.

The Hungarian Goulasch soup is quite good, but not the Hungarian Goulasch, which, strangely, I've never seen on the menu in Budapest, just the soup, which is called Hungarian Goulasch there (not soup, which would then be called soup, or, "leves").