The Scottish Pub

It's not the Scottish Play so I think that I can mention its name, Caledonia. The pub opened up at the tail end of 2006 and has already built up a good reputation and a lively crowd of regulars.

Situated just off Jokai tér on Mozsar utca, the bar is very central and easy to get to. You just need to know it's there as most people forget that the tiny Mozsar utca even exists.

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I wouldn't say I'm a local there but I've popped in for the occasional pint and chat with friends. Yes, they really do sell some of the beer in pints, which probably violates some EU law but seeing as a pint is 0.568 litres I don't think anyone will be complaining. Oh, and I'm talking about the good old fashioned Imperial Pint as opposed to that new fangled US pint which equates to a mere 0.473 litres.

The staff are warm and welcoming but the best thing about the whole place is that they sell Belhaven Best Bitter (in pints!) which tastes utterly delicious and reminds me of the great bitters back in Blighty. The best bit about the Best is that instead of charging some rip-off price (like Birdland charging 380ft for a 0.25 bottle of water but that's another story), a pint of this lovely liquid will set you back 600ft. Which, although more expensive than most beers, is not that far off from a watered down Dreher from Mediterran in Liszt Ferenc tér on the other side of Andrassy.

While I've been going on about the beer, I've neglected to mention the fact that they also do great food (so people tell me). I can't find a proper Caledonia website but their menu does appear on an xpatloop page. The steaks, burgers and all-day Scottish breakfasts have all been recommended to me.

So, they've got the food and drink covered and they've also covered the walls with a smattering of flat TVs for the sports fans. Oh, and it seems that Thursday nights is karaoke night. Karaoke isn't "my thing" but people were having a lot of fun and that's good in my book.

If you're around Liszt Ferenc tér and looking for an alternative option. Cross over Andrassy and stroll down Mozsar. You'll find a fantastic pint of beer down there.


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The Random Chocolates and the Two Pint Hangover

Perhaps it wasn't a true two pint hangover. I had been feeling a little bit rough before I even took a sip of beer on Friday night but I went to Klub Vittula on Kertesz utca anyway. The place has been around for a while now but it was the first time I'd been. Strange, as I know some people that are regulars there and it's not far from the office.

The reason for losing my Vittula virginity was to watch couple of bands play. The first being The Random Chocolates leading up to Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins. I'd seen both play before over at the Fregatt but they had been lacking drums and drums make all the difference.

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Vitulla is a narrow, smoky joint in a basement with the bar at the back and the stage at the front next to the entrance. The stage itself is tiny and decorated with what looks like a variety of colourful shower curtains. The result is actually very good. A cosy and friendly atmosphere with everyone shuffling around each other and a band that dominates the main room.

The chocs were on great form and got a good response from the audience. It may have been helped by the random chocolates being offered to the crowd. Once the real chocs were in front of us on the table (the sweets not the band) my stomach rumbled to signal that it needed food. Not wanting to fill up on beer, I scoffed a few chocolate covered nuts.

I was pleasantly surprised to see they sell Arany Facan (aka Zlatý bažant) which is very tasty and clean, so that was my first order. But the next pint was part of someone else's round and came in a large, unbranded glass and I suspect may have been Holstein which has been known to mess me about in small quantities.

So my two pint hangover was probably a combination of a slight cold, chocolate dinner and the dodgy second pint. Saturday was spent taking it easy. I can only imagine what would have happened to my hangover if I'd been to see The Random Palinkas.

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