Hungarian Goulash

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
April 2, 2005

SILVER SWAN [CLOSED]
41 E 20th St
(Park Ave & Broadway)
New York, NY 10010
212-254-3611

I have never gone to the same restaurant to eat the same meal two consecutive meals in a row until now. I was at Silver Swan last night for dinner and went back for lunch today. A windy, rainy day made me crave something warm, stewy and meaty. Last night I ordered a bowl of Goulash as a starter to share with friends, but today I wanted the Goulash entrée with spaetzle and red cabbage.

First thing to note is that at Silver Swan you always want to stay at the bar. The menu is essentially the same as the back dining room, but the prices are at about half that of the dining room menu. A bowl of Goulash is only $6. The entrée is $12.

The spaetzle is homemade, irregularly shaped and slightly pan-fried which gives it a great crispy texture on the outside but a nice doughy texture on the inside. The slight tartness to the red cabbage pairs well with the richness of the goulash. I never think of potatoes, pastas and veggies as sides to the main dish. This is a good case where I think the spaetzle and red cabbage were equally as important for balance as the beef goulash.

Speaking of potatoes, I had the potato pancakes last night and those were just scrumptious! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They are served with sour cream and applesauce. This is a starter that is not to be missed!

Also in Beef, German, Gramercy Park, Meat