A red donkey brought the Mediterranean lifestyle to Tata

The idea for Morris the Donkey came from the fact that Tata lacked a place that was mainly based on Spanish and a slightly broader Mediterranean cuisine. The main direction is Spain, but the concept does not cling tightly to national borders, Greek and Italian elements are also present. Rather, they are trying to create a common Southern European feeling of life, which fits well with the lakeside, the large terrace, and of course the many small plates ordered in the middle of the table.

The owners didn't want to completely erase the past of the place during the renovation. Morris has also preserved some of the more informal atmosphere of the former press. Next to the terrace, a separate beer garden-like area has been created with benches and deckchairs. It's easy to imagine yourself here even if you don't necessarily come for a multi-course dinner, but just want to have a drink while walking on the lakeshore or taking a short break while cycling. The atmosphere of the restaurant and the old, more relaxed restaurant can thus live side by side, not mutually exclusive.

Do you trust Morris the Donkey's chef?

The Spanish line becomes really clear on the menu. Morris the Donkey follows the logic of tapas, so smaller portions of food, several courses, and plates placed in the middle of the table are the essence of the meal. I basically prefer this type of dining culture much more, because it inevitably brings people together. Everyone tastes everything, conversations develop more easily.

And if you sometimes find yourself indecisive and confusedly browsing the menu, ask for the Roulette! The name is not accidental. Although this roulette is a much safer game than its Russian cousin, there is still some uncertainty to be expected here. Those who choose this option hand over the decision to the kitchen, and the chef selects eleven courses – but the exact ones will only be revealed to you at the table. There is no need to negotiate for a long time about what to order, we simply entrust ourselves to the kitchen.

The menu doesn't stop at tapas, of course. The menu also offers lighter appetizers, more substantial main courses, and desserts. In addition to Spanish staples – patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo, padron peppers, red wine sausage, and various seafood dishes – other Mediterranean cuisines also make an appearance. The menu includes pink-fried tuna with olive oil, lemon zest, and capers, Rioja beef flank steak, or even crispy baby octopus with coriander. We also tried black mussels in a creamy crab sauce, tonno crudo, and grilled artichokes with pecorino, and it was hard to find anything on the table that we didn't eat to the last bite.

Saganaki and garlic shrimp

Some dishes also combine Mediterranean ideas with local ingredients. For example, the saganaki is made with Tata mushrooms with honey and lemon, and the red wine sausage replaces its Spanish counterpart with Tata sausage.

The saganaki worked particularly well for us: the honey drizzled over the salty cheese added just enough sweetness to round out the whole dish. The sausages were also nicely seasoned, and after the garlic shrimp, there was little question about what would happen to the homemade bread, because it was simply mandatory to soak up the oily sauce with it. It started to rain in the meantime, but it didn't particularly spoil the mood. When delicious plates arrive one after another, it's surprisingly easy to come to terms with the weather.

We close the series with Morris the Donkey desserts.

The Mediterranean line continues in the dessert section. In addition to the obligatory crema catalana and Basque cheesecake, the menu also includes chocolate cake and pistachio-raspberry tiramisu. We tried the first two, and although both were delicious, I think the execution could be improved a bit. The Catalan cream came in a hollowed-out orange, which can be called spectacular, but for me it didn't really add to the experience, I would have preferred to have it in its classic form – but that's just a subjective opinion.

Morris the Donkey's Basque cheesecake was creamy and very delicious, but its texture was so soft that it quickly started to fall apart on the plate. I think it could have done with a slightly longer baking time or higher temperature, so that the outside would have developed a slightly darker, more caramelized, slightly burnt layer, while the inside would still remain creamy, but it would be nice to slice and hold its shape.

And if you would rather end your meal with ice cream instead of – or alongside – the cakes, that is also an option. The award-winning ice creams from Budapest's Fazekas Confectionery are also on offer.

A diverse gastronomic experience on the lakeside

Morris a Szamár doesn't just work well as a restaurant. A Roulette tasting, a long dinner on the terrace can give you a different experience, and a few drinks in the beer garden, looking out over the Cseke Lake area from a deck chair, can be something else. Maybe that's what makes it all less stiff, because it doesn't try to pretend that we're suddenly in Barcelona or Andalusia in the middle of Tata. It rather borrows something from that feeling of life. Lots of small plates, a little leisure, wine, a terrace, and a red donkey who gave the whole thing its name.

Address: 2890 Tata, Kölcsey u. 2.