Gyros:
Of the three predominant species in Budapest, this invasive species, originally from the region around the Eastern Mediterranean Sea has established itself in the local fast food niche. On my way to the subway station, I can turn left or right: if I turn left, I pass "Pizza Non-Stop," a 24-hr pizza and gyros place; if I turn right, I pass 2 more 24-hr gyros places.
Bakeries:
This city is filled with bakeries. From the language school, I can get to 3 bakeries without crossing a street (this is not due to the presence of some fiendishly clever system of sidewalks). These bakeries have kilogram loaves of bread for 200 HUF, about $1. Even better than the bread is the unbelievable abundance of pastries: burekas, strudel, rugalach, chocolate snails, cream-filled croissants, and many more that I couldn't name in English or Hungarian. My particular favorite bakery also has a microwave too heat up your pastry - chocolaty-goo heaven.
Pubs:
On the same walk to the subway (see "Gyros"), I pass 1 pub before reaching the fork, 2 more when I go left, and at least 4 more when I go right. Keep in mind the walk is less than four blocks. Everybody has the Hungarian Dreher on tap (I've discovered I like dark beer) and hot mulled wine - perfect for when you've been walking all day in -2 °C. It also turns out that it's very difficult to find gulyas (that's how they spell it) in restaurants; on the other hand, every pub has a huge pot brewing in the back.
On a related not, I went out to dinner with some friends for my birthday. We went to a restaurant (that was also a pub). I couldn't decide between french onion soup (which apparently means something different here) and gulyas as a starter, so I got both and passed on the entree. It was the tastiest decision all week.
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