Be transported to a different century in Budapest

I feel as if I've been transported to a different century. At one table a smartly dressed man in a tweed jacket sips tea while reading a newspaper, at another, a couple of elderly ladies, equally immaculate, chat while their grandchildren (presumably) share a slice of something.

There are tourists, too, immediately recognisable by their open-mouthed astonishment or groans of appreciation. Beneath our feet is inlaid marble; above our heads, sparkling chandeliers hang from richly decorated cupola ceilings. A piano tinkles softly in the background, as staff move between tables, through rooms separated by tied-back velvet curtains, carrying trays of sweets and pots of tea and coffee.

Budapest is a sweet-tooth's dream, a place where somehow, it feels perfectly justified to pause from sightseeing and settle into one of the city's historic cafes. Cafe Gerbeaud is one of Budapest's most famous, having occupied this spot overlooking Vorosmarty Square since 1870, and playing host to royalty, literati and composers such as Franz Liszt. It started as a partnership between a local confectioner, Kugler Henrik, and talented young Swiss pastry chef Emile Gerbeaud, whom Henrik lured away from Paris. It was he who invented the Gerbeaud cake (also known as Zserbo) - layers of sweet short-crust pastry soaked in white rum with apricot jam and ground walnuts, covered in glossy dark chocolate.

Staff, used to guests' indecision, are happy to help with suggestions, but the easiest way to curb the overwhelm is the "Hungarian Classic on a Plate" taster (about $23). This comes with the Gerbeaud slice, Esterhazy - a walnut cake filled with brandy-flavoured vanilla cream, topped with fondant dacquoise, and another famous classic, the "dobos", a sponge cake layered with a chocolate cream and topped with caramel. Enjoy and don't even think for a moment about the calories - walking Budapest's famed hills will take care of them. gerbeaud.hu

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