The College Voice

Media Credit: Matthew Freedman Barbara Kolarovszki of Barbara's Hungarian in Ewing.

Barbara's Hungarian Food is a small restaurant tucked in the corner of Serenity Plaza on Parkway Ave in Ewing.

Upon arriving the customer is greeted by a warm smile from a waitress that is eager seat them and take their orders. The room has the feel of a country cottage with 12 plain wood tables with white legs that seat four to six patrons, the walls are decorated with Hungarian textiles, embroidered tablecloths, handkerchiefs and dresses, as well as photos of Hungary. Adding to the cottage ambience is the fact that the food is served in white Corelle tableware with blue designs around the top edge.

Barbara herself stands at the stove or grill cooking up delicious, traditional Hungarian dishes and if you're lucky she'll have some extra of whatever she's making and give you a little sample. The menu is in both English and Hungarian and consists of entrees like breaded pork cutlet, chicken breast with mushroom sauce, a variety of stews or "paprikas," stuffed peppers and cabbage. Most entrees include the customer's choice of dumplings or "spatzels," mashed potatoes, white rice with peas or "parsley potato."

One standout dish was the pork with sauerkraut which goes wonderfully with dumplings. The pork is cut into bitesized cubes and mixed with sauerkraut in a small amount of soupy sauce with a blend of different spices. All of the ingredients are cooked to perfection, the sauerkraut is not too crunchy or too soggy and the pork is so tender it melts in your mouth.

The dumplings are not the big ball, mushy ones found in a typical southern "chicken and dumpling" dish, but are more similar to gnocchi, only a bit smaller. This dish with a bit of sour cream mixed in makes for the perfect winter meal; it is hearty and comforting.

For desert there is a choice between cottage cheese, apple or cherry strudel (which is kind of like a pie) or cottage cheese or peach jam crepes. The crepes are a little thick and floury but taste delicious nonetheless.

If for no other reason, go to Barbara's for her chicken soup; the only way you'll find anything remotely as good is if you slave for hours over a stove making it yourself or are lucky enough to have a relative do it for you. Barbara's soup is made from scratch and has huge chunks of chicken and carrots and halved celery stalks. Also floating around in the delicious broth are lots of tiny noodles.

So next time you have the sniffles, rather than getting out the usual can of Campbell's Condensed Chicken and Noodle Soup, take a trip to

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