“The Musical Clock”

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 237, 7 October 1936, Page 7

“The Musical Clock”

<‘The Musical Clock,” tho oldest restaurant of the centre part of the city of Budapest, has closed its shutters finally after two hundred years of catering for the public.

The restaurant has suffered from the depression, liko most of its kind, and recently the bailiffs took possession, as a sum of about £SO in rent was owing. The effects of the restaurant will be sold, but the famous musical clock, which gavo the establishment its name, was presented to tho restaurateurs museum some time ago.

During its two hundred years “The Musical Clock” saw much change and progress. In the early days it was frequented by Turkish pashas in w'ido red trousers, Turkish soldiers with waving ostrich feathers, and Turkish military bakers. At tho passing of tho Turkish rule “The Musical Clock” became the rendezvous of the city officials, and at the beginning of the present century many political meetings were held in its private rooms.

Besides the musical clock a certain 'dish called “Szekely Gulyas,” made the fame of the establishment. The inventor of this dish, which has become a national one, was a Mr Joseph Szekeiy, archivar of tho county of Pest. Mr Szekely was a poet, but at moments his inspiration left tre fields of poetry for the kitchen, and he was the inventor of more than one famous dish. The recipe for the “Szekely gulyas” was presented to tho keeper of “The Musical Clock,” who for some time held tho monopoly of serving -it to his customers.