Kert Watch: West-Balkán Goes from "Kert" to "Grund"

Back in May, we reported on how nomadic romkert staple West-Balkán would not be opening this summer. We were right at the time, but things have since changed. West-Balkán has indeed reopened at its forth location, the corner of Nagytemplom utca and Tömő utca in District VIII, a short walk from its last resting place. The current location is meant to be a recreation of the famous "Grund" (perhaps the original inner-city "kert") from Ferenc Molnár's famous novel The Paul Street Boys, and will eventually serve as a playground for the kids who will live in the flats being built in the area. Until then, it's a playground for young Hungarians with a summer to burn.

Despite the bustling scenes pictured on their blog, both times we visited on a Saturday night the place was anything but packed, with only half of the available tables taken. This could, however, be due to the locals being on holiday, and the new location yet to become known by tourists. While WB was formerly known for its great bar, it currently offers only Carlsberg and Tuborg on tap (Ft 590 and 490/€2.60 and €2.10), nothing in bottles, and a rather dispiriting selection of spirits.

When we talked to a bartender, she said WB would be operating from its current location until October, when the semi-permanent site would be re-opened. In the meantime, while it looks like the place will never be packed, at least you can relive your childhood and play on the seesaw or slide.