Adventurers will try it at the Cairo market, more careful travellers at an all-inclusive resort in Sharm El Sheikh. One thing is for sure: travelling possibilities are currently limited because of the epidemic. So if you are craving for Mediterranean Arabic flavours, you need to find a good recipe locally – or maybe a trustworthy chef. High Note SkyBar introduces the salt of the maghreb world: the dukkah.

If you love Indian cuisine, you must know the essential spice blend, the garam masala. If you have tried Western Arabic (for gourmets: maghreb) cuisine, you might have heard of the Egyptian spice blend, the dukkah (duqqa in a more authentic writing). Coriander, pistachio, almond and hazelnut crumbs, sesame, cinnamon, ginger, sea salt… Dip in anything – focaccia, meat, grilled vegetables – bake it, taste it, and fly on the wings of flavours to the Nile Delta or the pyramids.

At the High Note SkyBar, we offer the perfectly sautéed duck breast with our signature dukkah spice recipe as part of our new dinner menu. The confit duck breast is fried in a pan: the skin is crispy, though the meat melts in your mouth. This Egyptian-style main course is served with an Italian-inspired garnish: our own homemade ricotta-spinach “strudel” turns our chef Ferenc Jóvér’s creation into a complete Mediterranean experience – even in the cold Budapest autumn.

So far, the SkyBar was only known as a mecca for cocktail gourmets. But for the first time you can stay with us for dinner: the covered and heated terrace in the heart of downtown Pest, at the top of the Aria Hotel Budapest, is heart-warming even in the cool seasons. Currently, we cannot recommend any better than our new menu if you are looking for the perfect opportunity and place for a romantic evening.