Goulash-flavored gelato, anyone? Curious customers are flocking from all over Hungary to taste the summer’s wackiest taste sensations - a small ice cream parlor serving up savory Hungarian staples. Robert Reinhardt and his taste-bud challenging flavors have become an overnight hit, creating a buzz on social media. “We started with the drink and potato pancake flavors. That already blew some people’s minds,” the 44-year-old, who runs Roberto Confectionery in the city of Tatabanya north of Budapest, told AFP.

After receiving requests for new flavor creations from people online, Reinhardt began to experiment, mixing traditional Hungarian dishes such as paprika chicken, cabbage stew and hearty meat pancakes with a variety of ice cream bases.

But he doesn’t limit himself to Hungarian cuisine, broadening his menu to include all-time favorites like spaghetti bolognese and scrambled eggs with bacon. “I realized that you could get really good flavors out of it. This is not a joke,” Reinhardt said, who sells his ice cream for 500 forints (1.27 euros) a scoop. Turnover at the shop has since increased by “three or four times” since Hungarian media first got the scoop on his unusual treats, said his wife Ena. “We are a little bit overwhelmed because we didn’t expect that it would become such a hit,” she told AFP. “We’re constantly looking for more staff.”

Customers taste the flavors of the ice creams and cakes at "Roberto confectionary" pastry shop.

Ena, wife and staff member of Robert Reinhardt, owner of "Roberto confectionary", puts the 'Hungarian Goulasch' ice cream into an open cooling counter.

Robert Reinhardt, owner of "Roberto confectionary", prepares his newly created ice cream, the 'Mexican chili beans' at his pastry shop.

Robert Reinhardt, owner of "Roberto confectionary", checks the quality of his newly created ice cream, at his pastry shop.

A trophy for the craziest kind of ice cream maker is on dislay at "Roberto confectionary" pastry shop.

Customers taste the flavors of the ice creams and cakes at "Roberto confectionary" pastry shop.

Robert Reinhardt, owner of "Roberto confectionary", prepares his newly created ice cream, the 'Mexican chili beans' at his pastry shop.

Customers taste the flavors of the ice creams and cakes at "Roberto confectionary" pastry shop.

Robert Reinhardt poses for a photo during an interview for AFP at his pastry shop.

Fried cheese and tomato soup

So far the savory ice creams have been popular with customers, although some admitted they are more of an acquired taste. “I thought they were going to be very unusual, but they taste great,” said masseuse Ildiko, who declined to give her full name, after sampling all flavors for free before making her choice. “The tomato soup, the sheep cheese with dill and the fried cheese tasted the best,” she told AFP, adding that she would soon be back for more. Others were not as enthused.

Krisztian Kiss, a 43-year-old lawyer from the country’s northwest said he probably wouldn’t be making the trip back. “I had to check out this kind of quirky idea,” he quipped, complimenting the authenticity of the flavors. His 10-year-old son Zeteny was less excited, saying it is a “very strange feeling” to taste something salty, when your tongue is “used to it being sweet”.

While opinions on social media have been divided as detractors slammed the novel ice creams as “disgusting”, posts about the wacky flavors have been viewed tens of thousands of times, with some even reaching a million views.

Banking on sustained demand for his offerings, Reinhardt plans to open up a second shop in the capital while continuing to provide his novel flavors even during the winter months. — AFP