Under the ramparts of Beck Castle, not far from the highway exit and literally in the middle of a field - that's exactly where the Beck farm is located. You don't need exact GPS coordinates to find it. The smell, references and the interest of lovers of good food will bring you there as well.

Traditional cuisine in a modern design has conquered many tourists in four years. The new staff of the restaurant managed to improve the gastronomic reputation of this place. People liked the local cuisine and included the adjacent farm in the tourist itinerary. They often come here before or after a tour of Beckovského or Čachtice Castle. Weekends belong to tourists, "business travelers" are more likely to stop by during the week. After the new restaurant, it decided on a weekly menu, which should also attract employees of nearby companies for lunch.

The current owner, Branislav Kuhajda, rented the farm four years ago. And immediately a pandemic stop came in his way. He handled the situation proudly and took it as a challenge. He used the time for a radical reconstruction of the kitchen and other spaces. "The condition for the restart of the taken over restaurant was the freshness of both the raw materials and the prepared food. We knew from the beginning that we wanted to offer our customers the best," explains his first steps under the Beckovské Kuhajda Castle. He also leased the adjacent farm, and the original gastro business became a comprehensive agrotourism. They take care of the entire breeding themselves, mostly with the help of their close family. Sheep, goats, ducks, geese, rabbits, chickens, a horse was added. They also make their own homemade products, which they process in the restaurant kitchen. If there is enough milk, they will also produce products for sale. Among the mountain delicacies you will also find products from other regional farmers and beekeepers. Children can have fun on the playground and the whole family can take a photo on the popular large swing.

MENU

We arrived at Salaš in the middle of spring, when the locals were already inviting us to a tasty May bryndza. "May bryndza is white gold. The sheep enjoy fresh, juicy grass, and the first milk has a different density, which is reflected in the final product. How much bryndza, cheese and žinčice we produce depends on whether it's dry, how much pasture we have and how much milk we milk," says Branislav Kuhajda.

We chose bryndza pies with bacon and dill from the menu of classic cuisine. We have to admit that the dill accent added a twist to the dish. The bryndza gnocchi with toasted bacon did not disappoint either, and we are already looking forward to one day coming to taste the version with May bryndza. Before a restaurant adds a new dish to its regular menu, it tests it as part of a so-called special menu. At the time of our visit, lamb perkelt with butter gnocchi was on offer. The meat comes from local farming, and if you are worried about lamb, in this case you will be pleasantly surprised by the delicious and delicate texture and taste. For us, it was "love at first bite" and we immediately suggested adding the dish to the permanent menu.

During the weekend, you can also come across fish or roast ribs. The sweet spot of our menu was the poppy seeds topped with forest fruit sauce. You can also choose them with nut or cocoa sprinkles. Refreshing notes of fruit complement the sweetness, and there is a risk that after tasting it, you won't be able to eat šuľanés other than with fruit. The friendly and attentive staff will gladly advise you on your choice. You can recognize it by the hand-painted ornament on the clothes, which matches the rest of the space. It is one of the few companies where only personnel trained in the field work.

FUTURE PLANS

Visitors are also interested in family gatherings or wedding receptions. They also want to satisfy these customers at the farm, so they are planning to enlarge the interior of the restaurant. People like to come back here for the pleasant and quiet environment. Since the cottage is located on the border of the protected area, it also works closely with conservationists. Most recently, they are planning to build a hiking trail that would border the orchard. From the center of Beckov, you can walk to the farm and reach Kálnice. "If we manage to do it by next year's season, we would also like to offer tourists carriage rides along this trail.

This year they can still look at the horse," Branislav Kuhajda reveals his plans with a smile. In the Trenčín region, a new attractive gastro-tourism point is thus created, which is worth noting on the map and in the menu.

Photo: Radovan Stoklasa