Holiday Inn lobbies aren’t known for housing destination restaurants, which was precisely chef Krisztian Karkus’ problem.
“It was a very awkward location, and I lived through a lot of rejection. Tourists don’t want to come to the bottom of a Holiday Inn,” Karkus said of the original Tisza Bistro in Windsor, which closed in 2020.
But the restaurant defied the odds for nearly four years, drawing a devoted following to his Eastern European menu. Generous portions of pan-fried schnitzel finished with butter, soft piles of spaetzle, and homemade strudel stand out in a county awash in small plates.
The restaurant lived on, however, under a pop-up tent at the Healdsburg and Windsor farmers markets — not a place frequented by chefs trained at Michelin-starred restaurants. At least, not ones slinging schnitzel and breakfast sandwiches for hours in the heat and rain.
The work paid off, and in late January, Tisza rose from the ashes at the former Singletree Cafe in Healdsburg after two excruciating years of remodeling — often by Karkus — and it’s even better than before.
Charming and homey, the new Tisza Bistro has a welcoming dining room and open kitchen accented by glittering copper pans and oversize picture windows that bring rays of sunlight into the once-gloomy space.
Much of the furniture is secondhand (yes, those are the chairs from Cattleman’s in Santa Rosa), given a new life with some sanding and staining. Karkus and his wife, Alena Rebik, did the landscaping, painted and even built a bar, something the longtime chef said he enjoyed — at least some parts of it — during the lengthy remodeling.
“I took on a lot of projects myself. It was really fun and almost hard to snap out of it,” he said soon after opening. Other chefs also stepped up to help with equipment and storage during the build out. “Everyone just stepped up for us, and no one asked for anything in return,” Karkus said.
It turns out those long days at the market were also a boon. Longtime customers remained loyal, and Karkus said they maintained relationships with many of them through the farmers markets. It also strengthened his connection with local farmers who bartered with the chef. Because no one can say no to schnitzel.
On a Thursday night, just weeks after opening, the dining room is packed with locals. The Hungarian-born chef said more than 60% of his longtime customers are from Healdsburg, making the new location an instant win.
Alena Rebik, who is Czech, works the dining room with a sweet smile and recommendations for favorite dishes and explains some of the unfamiliar Eastern European wines, like a dry Tokaji that’s crisp and minerally, Gruner Veltliners and rieslings that are better known to Americans as sweet and sticky. Here, they are lean and mouthwatering with bright acidity and pair remarkably well with heavier dishes.
The menu leans in on classic Czech and Hungarian dishes like pan-roasted calf’s liver, which came to the menu after Karkus received 20 pounds of the tender meat and immediately sold out.
Other crowd favorites include Chicken Cordon Bleu, Duck Leg Confit, Wiener Schnitzel and the foresty Jager Schnitzel, or Hunter’s Schnitzel, made with wild mushroom sauce.
Clearly, this isn’t delicate tweezer food but rib-sticking fare that doesn’t require a laundry list of rare ingredients to impress. It’s a relief to just eat yummy food without overthinking every bite.
Tisza is a restaurant that took a village — or maybe a county — to rise again, and its fans are happier than ever to see Karkus and his magic schnitzel back in the kitchen.
Best bets
Potato Latkes, $20: It’s a bit of a weird presentation, served on two separate plates, but a knockout nonetheless. The first is a colorful plate of thinly sliced smoked salmon dotted with creme fraiche, dill sprigs and pickled mustard seeds with a soft-boiled egg at the center. Two crispy latkes are served separately so you can compose the dish perfectly with a small squeeze of fresh lemon — a dreamy way to start your meal.
Farmers Cheese Bisquits, $8: So fluffy they threaten to float away if you’re not quick about eating them.
Potato Dumplings, $15: Hand-rolled potato balls are filled with smoked brisket and rolled in duck fat. Served on a bed of creamed spinach to make it, you know, healthier.
Wiener Schnitzel, $29: The classic. A plate-sized piece of pounded pork loin dredged in egg and breadcrumbs, pan-fried in oil and finished with butter. This isn’t the tough, bready, oil-slicked schnitzel you’ve suffered through before. There’s a reason fans schelp to the markets for this venerable Austrian dish. Served with lingonberry jam, buttered potatoes and dill-cucumber salad.
Jager Schnitzel, $34: Wiener schnitzel leveled up with creamy wild mushroom and porcini sauce. Tiny, buttered dumplings known as spaetzle serve as the base, soaking up every last drop of the gravy — the absolute best thing on the menu.
Rabbit, $42: Is it beautiful? It is not. But is it delicious? Yes, it is. Steamed yeast dumplings and rabbit saddle are bathed in an earthy root vegetable sauce and a dab of sour cream.
Strudel, $14: This seemingly simple dessert is made in-house by stretching the dough into thin, buttery layers filled with seasonal fruit, including apples, cherries and poppy seeds.
The menu changes frequently, with new dishes and desserts appearing often. Karkus plans to put goulash, paprikash and crepes, known as palachinka, on the menu in the coming months.
Tisza Bistro is at 165 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. Open for dinner Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesday. Reservations highly recommended.