TRAVELING IN STYLE : SIDE TRIPS : Hungary for Dinner

Gundel, founded in 1894, was one of the most famous restaurants not just in Budapest but in all of Europe for generations. Monarchs, statesmen and opera stars alike dined there on Balatoni fogas (a delicate freshwater fish), Hungarian goose liver and flaming crepes. Then the Communists arrived and nationalized Gundel. Bad news for the fogas and the crepes. Then the Communists left. Now Hungarian-born New York restaurateur George (Cafee des Artistes) Lang and his partner, cosmetics king Ronald S. Lauder (whose mother, Estee, was born in Budapest), have reclaimed the place for gastronomy. With a $22-million investment, they’ve given Gundel a new interior by Adam Tihany, new graphics by Milton Glaser and a kitchen supervised by the former chef of the Hungarian Embassy in Washington. And the crepes and fogas are in fine form. Gundel, Allatkerti Ut 2, Varosliget (City Park), Budapest; local telephone 121-3550. Dinner for two, with wine, about $80.