Europe - BUD/AMS...recommended restaurants?

We will be on a river cruise in the near future and will be in Budapest a few days before and Amsterdam for a few days after the cruise!

Any recommendations for restaurants in these two cities?

Not too concerned with expense...only nice experience and good food!

Thank you in advance to anyone who responds.:)

The tiny Ruszwurm pastry shop just across from St. Matthias on Castle Hill in Buda is an experience not be missed.

While there are plenty of good restaurants (and do pursue opportunities to eat Hungarian, rather than "Continental" food), a "pick up" lunch from the counters of the many food shops in the Central Market is hard to beat (and raises "cultural awareness"). Either the "Budapest Card" or a multi-day transit pass opens a whole world of easy sight-seeing by street car and bus.

Contrary to much I had read, and with older legs in mind, a hotel on Castle Hill has some advantages (inc. museum access). The bus down the hill and across the river (with a stop adjacent to a riverside trolley stop) runs frequently, and especially in the evening, the area is great for strolling. I was surprised to find that (even with flood of highly recommended restaurants and less than raves about "touristic" restaurants on Castle Hill) one of the best meals we had in our week in town was at the St. George, just down the street from the Castle Hilton, well set, well served and of high quality, especially my wife's "pike perch" (a local fish from Lake Balaton?).

For some AMS recs, see:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/europe/814724-good-food-amsterdam.html

In fact, if you search on Amsterdam in this forum, you'll find a couple other relevant threads.

Agree about Ruszwurm in BUD. We had a marvelous, if pricey, Easter lunch at Café Pierrot in the castle district, close to the Hilton:

http://www.pierrot.hu/

The Hungarian Goose Liver Trilogy (Goose Liver Brulee, Goose Liver Terrine, and Grilled Goose Liver) is pure heaven. ^

The Hungarians are crazy about goose liver. They're my kind of people. :D

In AMS you should try the "Ciel Bleu" in the hotel OKURA.
It is located on the top floor (approx. 20th floor) with a greta view over Amsterdam and very good food.
It has a bar on the same floor, where you can have pre- and / or post dinner drinks.
If you decide to stay there, too, you can try - for a change - the japanese Teppanyaki restaurant located in the lower level (they also serve Kobe-beef).
hok