Goulash Place in Danbury - never the same

Just saw this obituary in the Danbury News Times today (4/23):

Magdolna E. Aczel
Magdolna E. Aczel, 60, co-owner of The Goulash Place of 42 Highland Avenue, Danbury, died on Wednesday afternoon, April 20, 2005 at her home. She was the wife of John Aczel.
Magdi was born in Hungary, August 19, 1944 and emigrated to the United States in 1971 first settling in Pound Ridge, NY and to Danbury in 1972.

Since opening Goulash Place in 1977, Magdi, known for her outspokenness, served as a hostess and waitress and also helped with the cooking.

In addition to her husband John, of Danbury; a son Jeffrey R. Aczel, his wife Christy and their children Andrew and Isabelle of Williamsburg, Va.; her mother-in-law Maria Aczel of Danbury and a brother of Hungary survive.

Funeral services will take place on Monday at 7 p.m. in the Jowdy-Kane Funeral Home, 9-11 Granville Avenue, Danbury.

Burial will take place at the convenience of the family.

Friends will be received in the Jowdy-Kane Funeral Home on Monday after 5 p.m.

She was sweet. It took a little while for her to warm up to our friends' children---then they went from being afraid to not wanting to leave. Sad news and possibly the end of another great Roadfood institution.

I am sorry,that we never met Mrs. Aczel . We were on vacation in this area and went to the Goulash place before she past away and shortly afterwards.

The food is the best Hungarian food we had here in the States or in Hungary.My husband is from Budapest and loves the restaurant. We wished we would not live so far away from it.We live in the Midwest. Also the prices of the dinners is very,very low. My mouth is watering,thinking about the excellent dishes John cooks and serves.

By the way.we found the restaurant in the Sterns "Roadfood" book.

We had dinner at The Goulash Place on April 27th, just a week after Magdolna has passed away. We thought it odd that there were so many flower arrangements in the restaurant and upon inquiring, our waitress told us of Magdi's passing following a lengthy illness. Our heartfelt condolences were extended to John, who was dutifully tending to the kitchen despite his recent loss. John Aczel is a prince of a gentleman and an absolutely superb cook. He makes Hungarian food like my grandmother used to; the real thing. His homemade sausages are excellent and remind me of the ones my grandfather used to make for holidays.
John continues on for now with the assistance of his 98 year-old mother, Maria, in the kitchen by his side. We wish John all the best and hope he chooses to continue his fine Hungarian fare for many more years to come. Losing a gem like The Goulash Place would be tragic to say the least.

Anyone who is travelling anywhere near the Danbury, CT area MUST stop by and sample some of John's outstanding meals and his mother's exquisite desserts. Thanks too, to Jane & Michael for turning us on to the Goulash Place. -Christof Kheim, Boulder, Colorado