This week’s Restaurant Review

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Review from the Prague Business Weekly

VILLA SCHWAIGER RESTAURANT

Schwaigerova 3, Prague 6
Open: Mon-Sun, 12-00h
Tel: 233 320 271
Villa Schwaiger
This restaurant is close to our Old Town apartments.

Villa Schwaiger Hotel, which previously hosted an Argentinean steak restaurant, has now created its own eatery open to both hotel guests and any hungry outsiders looking for an exquisite yet accessible meal with top rate service.

Patrons can enter the Villa Schwaiger restaurant through the hotel entrance or through a gate that leads into the restaurant’s garden. We entered through the hotel into the winter garden area to find a simple, calming décor of warm orange and neutral beige accented by large mirrors in classically oversized brass frames. White table cloths added to the simple elegance of the space, and bountiful natural light offered by the glass enclosure offered a richness and simple calming effect. The restaurant was entirely empty when we arrived, and the waiter that greeted us said that we can sit wherever we would like, helpfully pointing out the smoking and nonsmoking sections as well as the outdoor garden.

Despite the gray weather, we chose to sit in the garden just a few steps up from the indoor space. As the waiter prepped our wicker chairs with plush, maroon colored cushions I observed that the setting appeared quite suitable for larger events such as parties and banquets. The garden was beautifully and artistically sheltered by well-groomed greenery and the atmosphere was elegant but relaxing, complete with a hammock and outdoor bar. As we took our seats at the table our waiter delivered our menus, a candle and cloth napkins presented in a porcelain napkin holders. At this time he graciously asked if we would care for an aperitif, which we declined. Uncharacteristic to many restaurants, he hesitated to ask for our drink order perhaps to allow us time to pair our meal selection with something from the long list of wines and other beverages. This proved to our benefit as the menu boasted a varied selection of fish, beef, lamb, duck and chicken.

The dishes represented many different elements of culinary traditions apparent in the range of meals from poached Norwegian salmon to French beef Bourguignon, through beefsteak flavored with Argentinean spices, to traditional Russian “pelmene,” dough pillows filled with mincemeat. We tried to choose a diverse combination of dishes, regardless of perceived compatibility, beginning with the tuna Carpaccio with homemade pesto (Kč 150) as a cold starter, followed by homemade borscht decorated with sour cream and herbs (Kč 70) and duck consommé with julienne vegetables (Kč 60). For a main dish, I selected grilled duck breast with balsamic sauce and honey with baked figs and gratin potatoes (Kč 290) while my companion chose grilled lamb chops with demi glaze sauce with roasted cherry tomatoes and pea-mint purée (Kč 280). We also placed an order for mineral water and our waiter suggested a 1 liter bottle of Vittel to share (Kč 140).

The gloomy weather began to yield some stronger winds. As the waiter delivered our plate of tuna Carpaccio and a basket of steaming baguette slices, he kindly inquired if we would like some blankets. We were delighted by the concern, but felt that it wasn’t too cold for us yet, though perhaps we were distracted by the lovely thin slices of soft pink tuna and fresh bread that had been placed in front of us. The delicate slices of fish were arranged beautifully with the fine green pesto drizzled on top, served with a fresh slice of lime. The flavor was vivid and light; the pesto and lime complemented the tuna and matched it with freshness while also serving as a wonderful addition to the bread which we used to mop up any remaining traces of the delicious starter.

Shortly after our distraction had been consumed we did decide that it was perhaps too cold after all and chose to return to the warmly decorated interior. With our drinks and bread basket in hand the waiter was quick to notice our relocation and promptly helped us with the rest of our table items.

After settling in at our interior table we were grateful to have our soups delivered almost as warm welcoming gifts after braving the dreary weather outside. The homemade borscht was a characteristically eye-catching bright red and served with a generous dollop of smooth sour cream. The vegetables were crunchy yet yielding and the beef was shredded finely though it maintained a strong flavor that wasn’t lost to the savory vegetables and broth. The duck consommé was surprisingly very rich with duck flavor without being greasy or fatty. It was in fact rather light but distinctive, and we both found the broth to be another excellent accompaniment for our remaining bread pieces.

During the short rest between our soups and main dishes we enjoyed some light entertainment in the form of a large family of tourists entering the restaurant insisting on some quick meal before they had to rush off to an event. The waiter greeted them kindly but informed them that while “this is not McDonald’s,” he would speak to the chef and see what could be done to accommodate them. He proceeded to pull some tables together for the group, suggest a large mixed plate of meats and sides complete with estimated serving time, and offered a wine selection. My companion and I were impressed by his professionalism and thoroughly charmed with his manner of handling this seemingly rude group in this fine restaurant.

Our entrées arrived without delay and were presented artistically on elegant white plates. The duck was served sliced atop the crispy au gratin potato halves drizzled with the dark balsamic sauce while the lamb chops were served similarly atop an attractive green purée. Unlike many delicately presented entrées, the portions of both meals were very substantial which was very pleasing to us after our first bites. Like the duck consommé, this duck breast was full of flavor yet absent of fat. I found that the balsamic sauce offered a very new flavor combination with the duck but it was splendidly balanced, clearing the heaviness of the meat with its almost acidic sweet flavor.

The gratin potatoes were moist and the cheese was light and crisp, a nice contrast to the melting texture of the duck. The lamb was also tender and lean and the purée was akin to very fine mashed potatoes with the flavor of peas and mint.

Both meals had a perfectly proportioned amount of sauce and the overall impression was that of enjoyment. One minor indiscretion occurred when my companion noticed that the cutting knife served with the meal was not entirely clean, visibly the result of a potentially faulty washing machine. He brought this to the attention of the waiter who thanked my companion graciously, assuring us that he was very sorry and that they will most certainly use more caution. The incident had little impact on our overall impression especially due to the fact that the meats in both meals required little more than our butter knives, which were sparkling clean.

After clearing away our empty plates we were offered a digestive which we chose to pass up instead for a dessert menu, which the waiter recited to us happily in detail. We selected the Napoleon (Kč 115) and pineapple Carpaccio with lemon sorbet and mint leaf (Kč 110) and my companion ordered an espresso (Kč 40) which was strong and rich. The waiter promptly returned from the kitchen to announce that he had some bad news about the pineapple Carpaccio and was very ready with a recommendation for the chocolate fondant with ice cream (Kč 120), for which he suggested pistachio flavor ice cream. In the end I was thrilled at this change in my order because the fondant was served hot with a luxurious amount of lush melted chocolate that was paired perfectly with the pistachio flavored ice cream. The Napoleon proved to be a large portion of very flaky pastry layered with smooth cool cream, so light in fact that the intimidating portion was not an issue.

Villa Schwaiger made a wonderful choice to create their own culinary traditions as part of their offer as the quality and variety at their new restaurant was impressive. With a very summery atmosphere inside and out and high class service it is definitely worth the slightly out of the way trip to this area of Prague 6, perhaps for a great dining experience after a day at the adjacent Stromovka park.

RESTAURANT ZINC

V Celnici 7, Prague 1 inside the Hilton Hotel
Open: Mon-Sun, 12-23h
Tel:218 221 000
Restaurant Zinc
This restaurant is close to our Old Town apartments.

It probably isn’t easy to build on the dust of a star. And it’s probably even more difficult to do so when this star is called Michelin. For the Prague 1-based Hilton Old Town hotel, the ownership of the Maze restaurant, inspired by the similar British concept led by the media-loved Scottish cook Gordon Ramsay, was the guarantee of fame and limelight, which materialized into the prestigious culinary recognition of a Michelin star received in March this year.

Now, with Ramsay gone, it wouldn’t be easy for any culinary magician to take the path of the 12-star awarded Ramsay. Yet, the new restaurant Zinc does its best, even though the road to the stars looks a bit blurred for the moment.

Zinc, seating 110 in the restaurant area, plus 70 in the lounge and bar, didn’t bring much refurbishment to the ancient Maze setting—understandable for a location inaugurated only in late 2007. The new spot focuses on the menu and refined cuisine, with a solid selection of modern European cuisine with Asian influences. The cook, Ari Munandar, managed to put together a pretty original menu that takes the customer through an uncomplicated, yet attractive option of tempting courses.

Moreover, the music, classic rhythms of jazz and samba, entertains the atmosphere even though the interior decoration, based on comfortable black leather couches and chairs, might be a bit too dark for a sunny summer day. Even though a hotel restaurant, Zinc is delicately separated from the main entrance floor, managing to secure accessibility and discretion at the same time.

Attractive taste menu

Typical for newly open restaurants, Zinc was pretty empty at lunch time, except for two pairs discussing business matters. However, Zinc proposes an attractive menu offer—a starter, main course and dessert plus a glass of prosecco at the beginning and a coffee at the end costs a mere Kč 650 (€24), the price of one course from the regular menu. This menu is good for both lunch and dinner, at least until the end of September. The eatery also features a special menu for hotel guests and another for regular customers.

Declining the appetizer, I was enchanted by the view of the crunchy fresh white and dark bread served with butter, still warm when it was brought. Yet, the butter was ordinary and stiff, making it difficult to spread on the baguette-shaped bread.

The waiter was kind and helpful, offering explanations for various meals and accompanying drinks. However, it was obvious that this experienced waiter saw many hotel guests per day, which left little room for a truly warm and personal approach per guest—a sort of little detail that could prove decisive in making local customers return to such a top-end location.

The selection of starters was rich and appealing. Crispy calamari served with spiced salt and chili, roasted cashews and green mango salad (Kč 290) was advertised as a restaurant specialty. Other starters included the sashimi of sea scallops and steamed king prawn served with XO cognac and shellfish emulsion (Kč 360), lacquered duck ravioli and pan fried foie gras with bok choy, lemongrass and ginger reduction (Kč 380) and spiced beef Carpaccio served with pomelo segments and herb salad (Kč 320). Yet, crab cake and sweet corn sorbet on cucumber noodles (Kč 390) proved the right choice—it was an interesting combination of tastes, well portioned and carefully designed to catch the eye. The sorbet, though, was so cold that it was almost painful to swallow. Altogether it was an interesting culinary experience.

The menu also features soups such as chicken, coconut and lemongrass with warm shitake mushroom brioche and the chilled cucumber and crème fraîche soup with Bloody Mary sorbet, each for Kč 220.

The main courses varied between Kč 560 for a portion of braised Atlantic halibut on fava bean purée and fresh summer black truffle shavings and Kč 480 for a portion of tandoori marinated and pan roasted salmon escalope on curried lentil, braised artichoke and spiced saffron yoghurt. The roast Irish Angus beef fillet served with glazed shallots, potatoes au gratin and Port wine jus (Kč 680) was an original combination of tastes, delicate yet heavy at the same time. There was a little confusion about my order; even though I thought the steak was already served with a side dish, the waiter offered me one more accompaniment. Side dishes at Zinc include mashed potatoes, steamed Jasmine rice, stir fried vegetables, buttered spinach and mixed seasonal leaves, Kč 50 per portion. I decided to go for buttered spinach though in the end I received fresh salad leaves—a mistake I was actually grateful for, as the meal indeed required some fresh vegetables to be entirely manageable. The course was served in a sumptuous manner, on a large platter with all dishes at the same time. The beef was tasty, though a bit too well-done, and the shallots and carrots made it look distinguished. The potatoes au gratin were delicate, while the salad was carefully seasoned. Yet, all in all, the taste could have been stronger and more flavorful.

Asian influences and healthy food

The Zinc menu also featured corn-fed spring chicken with Balinese spices (Kč 520); Irish Angus entrecote in ginger and lemongrass marinade (Kč 680) and whole tiger prawns flavored in Asian pesto (Kč 660). All Asian grills were served with fragrant jasmine rice, seasonal stir fried vegetables and a choice of spicy chili sambal, wasabi butter, coriander Béarnaise or sweet soy and tomato relish. Moreover, the restaurant offers organic vegetarian food, with meals such as pumpkin and bean curry with jasmine rice, fried shallots and roasted cashews (Kč 420) and stir fried organic noodles with deep fried tofu and tamarind paste for Kč 480.

The cherry on the cake, the imaginative desserts

One of the most flavorful parts of the Zinc menu was the dessert list, including dishes such as marinated fresh fruits with rose champagne and lychee granita; baked pineapple with star anis and cinnamon; chocolate and cardamom fondue with tonka beans and walnut ice cream or a selection of homemade ice creams and sorbets, all for Kč 250. The list included a selection of seasonal cheeses with summer truffle honey, semi-dried grapes and dried fruit bread (Kč 320). I hoped for a chocolate fondue, but the waiter warned me that it could take up to some 15 minutes to prepare it. Faithful to journalistic meals on the run, I already had a foot out the door, so I welcomed the advice, deciding for a portion of chilled strawberry soup with fresh berries and crème fraîche, light, very tasty and refreshing—one of the best I’ve had so far.

The espresso, included in the menu, was tasty. There was no local mineral water on the menu, even though the Czech Republic is pretty renowned for its richness in such waters. The wine list was rich and quite comprehensive, featuring local and international wines. For the main course, the waiter politely recommended a selection of Czech red Cabernet Moravia (Kč 120) per glass, which was indeed very fresh and suitable with the meal.

All in one, the new Hilton enterprise Zinc is a location suitable for business meetings, lunches or dinners served in an upper-level environment. Even though the menu and courses are indeed innovative, a bit more attention to details and some more personal approach could add value to the new setting, proving decisive in choosing Zinc for going out from the plethora of hotel restaurants newly opened this year in Prague.

And, if Zinc aims to reclaim the Michelin star formerly held by the space, such an approach could prove essential to show that Hilton Old Town achieved its fame through it high ranking services rather than through the media fame of Gordon Ramsay.

LA FINESTRA IN CUCINA

Platnéřská 13, Prague 1
Open: Mon-Sun, 12-23h
Tel:
La Finestra in Cucina
This restaurant is close to our Wenceslas Square apartments.

The gastronomy landscape in Prague is constantly changing. New places keep arising while many established adresses disappear. Among the newcomers there is La Finestra in Cucina. This restaurant, opened just a few weeks ago, is a younger sister of the well established Aromi, specialized in fish meals, at Mánesova street in Prague 2. La Finestra differs from the older establishment mainly in its offer of meats. Here meat dishes are the fundamental element on the menu, while fish plays only a complementary role.

Looking from outside through large shop windows I can see a simple, affable interior. Later on, comfortably seated inside with the menu, I am looking around the long, high-ceilinged room with brick vaults. A wooden floor and unsophisticated furniture help to create a warm atmosphere.

Moderately illuminated red-clay–colored walls evoke a calm that is undisturbed by the stream of hardly discernible muffled conversations emanating from the tables. Visitors sitting in the back half of the room have an opportunity to watch the buzz in the kitchen, behind windows consisting of small glass sheets. These windows allowing people to watch the cooks at their work probably gave the place its name. La finestra in cucina is Italian for “the window to the kitchen.”

And here comes my starter. One of the waiters brought me, with casual grace, what I had been waiting for so impatiently: risotto with Umbrian truffles. Even before the waiter got to my table I smelled the exclusive, heady scent of extraordinary mushrooms, announcing from far away what was coming. Glossy grains of rice, plain, unadorned, with only shavings of truffles scattered on top of the mold, completed with a tiny green spray of parsley. But the taste more than compensated for the inconspicuous look of the meal.

A mixture of firm, fine, unobtrusive rice together with the dramatic taste of fragrant mushrooms gave every mouthful a fantastic gradation. Truffles from Norcia in southeastern Umbria are perhaps not as distinctive as their white cousins from Alba in the Piedmont region, but they do their job properly. Their taste is smoother, finer—even aristocratic. They add a fragrant, long fading-away spirit, to an otherwise plain meal. It was a satisfactory start, indeed.

Spoiled by the pleasant risotto I looked around, waiting for more. The serving staff was constantly on the move, always in the right place at the right time: efficient, quick, but unobtrusive. Then, out of nowhere a man appeared in front of me, balancing a large plate loaded with meat of all sorts, altogether at least 10 to 12 kilograms. The selection of meats is not among the items offered by the elegant, hand-made one-sheet menu; you are left to make a choice by looking. The wine list, incidentally, is much longer, with some 10 pages, a veritable book by comparison. But it will be read by more eyes.

Each of the cuts of meat proved to be more tempting than another. From among veal from Holland and two sorts of Italian beef I decided for a T-bone steak from the white cattle from the Marche region of east central Italy.

The steak was a large one: sweet-smelling and bordered with a strip of fat. I made my decision a little prodigally, without much thinking. It is almost impossible to spoil such a fine piece of meat—so gamey and nice smelling— that was what I was saying to myself, looking forward to a perfect culinary experience with the steak that weighed in at a minimum of 500 grams. I also ordered arugula salad with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, which is always a good choice to accompany a steak. With my fork and knife in hand I was waiting for the waiter, who was carrying a slice of bull nearly as large as the plate. I was served rather promptly, indeed, but with the first cut to my great dismay I discovered that there would be a problem. The meat was brown, roasted through, virtually parched with only a thin rosy strip in the middle. And the fat trimming that I was so looking forward to had become as tough and impossible to chew as a soldier’s belt.

I somehow managed to dissect out the rosy middle, repeating to myself that I surely could not have said “bring me a sole of a shoe, please” instead of “medium rare.” The victory in this round thus went to some very good mashed potatoes with extraordinary olive oil. Also, the excellent red wine—Villa Martis—was flawless, but even that was less than adequate to wash away my memory of the cook’s unforgivable blunder in overcooking such a promising cut of beef into something resembling footwear.

My mood was spoiled and I did not feel much like dessert, but finally I let the waiter persuade me that the chocolate cake with truffles was really absolutely a thing of perfection. I can say that I found it delightful. It was craftily constructed to highlight the excellent chocolate’s flavor with the accents of truffles. The result was a smooth, dreamy experience. The long-fading delicious taste did much to cover up my earlier troubles with the steak and to a certain degree it improved my general impression of La Finestra.

Only the unsatisfactory incident with the steak disturbed an otherwise rather agreeable visit. Nevertheless, a restaurant with such ambitions, at such a location and in such troubled times should not be risking its reputation at the very beginning—even if only in a test run. I do believe they will put everything straight soon. But a price of Kč 3,630 for two dinners, even including a bottle of exquisite wine, would be rather cruel even without any inconvenience with the steak.

Rickshaw

Kongresova 1, Prague 4
Open: Mon-Sat, 18-23h
Tel:261 191 242
Rickshaw
This restaurant is close to our Wenceslas Square apartments by two metro stops.

The Corinthia Hotel’s restaurant Rickshaw serves a combination of cuisine from Thailand, China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore with a sophisticated yet pleasantly intimate Oriental atmosphere.

The Corinthia Hotel offers Prague inhabitants an instant all-inclusive trip to the culinary world of the Far East. The Rickshaw restaurant is a small masterpiece in creating a luxurious oriental atmosphere and taste, comparable only to the newly opened Buddha Bar. Not only fans of Japanese, Thai or Chinese food culture will appreciate the attractions of the place. The pleasure doesn’t come cheaply, but it is worth celebrating special occasions here. Prague five- star hotels have always boasted that they have top-quality restaurants, the Allegro at the Four Seasons or Maze at the Hilton, to name a few. This time I decided to find out what the five- star hotel Corinthia has to offer. The Corinthia is a multiple story hotel located at Vyšehrad. The adjacent Kongresové centrum Praha (Prague Congress Centre) guarantees that the hotel will be far from empty. The hotel also offers a beautiful panoramic view of Prague’s Old Town and the Hradčany district and is easily accessible by metro. In order to reach its flagship restaurant Rickshaw, we had to climb up to the second floor via wide, circular steps. We walked past the lobby bar and white piano located nearby and went up to the eatery doors. At the lobby on the second floor we asked about our reservation. There we were swiftly transferred into the waitress’ hands. While entering, we were welcomed by a statue of a dragon.

The restaurant contains only one medium-sized rectangle-shaped room, accommodating approximately 40 to 50 guests. The place is rather dark, generating a feeling of intimacy and privacy. The dim lighting spreads slightly from egg-shaped paper lamps with Chinese inscriptions. The room is, however, quite clearly divided into three sections differing by the covering of the floor. Most of the floor is made of wood, while a ceramic-tiled portion and a carpeted part are distinct.

The materials dominating the interior are wood and brick. The wooden mahogany shelves act as two walls of the restaurant, separating it from the hotel breakfast buffet. Each shelf hosts a small oriental statue or basket enriching the aesthetic impression of the guests. The short brick wall is reminiscent of a giant fireplace. What can be called the “fireplace” wall presents a blue kimono. The kitchen entrance is hidden on the side of the fireplace and for the visitor the waitresses seem to be suddenly appearing and disappearing from a black hole. The long brick wall is a bright creamy color. However, it doesn’t change the general dark environment. The walls are decorated with delicate pictures displaying Asian motifs.

The music was a calm instrumental oriental theme. In general, the atmosphere was very relaxing, intimate and obviously oriental. The tables are covered with a white table cloth, mostly accommodating two to four people and separated from each other by a comfortable distance. From one side of the tables there is a leather sofa, on the other bamboo chairs. The tables are decorated with beautiful flowers and oil lamps. I chose a suitable table alongside the long brick wall overseeing the whole room. The waitress was clad in a remarkable kimono. Her attentive but not intrusive behavior as well as fluent English made a very good impression on me.

At the outset the waitress poured me some tea from a traditional old-fashioned Chinese gold kettle. While waiting for the food to be delivered, my companion and I could have some nuts and chips dipped in soy sauce. The food was delivered exactly when I expected it to be. The intervals between the courses were also appropriate. Before eating, I refreshed my hands with a wet towel handed to me by the waitress together with the appetizer. For the first course I chose po-pia thod grob, crispy filled Vietnamese spring rolls with black mushrooms, bean sprouts and glass noodles, served with sweet chili sauce (Kč 275) with a vegetable salad. This exquisite and crispy appetizer made me anticipate the second course with high expectations. Other starters include well-known items such as dim sum and sushi, plus some more obscure treats like lab mu (Kč 275), a spicy pork salad from Laos; asinan (Kč 230), a Indonesia salad with peanuts; and yam nua nual (Kč 350), a Thai salad with beef strips that can also be served as a main course (Kč 450). Several soups are also on the menu at Kč 220–260 each.

But for the main course, I chose Japanese beef teriyaki (Kč 540)—grilled beef fillet with teriyaki sauce, garlic sesame seeds, radish and ginger—with jasmine rice (Kč 75) it fulfilled my high expectations. The meal was served in a very elegant manner on white, modern porcelain.

Guests can chose between traditional chopsticks or Western cutlery. I ordered jasmine green tea (Kč 105) to accompany my meal. The drink was extraordinary aromatic and tasted outstanding.

For people who want Chinese food but want something more authentic than what most local restaurants serve, the menu offers shao yan yo (Kč 630), lamb fillet stir-fried with green asparagus, broccoli oyster sauce and rice wine. Fans of seafood might be intrigued by ikan–bakar (Kč 520), a moderately spicy Malaysian dish of oven-roasted salmon fillet with ginger, lemongrass, curry tamarind, coconut milk and chili powder.

Desserts include khao niao ma muang (Kč 245), a Thai dish of sweet sticky rice with mango and coconut ice cream. Kluai khaek (Kč 245), a Chinese fried banana dish, and aloe vera sorbet (Kč 180) are also available.

The restaurant is a real piece of the Orient moved to the heart of central Europe. The Orient is usually associated with perfection of each detail and unique ability to create a relaxing tranquil atmosphere. This is exactly what you should expect from Rickshaw. On top of that, a visit to the eatery can be a slight positive dose of snobbism due to its elite and luxurious entourage. It comes for a price, but a price worth paying to delight your friends or business partners. The eatery is excellent both for a romantic late evening date as well as for a business dinner with an important client. During our visit, the guests were primarily foreign businesspeople, most likely hotel visitors. The place has existed since 2001 but still seems to have not yet been discovered by local connoisseurs.

Auberge de Provence

U Špejcharu 355 Prague West - Tuchoměřice
Open:11-233H daily
Tel: 222 247 240
Major payment cards accepted
Auberge de Provence
You'll need a car to get here

When looking for sophisticated restaurants serving first-class meals, one should not overlook the outskirts of the capital. Such places, if they are to attract a part of the clientele used to frequenting establishments in downtown, have to be really outstanding. That is just the case with Auberge de Provence in Tuchoměřice. It serves French and Belgian dishes with a touch of Czech cuisine—at least that is what the venue’s Web site promises.

The way to Auberge de Provence is rather long and a bit complicated, you may even get lost if you are going there for the first time. This even happened to me. I was almost ready to turn back when I saw a large, bright building. At last I found a parking area at a courtyard in front of a building of what earlier surely was a farm, which is dominated by a large building that was formerly a granary. I think am on the spot.

Eager to know whether or not it is true, I enter. Two steps inside the parlor I have to halt, rather stunned. A picturesque space with rustic flagstones on the floor and many girders and crossbeams is literally crammed with a pall mall of all sorts of objects. Roebuck’s antlers are next to a picture of the king and queen of Belgium; cages and sleighs hang from the ceiling. There is even a rocking horse. Some tables are set in ritzy style, others just ordinarily in a peasant fashion, but equipped with richly ornamented aristocratic candelabras. At a windowsill there is even a statue of Krakonoš, the wise spirit of the Krkonoše mountains. Art Nouveau chandeliers, some of them even made of crystal, look somewhat out of place among the timberwork. However, they shed a calm, not excessive light.

Introduced to my place, I am still gasping a little from the effort to get all this chaos sorted. After a while I turn my attention to the menu, as there apparently is no way to find an order in my surroundings. The selection in the menu is much better organized; I concentrate on a number of the recommended menus and I decide for the traditional menu, with one addition—a small portion of bouillabaisse as the first course.

A waiter emanating spirit of a highly qualified expert from Lausanne brought me my soup within a second. One look at the bowl gently emanating a superb smell is more than enough; I take my spoon. Under the surface strewn with brownish dots of fat—like freckles on an Irish girl’s face— there is a colourful “submarine world.” Bright carrots, green celery tops, alabaster-like bits of fish, here and there a half of a cherry tomato. A twig of dill, a crescent of lime, two half-submerged shells of mussels like a couple of wrecked barges, all this among wide stretched claws of a scampi with menacingly bulging dark eyes. Equally rich is the flavor.

The taste is as varicolored as the look. The broth, combining the clean flavor of vegetables with the delicate breath of sea, seasoned with wine and ginger gives its gallant support to the fish. Various sorts of fish are clearly distinguishable at one’s palate; the texture is firm, not mashed. Altogether it composes an amazing hymn of tastes, with well cooked—but not overcooked—vegetables, sweet carrot, hearty celery tops and joyful tomatoes, playing its important part. The harmony is overwhelming, intoxicating, fading out very slowly, for a very long time. It is difficult to imagine that this superb dish is made from the remnants of the common catch made by poor fishermen.

In a break between courses I have time to watch the waiter moving across the room, assured of himself, elegant, self-confident but not haughty. There are only one or two open locations. With confidence and elegance the waiter circles the hall, working masterfully, but not condescendingly. Under his administration, the waiter’s craft returns to somewhere in the golden years of English hospitality, when it was actually an art. Microscopic failures—there were not many, just one or two—were fixed within seconds and quickly forgotten.

I could look at him for a long time, but now they have brought me my fromage de chèvre—warm goat cheese in puff pastry. The golden dough hides the secrets of the cheese. A small leaf of dough is garnished with red currants and walnuts in elaborate disarray. Balsamic vinegar and shining cherries add a truly artful signature to this oeuvre. The sharp, youthful taste of cheese is properly smoothed by the pastry coating.

The eating of the food creates an unusual phenomenon. The cheese-mellowed pastry occurred in two forms, similar in concept to the chaotic restaurant’s interior.. The effect of the part with currants belonged rather to the rustic cuisine of the land-bound people. The nuts, however, created the quiet taste of food fit for aristocratic tables. It was a peculiar but not unsympathetic coupling.

The centerpiece of dinner, butterfish with a crème fraîche pesto sauce, brussels sprouts and new potatoes, came shortly after. With pleasure I watched my waiter’s grace when he served the dish. A brown roasted fillet of butterfish rested on halves of thin-skinned new potatoes, modestly decorated with lemon and lime slices, a fresh twig of dill and chives. The whole plate is rimmed with a necklace of small green balls of brussels sprouts. The crème fraîche pesto sauce flows off the top of butterfish, creating a small, opalescent lake on the plate. The fish has been properly prepared, that much is clear from the first bite; not for nothing did this fish get its name. Its taste is delicate and distinctive, well-resonating with the unusual flavor of pesto. Gentle pressure from the fork shows that the fillet is flaky. There is no need for a knife. The juicy, smooth taste spurs a riot in the senses. Even the brussels sprouts, although clearly originating from a different world, have merged well with the fish in a pleasant finale. Again, you can talk about the connection of peasant kitchen goods with those of a castle.

Before the dessert, in a genial mood I have to admit that even the mismatched decor of the room underlined by delightful smells of meals is helping to evoke a warm, agreeable atmosphere. Baked cinnamon apple with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream became a proper catalyst, accentuating feeling of utter happiness invoked by the dinner. The apple, just a little sweet, enclosed in a coat of caramel spiced with cinnamon, thick, sweet and strongly reduced balsamic vinegar, ice cream and whipped cream—a composition reminding one of a warm, long forgotten mother’s kiss.

For an evening with captivating atmosphere, great food and impressive service, the bill for two people—with a 5 percent discount for payment in cash—was Kč 1,790. In summer, with all the French windows open and with tables in the garden the restaurant must offer an even more agreeable atmosphere. I am certainly going to try it.

Como Mediterranean Restaurant & Café

Wenceslas Square 45, Prague 1
Open:7-233H daily
Tel: 222 247 240
Major payment cards accepted
Como Mediterranean Restaurant and Cafe.
This restaurant is located near our Wenceslas Square Apartments.

Long-awaited spring weather recently brought both tourists and locals out to Prague streets, in quest of some sunshine. In this mild weather, heading for lunch to the newly opened Como Mediterranean Restaurant & Café, with its flavor of Italian inspiration, seemed a brilliant idea. The venue features an outside terrace and central location. However, the new eatery proved that sometimes there is more to learn from Italy than the love of good food and wine—and not always in the best sense of the word.

The new venue is located at the ground floor of the Hotel Jalta, serving as its main restaurant in the middle of the Wenceslas Square in Prague 1. A few steps from the National Museum and from Old Town’s center make the place an ideal spot for strolling tourists. Moreover, Como features a cozy outside terrace, highly sought after in spring by lunch goers tired of the darkness of classical Czech hospodas. The terrace is quite small, widely exposed to traffic noise and is untouched by the sun at noon.

Except for its location, though, Como enjoys few other things that would make a local customer want to return. The closeness to the hotel entrance, the placement next to a casino and the hectic traffic outside make it a place to take a breath during a stroll rather than a cozy central venue.

The hope for a sophisticated taste of Italian cuisine inspired by the name of the setting was soon dissipated by a look at the regular menu. Clearly designed for tourists, it includes various ordinary meals from starters, soups, grilled meat, pastas and desserts. It also features four courses of typical Czech cuisine. Decently priced for its location, Como doesn’t shine through sophisticated. It rather goes for simple, comfortable meals that everyone is familiar with while it lacks refinement and delicate sophistication typical for the Italian cuisine.

However, the regular menu was paired with a special Easter menu that included more interesting items. It featured a selection of two meals, starters, soups, main courses and dessert. While my guest decided to try it, I wanted to have a taste of the regular Como menu. COMO MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT & CAFÉ Václavské nám. 45, Prague 1 Open Mon–Sun 6.30 a.m.–1.00 a.m. Tel: 222 247 240 Major payment cards accepted

In the Easter menu, prices ranged between Kč 195 (€7.2) and Kč 215 for a starter, Kč 85 for a parsley cream with garlic croutons and cumin mousse and Kč 95 for a soup with kefir, baby spinach and lamb meat. Main courses ranged between Kč 280 for a portion of spring chicken baked with rosemary butter and served with potato pureé and comfit garlic (Kč 280) and Kč 340 for a portion of grilled lamb meat with pasta served with baked pepper salad, eggplant pureé and homemade Arab bread that the guest found tasty and well-cooked.

Desserts looked appealing, with a selection between the homemade Easter pastry with almonds and vanilla cream (Kč 120) and the novelette with pressed strawberries and Sabayon (Kč 135). The Easter menu showed an appetite for innovation that, together with accessible prices despite a central location might be a key for survival during the economic downturn.

Back to the regular menu, it quite failed to convince me to return to Como. The tomato soup with cheese ravioli (Kč 95) was fine, but it lacked personality. The menu also featured soups such as minestrone (Kč 85) or kulajda (Kč 85), a South Bohemian soup.

The menu also includes salads priced between Kč 185 and Kč 195 for a portion of green lettuce with goat cheese, for example. The price of grilled meat-based meals goes from Kč 295 for a 200 gram portion of rib eye steak to Kč 495 for 400 grams of lamb cutlets with herbs and garlic and to Kč 790 for a 400 gram portion of Chateaubriand for two.

Still hoping for a taste of Italy, I decided to go for pastas. The menu includes a selection from gnocchi with blue cheese sauce (Kč 195), traditional spaghetti beef Bolognese (Kč 265), lasagna Bolognese with beef and parmesan cheese (Kč 265) or fettuccine with crayfish and zucchini (Kč 295), which were rather tasty, but had no outstanding flavor.

The focus on tourists was emphasized by the inclusion of typical Czech meals in the menu; a portion of roast sirloin in cream sauce served with mixed bread dumplings was Kč 245 Kč and half a roast duck with cabbage and potato dumplings cost Kč 285.

The dessert list was quite extensive. It included a portion of strawberry pancakes with sabayon wine mousse (Kč 145), hot raspberries with vanilla ice cream (Kč 135), cake of the day (Kč 135) or a cheese plate (Kč 170). The fruit panna cotta (Kč 135) was a surprisingly tasty end for an otherwise dull culinary experience.

Compared to the food menu, Como’s wine menu is quite extensive and features a wide array of prices. The bottle of white Bourgogne Chablis, Jean Pierre Grossot (Kč 1,180) was refreshing and light, emphasizing the pasta taste and the juicy, young lamb meat.

Como also features tapas—small snacks—in its regular menu. From cold tapas such as marinated goat cheese or anchovy filets with olives and cheese (both at Kč 60) or warm tapas such as jalapeño peppers stuffed with cheddar cheese (Kč 50) or gratin mussels (Kč 70) the menu speaks of the focus on foreign, in this case Spanish tourists. There is also a special offer of a tapas set of any four tapas for Kč 200. The beer offer is based on a selection of draught Czech Pilsner Urquell and Radegast (Kč 39 for 0.3 liters, Kč 59 for 0.5 liters). A 0.2 liter soft drink reaches Kč 39, while a bottle of 0.33 liter mineral water goes for Kč 35. A classical espresso is priced at Kč 49. Thanks to the fact that the restaurant is open till after midnight, it also features a quite wide selection of cocktails and shakes. Maybe the list of drinks makes Como suitable for a stop for a drink rather than for an outstanding lunch or dinner.

Even though the Como staff was friendly, we couldn’t stop noticing the terribly hectic behavior. It took more than 30 minutes to bring a starter and a soup. Moreover, several confused waiters came with various meals that we didn’t order. A waiter took the order, another brought the meal and a third one eventually brought the drinks. Even though we ordered white wine that should be poured only in case the glass is empty to maintain a constant fresh temperature, the waiter kept topping up the glass.

At the end, not to spoil the general impression, the waiter forgot to bring us the bill and remembered us when we approached the bar for payment. This might have had an excuse if the restaurant had been full, but even at lunch time the terrace was almost empty.

Decorations inside made the environment look pretty modern. However, the dynamic music prevented hosts from truly relaxing. Moreover, the terrace tables are quite close to each other, limiting privacy. Even though Como can’t be recommended for a solemn business lunch, it could pass for a light, cordial encounter—on condition that guests have infinite patience.

Dock House Restaurant

Michelská 59–Michle Prague 4
Open:11-23H daily
Tel:261 211 590
Major payment cards accepted

We will never know when and where an ancestor of ours put a slice of buffalo, bear or mammoth meat spiced with randomly chosen herbs on burning wood, giving birth to the first steak in history.

We will never find out how long it was before a proper grill was used—a tool allowing one of the most popular techniques of meat-cooking in our times. We only know where to go to be served excellent steaks. In Prague 4’s neighborhood, you can find a place able to quench your carnivorous lust in an undreamed-of measure.

Dock House restaurant is situated relatively far from downtown. Even so—although places offering steaks are rather numerous in Prague—that is where the real gourmets used to go. Even nowadays, when meat of all sorts from all over the world is easily accessible, the secret of a good steak remains in the hands of a cook—or rather a rôtisseur. As meat enthusiasts confirm, one of the best people of this trade is available at the Dock House. That is why they frequent the place.

We do not let the small bar staring at the sidewalk through a large shop window discourage us. The most important things are hidden behind it. A long, narrow passage leads you to the heart of the restaurant. There we emerge in a parlor, pleasant at first sight, filled with the smell of grilled meat. The space with a low ceiling looks warm, thanks to wood, which is the prevailing material here. False timbers give it a slightly atypical character, similar to skewed walls, sloped inward. Massive furniture, a simple appearance, pleasant light of a summer-day color from ceiling droplights supplemented by small steel cylinders of spotlights—all this evokes the illusion of a third-millennium saloon. Tradition is added with modern style, but with feeling, just for flavor. A string of photos picturing cattle complements the general look. The room is dominated by a spacious grill out of which the smell emanates, evoking our Pavlov’s response.

Taking one of the last vacant places—we had come without prior reservation, and the house was overcrowded—we applied our minds to the menu. It is more elaborate, and it has been substantially enlarged since our last visit. Probably everyone should be able to make his or her decision here. Of course, sections offering fast-food items and steaks are the largest of all. Choosing our dinner, we made a tour of interesting culinary localities all over the world, for instance, the starter—fresh fried calamari with garlic, tomatoes and black olives—breathes pure essence of the Mediterranean area. The dish was as fresh and colorful as a view of sunlit landscape on the coast. And the taste was as variously colored as was the look. The fine meat of calamari with a faint flavor of seaweed delicately intertwined with full, but unobtrusive garlic. And the fresh, vivid, slightly piquant taste of cherry tomatoes wrapped all the ingredients in one refined complex supporting calamari as a smooth cushion.

This successful overture awakened our sensors to further expectations. Before they bring us the next course, we have a minute to look around. The personnel competently cope with more and more visitors flocking into the parlor, skillfully dealing with occasional commotions. Only when out of direct contact with clients, do they allow themselves to “switch off” their smiles.

Back in the limelight, they return again as merry and obliging as before. Here comes our second course, the soup with potatoes and beans. This brought us closer to the homeland of steaks, as the soup is obviously of Mexican origin. Golden little potato cubes and beans under the surface in a color of red clay are not really exposed; you can only surmise they are there. The taste is composed of the most common countryside flavors, but the basic products were selected and prepared with care. Firm, not “floury” meat of potatoes, beans well done but not overcooked, all this incorporated in the overwhelming—but not exaggerated—spicy flavor of the soup, lightening the density of the dish. The overall impression is strong and surely not boring; every spoon signals taste buds: attention, the finale is coming.

Grilled steak with bacon, baked tomatoes on rosemary, black olives, red onion and beans is starring in the leading role. Here we are in America. Well-arranged and garnished it looks more than edible. A thick slice of sirloin, rested on a cushion of green beans, is topped with a piece of roasted bacon. The garnish is complemented by two halves of grilled tomatoes and a few small, light green salad leaves.

The steak smelling of blood is evoking my predatory instincts; resisting the urge to tear the meat in the most brutish fashion, I take my knife and fork, as a civilized person. The first mouthful took me by surprise. The meat is good, fresh, with a natural flavor, but unfortunately cooked “medium” while I asked for “medium rare.” So I was deprived of pure meat juice and the marked undertone of blood flavor, which is so thrilling for every meat eater. Otherwise, everything was in order; green beans made the dish sweeter, tomatoes added panache. Nevertheless, there was not what I love so on steaks—the rough taste of red juice springing under the knife. The bacon wasn’t much help either, so scorched that under the first touch of the fork it simply disintegrated to dust. I am not sure who was responsible for this blunder. As a skewer stuck in the stake carried the label “medium,” it seems such an order was given to the man at the grill, so the serving personnel, overwhelmed by the incessant influx of new visitors were probably to blame. It is a pity, as otherwise the service was very accurate and observant.

A dessert was to bring a remedy for this slight disenchantment. Grilled pineapple with coconut ice cream, caramel, walnuts and lime sauce looked like the least caloric item in this section of the menu. It was a good choice. The pineapple was very sour, obviously helpful to digestion; seductively sweet ice cream decorated with walnuts helped to keep its dryness in bearable limits, the lime sauce supporting the balance from the other side of the spectrum of tastes. The well balanced dessert thus became a real crown on top of the dinner.

Kč 1,520 for two dinners (our bill was decreased by 30 percent; probably in apology for the mixed orders) was a very sympathetic price; Dock House presented itself in a very agreeable light.

Brasserie Delice

Zitna 9, Prague 1
Open:7-15, 18-23H daily
Tel:225 999 999
Major payment cards accepted
Old Town Apartments.

Opening a new top-end restaurant in Prague these days when Gordon Ramsey’s freshly Michelin-starred Maze is closing down due to a lack of guests might sound like a courageous provocation. But attracting guests to a new restaurant in a freshly open hotel in an apparently sinking tourism market can be a challenge for any chef.

Even though the taste of the first recession after more than 15 years has been dragging down the mood of Czech food lovers, Brasserie Délice, the main restaurant of the new Sheraton Prague Charles Square Hotel, which opened March 1, plans to bet on innovation and class. The setting hopes to cash in on more that just on the solid international brand name of the Sheraton, which will continue to draw in loyal foreign guests even in times of crisis. Brasserie Délice also managed to attract Jan Pipal, who as former chef of Grandhotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary, West Bohemia, and 2004’s Czech cook of the year. The restaurant put together a menu that is both international and focused on Czech organic offerings. Served at a high level to a clearly targeted clientele, the restaurant hopes to cross the economic downturn successfully and establish a brand that would appeal both local and foreign guest connoisseurs in the future.

The new setting is just a few minutes walk from Prague’s center, at a reasonable distance from hot business spots in Anděl or I.P. Pavlova. Even so, the location isn’t so central that it is in the spotlight; it provides an amount of discretion that is sometimes welcome for delicate business meetings. Customers should avoid an initial confusion about the real entry to the restaurant—not from the street, but via the hotel main entrance and passing through the lobby lounge. An outside entrance will be available soon as well, Jan Korta, Sheraton’s marketing and sales director, told CBW. Even though placed on a heavily trafficked street, Brasserie Délice manages to isolate outside noise and preserves a friendly interior atmosphere emphasized by soft soul music. Inside, decoration is elegant, yet simple and without ostentation; it manages to keep a proper balance between refinement and simplicity.

Wooden tables are covered with cream linen tablecloths; comfortable chairs alternate in a pleasant exchange of cream, dark gray and red. The floor completes the decor with sandstone and red carpets in the middle of the room. Walls are modernly decorated with special spaces for wine storage and exhibition. For a wine lover, this is indeed an incentive to stay more and enjoy the glass of wine in a relaxed mood.

As proven later, the only risk in this setting is that the combination of meals and wine is so good that a customer would forget to leave and would like to prolong the experience for as long as possible.

The friendly staff surrounded me from the moment I stepped in and their pampering might have seemed sometimes intrusive if not provided in such a forthcoming manner. A selection of snacks came in promptly: butter, smoked salmon cut in little cubes with olive oil and a portion of softly spicy black olive mousse. Bread loaves were white, black and nut-based, all quite fresh and tasty.

Even though the starter offer was appealing—from duck foie gras made of pressed liver in combination with ice cream, sour cherry sauce and warm Granny Smith apples (Kč 450) to grilled red mullet served with young vegetables, poached in saffron consommé and aioli sauce (Kč 380)—I preferred to go for a soup and leave room for the main course. When the meals started to come in, I saw I wasn’t wrong.

The soup, bouillabaisse from Marseille based on grilled slices of sea fish with soup and rouille sauce (Kč 390) was singular; the fish taste was just accurate and the soup was creamy, light and delicious. The combination with the rouille sauce served with fresh bread completed the taste in quite an elegant manner.

However, the best came under the shape of the main course, a portion of lamb from the Beskydy district. The saddle roasted with rosemary and lemon zest were served with a Jerusalem artichoke purée, buttered spinach and badian glaze (Kč 690). The meat was simply exquisite, cooked just right and enhanced by the combination with the purée, glaze and spinach leaves, which made it altogether a rare experience. This wasn’t yet all. Even though it came a bit after the main course was served, the 0.02 liter glass of 2003 red Italian Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino wine took me instantly out of the city, far away from cars and chaos to a plain of green grass not yet scorched by the sun where spring labors are just about to begin. The wine, earthy, spiced and consistent had a very strong aftertaste; its color, light amber, reflected softly in the daylight. Even though the restaurant’s menu includes Czech red wines, after this experience I didn’t regret my choice.

Little room was left for dessert after such an opulent experience. However, I decided to try the Valrhona soup—hot chocolate soup with rum-raisin ice-cream and banana bread (Kč 250). The combination was flavorsome, not too sweet and not too heavy. Other desserts included a selection of farm house French cheese served with nut-fruit bread (Kč 350); ice cream and sorbets; or frozen parfait from walnuts, tartar from fresh fruits and raspberry coulis (Kč 250).

The offer in Brasserie Délice includes also soups such as the organic cauliflower creamy soup based on roasted buttered cauliflower and boletus ravioli (Kč 190); salads such as the torn salad and pata negra based on a mix torn salads with dried black-pig ham, mango and nut vinaigrette (Kč 290) or Niçoise salad (Kč 240); vegetarian meals such as pasta or risotto and main courses based on fish, pork and beef meat. The menu also features the chef’s favorite dish: coq au vin based on deboned young black rooster in Burgundy wine served with homemade tagliatelle with truffles and Vichy carrot (Kč 690).

The location also provides the so-called Délice menus—a combination of starter, soup, main course and desert for a price variation from Kč 950 to Kč 1,390 and Kč 1,950. It also features items from the traditional Czech cuisine such as the traditional cabbage soup (Kč 160) and rhubarb cake (Kč 250). Business lunches are represented as well, with offers including a soup as a starter, a selection from three possible main courses and dessert. Business lunch prices vary based on a selection of three-course menu for Kč 490 or two-course menu for Kč 390. The lunch menu includes a glass of house wine or soft drink and coffee or tea.

Over lunch, a group of businessmen enjoyed a comfortable talk in a mix of three languages in Brasserie Délice. They gave the impression of being already familiar with the spot and seemed to be contemplating personnel issues. Thus, I turned my attention to some more worldly pleasures and scanned the menu list for inspiration for an eventual return visit. The group of businessmen left after a friendly chat with the staff. “We welcome both our hotel guests and representatives of businesses in the surroundings such as the international consultancies PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young, who are welcome here together with their clients,” Korta said.

In a few words, Brasserie Délice is a new, modern place that provides a relaxing and discrete atmosphere, where elegant business lunches or romantic dinners can take place and where important discussions can be combined with unique taste refinements. Maybe a bet on top quality, even in times of economic downturn, isn’t just a fly against the wind; maybe it should become the norm in Prague after the crisis dust settles down.

Tokyo Restaurant (and karaoke bar)

Balbínova 26, Prague 2–Vinohrady
Open: 10-22H daily
Tel:233 326 670
This restaurant is close to our Spanelska apartments.

As the Web site claims, the Tokyo Restaurant with a separate karaoke bar in a lower level is a place with a difference. We were fairly curious about it when we decided to try this new sushi place in Prague, but it lived up to its claim.

We entered the place on tiny Balbínova street, just a few steps from the Muzeum metro stop, full of expectation but also insecurity because the references we had got before were rather ambivalent. It is a great place for kimchi, a friend of mine and a passionate admirer of exotic cuisine told me. But be prepared that the service might be rather “nonstandard,” another acquaintance added, for example. In addition, as we discovered immediately, the restaurant’s sloppy Web site was also rather “nonstandard.” Definitely, it was not something that would evoke an elegant restaurant that paid meticulous attention to every detail.

When we arrived, we calmed down. Although it was Sunday evening, the restaurant looked lively. We were welcomed by the owner and the chef, who was preparing meals in the front room, and were led to the main room where several young Koreans were having dinner. At first glance we were positively impressed by the authentic décor of the place and also by the cozy atmosphere.

Tokyo Restaurant offers a mixture of Korean, Japanese and fusion specialties. We sat down, and a young waiter brought us two considerably used menus. The cover reminded us of the type of menu one usually gets in Chinese fast food establishments. We plunged into inspecting it, and before we could finish, the waiter was back again with a complementary appetizer consisting of two crispy beef-filled pastries. We found them to be delicious.

We ordered sake (Kč 150/per jar) and jasmine tea (Kč 50/for a two-person two) and two soups as a first course. Kimchi-guk (Kč 75) proved to be a great choice; the taste of kimchi with a spicy accent was absolutely unbeatable. Besides, as I discovered the day after, a pleasant side effect was that it helped me to overcome the cold I had been suffering from. Traditional wakame soup (Kč 90), which has seaweed as a main ingredient, had its mild usual taste.

Our main course choice was sushi. We tried a sushi set (Kč 520) and sushi maki set (Kč 570). Neither was a disappointment. They came served on big square plates decorated with pickled ginger styled in the shape of rose and accompanied with hot wasabi paste. We thought the pieces of ikura rolls and various sushi and maki were made of fresh fish, and we found them to be extremely delicate. Besides, considering the amount of pieces, the price was much friendlier than in the majority of local sushi places.

We were rather amazed because when we finished the sushi, our kind waiter was back again with another freebie. This time it was fresh fruit drizzled with honey that came on a smallish round plate with a funny fork from Thailand.

After our dinner, we went to see the rest of the restaurant accompanied by the Korean waiter, who turned out to be one of the sons of the owner. He was very obliging and patiently showed us everything. We saw there are actually two venues at one address. While a classical restaurant is situated in the basement, there is a big karaoke bar in a grotto that has five rooms of a different size. We were assured the local karaoke facility stays open till the wee hours, and has become popular not only with Koreans but has already found Czech fans, too. Besides, the place has become popular with Americans and French expats, too, the owner, said. He takes an active part in running the restaurant and trained the Czech chef himself.

As soon as we left, we already started planning a return visit to the venue. I thought it had been a long time since I had such great sushi and spent such a pleasant evening. Besides, it was cool to learn that there are places in Prague where one can get decent sushi late on a Sunday, although still only very few of them. =====================

Mirellie

Restaurants in Prague.