Prague Take-Homes: Designer Souvenirs

In Prague, there are plenty of shabby shops selling cheap souvenirs to tourists (Russian dolls, anyone?). As an alternative to getting an unmemorable present, you can pop into one of the unique design shops and choose an interesting gift you or your loved-ones back home will appreciate as an original piece of Prague. Wandering through the streets of Prague, you can stumble across design shops that feature rare and alluring designs just waiting for you to take home.Here are a few of our favorite stores with unique souvenirs:

Belda Factory

They offer original and unique jewelry, porcelain and glass, all from Czech producers and designers that will accommodate any budget.

Studio Pirsc Porcelain

Studio Pirsc Porcelain has become one of the leading studios in porcelain design and production. They offer high quality and limited decorations, along with useful household items. You can purchase them online or at various Prague stores (e.g. Belda, Qubus, Futurista, Modernista).

Papelote

This original Czech stationary gives paper a brand new, creative dimension. In Papelote you can find exercise books, notebooks, postcards and many other things that a good stationery shop should carry. You will be surprised by the original design that develops ordinary paper goods to unique pieces of art.

66 Gallery

The 66 Gallery is a wonderful mixture of a sales gallery and the Botas Concept Store. This traditional Czech sport shoes brand has become extremely popular, as illustrated by the fact that the Czech word "botasky" is the universal word for any sneakers.

Qubus

Here you will find unique treats for anyone exceptional in your life, things like a weird porcelain candleholder looking as baby head, a porcelain vase in the shape of a wellington boot or plenty of other cool design items to show your friends back home.

Futurista

Over 100 m2 of unique space where you can browse a broad collection of art, design books and magazines, pick an original gift for your loved ones or just meet up for a cup of coffee.

Modernista

This design shop offers broad and diverse selection of furniture, ceramics, glass, lighting, jewelry and toys from the Art Deco, Bauhaus, and Czech Cubism movements.

Kubista

Presenting the best of decorative art and design from the most important stylistic periods of the 20th century, particularly cubism and art deco, Kubista offers rare originals of applied arts.

Popout

Design lifestyle store full of original ideas, cool accessories and unique gifts such as a beautiful porcelain “babovka” form.

TEG (Timoure et Group)

This boutique is run by one of Prague’s most respected fashion designers; their quarterly collections feature sophisticated yet wearable clothes.

Sansho - arguably the best Asian fusion food in Prague

When ex-Nobu chef, Paul Day, opened a much-praised restaurant in Prague, we could not resist being one of its first visitors. Our expectations were high… Were they eventually met?This small, down-to-earth place has both communal seating arrangement and individual tables, along with an open kitchen. Rather than spending thousands on posh furniture and accessories, they decided to go for a minimalist look, which we loved. Although some may find the interior dull, smart touches extend throughout the interior décor: the contrast between the cold surface of concrete and the warmth of the wood and vibrant flowers in vases, eye-catching bulb lams; witty The Real Meat Society (where Sansho gets its meat) coasters; checked decor on both napkins and wardrobe of the staff. Nevertheless, the focus is definitely on the food.

Although the restaurant serves Asian-inspired food, it cooperates with local farmers and uses their organic eggs, meat and vegetables, and offers beer from a microbrewery. While à la carte menu is offered during lunch time, only a tasting menu is available for dinner (you can select only one dish from the menu, but the menu works much better as a cohesive whole) and it is served family-style. Quite unusual in the Czech Republic (we like our portions really big), this informal and sociable drew a lot of criticism as the restaurant opened.

We opted for the six-course menu - a lovely combination of complementary flavors. The first course, Scottish salmon sashimi, was a wonderful combination of fine fish with a citrus soy marinade, fresh ginger, pink peppercorns, chives and sesame seeds that awakened our slumbering taste buds with a sweet and sour tang.

Next up was a salad of green and white asparagus coated with a beautiful, aromatic dressing of coriander, mint, chili and Thai basil (and probably many more ingredients we were not able to identify) with an egg fried in goose fat.

Honzi’s least favorite but still tasty dish – chicken satay – followed: tender chicken legs were covered with rather salty than sweet peanut sauce that had a little bit of heat. Crispy fried onions on the top added extra texture.

The fourth dish was duck sliders; steamed buns were light in texture and reminded us of our dumplings. Slow-roasted duck, cucumber and scallions with a little bit of hoisin sauce were stuck into the buns. While still nice, I could hardly taste the filling. Therefore, the sliders seemed the weakest dish of the night to me.

Then an unusual combination of pork belly and watermelon salad “landed” on out table. This powerful combination of flavors and contrasts was wonderful. Juicy, caramelized bites of pork melted on the tongue and paired beautifully with the sweetness of fresh watermelon that removed the heaviness of the dish.

The standout of the evening was the final dish, the 12-hour cooked beef redang. The meat was slowly cooked in coconut milk with lots of spices (we bet there was chilli, ginger, galangal, and lemon grass) and was so tender that you could eat it even if you had no teeth. Crunchy toasted coconut and a jar of homemade hot jam were served on the side. It came with steamed rice, roti and wok-fried broccoli and bok choy with fish sauce, ginger and chilies.

Already stuffed, we decided to have desserts. Sticky toffee pudding was served warm with vanilla ice cream on the top. It was delicious, super rich and Honzi almost licked the plate clean. We also tried the homemade passion fruit ice cream with pink peppercorns. Yummy.

It was not a cheap meal. If you eat and drink as much as we did you could easily get to EUR 40 per person. There are certainly places where you can spend less in Prague, but hardly any of them pays so much attention to every dish. For that reason, we think it is definitely worth it.

Listen to an interview with Sansho's chef, Paul Day.

Coming soon: recipe for Pork Belly and Watermelon salad

Delicious Beer From Microbreweries

Are you planning your trip to Prague? If you are, then you will already know that we consider Czech regional beers our crown jewels. But do you know what beer tastes the best? Well, that’s tough one.

During our tours we often hear that Czech beer is the best in the world… but when we ask the participants what Czech beer they liked the most, we rarely get a straightforward answer. Frequently, it’s either Gambrinus or Pilsner Urquell, Budějovický Budvar and Staropramen, ubiquitous brands of giant breweries that have been dominating the Czech beer market. That’s not to say these aren’t great beers – at least Pilsner and Budvar – but too much of a good thing can get a bit boring.

Luckily, a new generation of Prague pubs is beginning to draw beers from a plethora of strange brews, going well beyond the traditional big-name lagers. These pubs are gaining popularity among locals: the beers they are selling usually have distinctive flavors, and freshness is always guaranteed. This trend is well illustrated by the recent list of the 10 best places to have a beer in Prague (alright, we are also tired of the generic Top 10 articles) published by Hospodářské noviny, one of the largest newspapers in the Czech republic – four of the top five spots are occupied by pubs selling beers from microbreweries. We encourage you to sample some of these harder-to-find beers and pubs that are worth the search.

Where should you be heading for a pint then?

Zlý Časy is the perfect place to try some fantastic Czech beer - with 24 beers on tap and upbeat but still traditional Czech pub atmosphere. Due to the crowds of happy beer drinkers, it may be harder to get service at the bar.

Zubatý pes – with 15 beers on tap, 5 or 6 of which are foreign beers and the rest being some of the best Czech beers, you are sure to find a few that will suit your liking.

První pivní tramvaj - if you are looking for something a little more adventurous, try this odd little pub. Take the number 11 tram to the last stop at Spořilov. The tram will stop just a few steps from the pub's door. At first sight it might look like a dive, and maybe at second and third sight as well. But it has a unique atmosphere (seats from an old tram bench, tram handrails at the toilets, curious cartoon graffiti) and they serve some wonderful beers. Btw, have you heard of the fourth tap?

Bulovka Pivovar – a famous Czech pub that is almost always packed. Bustling and noisy, like a traditional Czech pub should be, U Bulovky has a very unique atmosphere which is very hard to find nowadays.  The beer is excellent – always fresh-tasting and rich, each beer has its own unique taste.

Vietnamese Food in Prague

Although we focus primarily on Czech cuisine, we should definitely point out a new phenomenon on the Prague dining scene - Vietnamese food. For historical reasons, there is a big Vietnamese minority in the Czech Republic. There is no better proof of that fact than a visit to "Little Hanoi", officially called the SAPA market - a large Vietnamese "town in a town" full of Vietnamese shops and bistros on the outskirts of Prague. Because of these and other establishments, you can taste some delicious authentic Vietnamese dishes... right in the centre of Europe. If you want to find out more about the Vietnamese community and food in Prague, join us on a Prague tasting walk! The Czechs have embraced the concept, and lower-end Vietnamese bistros are becoming more and more popular. Although, these places are not exactly fine dining, be assured that the food is finger-licking good!

Prague Castle by Night

When people tell us that they want to see the Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge, we always recommend visiting these two marvelous sights either early in the morning or later in the evening to beat the crowds. Alternatively, you can visit the Castle during the day to enter the St. Vitus Cathedral and have a stroll in the Castle gardens (which is highly recommended), and then come back in the evening to truly enjoy the Castle's exteriors.

To illustrate what we mean, we took a short walk to the Castle yesterday (our kitchen is located within walking distance of the Castle) and took these photos for you. These shots were snapped at about 9:00 p.m. There was hardly anyone there, except for the attendants of a BMW party (yes, you can rent the halls of the Prague Castle for corporate events).

Designblok 2011

You may have already guessed by now that we love food. But there is another passion that Zuzi and I share - modern design. Whenever we go to a museum abroad, we never forget to check out the design shop. And when we are eating out, food always tastes better to us from a nice plate than from a mediocre one.

Well, if you're like us and you are visiting Prague next week, this post is for you.

From Tuesday, 4 October through Sunday, 9 October, Prague will be hosting the 13th edition of the Designblok annual design exhibition that focuses on Czech design and fashion. This is THE event on the design-lover's calendar in Prague, and definitely the event to attend if you're in Prague next week.

Designblok (and Czech design in general) has witnessed some dramatic development in the past decade or so. I had the honor of being the interpreter for the opening night of the 3rd Designblok - back then, it was a small affair held in a forsaken industrial building with no promotion and just a few young, Czech designers showing their newest creations to a handful of design aficionados. Fast forward ten years, and you can see crowds of people standing in lines to get in one of the "superstudios", lured in by the ubiquitous posters around Prague, just to see the newest products from global names such as Kartell, Nespresso, MaxMara, Ikea, Nike, Nokia, Escada and many others. But if you look carefully, you will have the opportunity to see, and buy, many interesting products by Czech designers - products that can make a great present for your loved ones or yourself.

When and where to go?

The exhibit Designblok exhibition starts on Tuesday, 4 October, and ends on Sunday, 9 October. The main events will be held in two "superstudios". This year, one superstudio is located in the Sporkovsky Palace at Hybernska 5 street, just a few steps from the Powder Tower and the Municipal House. This superstudio will focus on fashion, jewelry and accessories. To see the other superstudio (Superstudio Futurama), you'll have to visit the Karlin district. This superstudio will focus on furniture, lighting, and home accessories. Other events will be held in the shops and studios of the exhibitors that have been admitted to join the Designblok. For a comprehensive list of the exhibitors, click here.

What to look for?

We definitely recommend that you look for some Czech jewelry, crystal and porcelain products, the traditional Czech craftsmanship strongholds. As regards jewelry, definitely check out the Belda Factory, Deers.cz (which makes very popular brooches in the shape of deers), and the jewelry of Zdenek Vacek and Trash made (jewelry made of used materials)

If you love products made of glass, or tableware, don't miss exhibitions by Moser, Rony Plesl, Atelier Pelcl (if you attend our cooking courses, you will be eating from Mr Pelcl's lovely plates), and Pirsc Porcelain

For fashion junkies among you, be sure to visit the exhibitions or shops of Czech fashion designers such as Klara Nademlynska, Timoure et Group, the Sister Conspiracy, Tatiana Kovarikova, Hard"de"core, Denisa Nova and others.

For more information on Designblok and its events, exhibitors, and locations, please visit http://www.designblok.cz/2011/en/.

Prague Cafes: Going Local vs Playing Tourist

As far as truly ‘local’ activities go, relaxing with a book or a laptop and slowly sipping coffee in a café surely ranks near the top. Yet very few travelers allow themselves the luxury of spending time doing next to nothing in a café. There are simply too many other things to do and see. Therefore, kicking back in local cafés becomes something of a guilty pleasure for many. As much as I love to see people checking one sight after another in Prague, I have to confess that it also makes me a bit sad because relaxing in a café provides some unique insights into the local culture and should be something you do in between sights.

Luckily, there is a strong coffeehouse culture in Prague, and the city’s historic cafés have long been included among the must-sees. Almost every guidebook features top traditional coffeehouses, and if you google ‘Prague's Best Cafés’, you will get a lot of advice on the ‘best’ cafés.

However, this also means that cafés that once oozed with local atmosphere now hardly have anything to offer beyond  their history and their polished wooden floors, big picture windows, and unique interiors. And because these places are crammed with guidebook-carrying tourists, the waiter tends not to care if you are coming back. Ordering a cup of coffee in these establishments can be a huge mistake and the locals have moved on, and so did the atmosphere that made the cafés so appealing in the first place.

The Cafe Slavia, the atmospheric The Cafe Louvre and the only Cubist-style coffeehouse in the world, Grand Cafe Orient, are three examples of cafés destroyed by tourism. Established in 1863, Cafe Slavia became a meeting place for artists and intellectuals – it’s regular patrons once included Franz Kafka, Rainer Maria Rilke, Jaroslav Seifert and the composers Smetana and Antonin Dvorak. Today, it is packed with tourists hunting for pictures of beautiful Art Deco architecture and the astonishing views of Prague Castle.

Cafe Louvre is another café of this kind. The Parisian-style café with a billiard hall is part of the First Republic's heritage, and its famous patrons included Albert Einstein, Karel Čapek and Franz Kafka. However, the combination of crowds of tourists, coffee of poor quality and disinterested waiters makes me pass this establishment by without any regret.

The Grant Café Orient is another remnant of the past. However, for a rare chance to see cubist architecture up close, I recommend that you enter the fabulous geometric balustrade and climb the teardrop-shaped stairwell to the Grand Café just to see the really beautiful interior with many interesting details and a narrow terrace. Do not order anything, just look.

Two traditional cafés that we still like (although we would not order coffee there) are Café Imperial and Café Savoy. The former is an Art Deco gem with ornate mosaic and tile-covered interior. Ask for some Czech classics such as Braised Veal Cheeks or Marjoram Braised Lamb Shank and observe the steady stream of local businessmen and ladies, all wearing smart suits, having their lunch. The latter is a charming little spot to for a rich breakfast before a stroll around the Petrin Hill.

So, what are the atmospheric local coffee shops I want you to discover and spend some downtime in? My first-choice café is Al Cafetero. This small, non-smoking, family run café is true coffee lover’s paradise. The owner will be your most accommodating host, offering samples, souvenirs and a friendly chat. Try the delicious, awesome-tasting coffee made from a vacuum pot, but be prepared to be offered neither milk nor sugar with your coffee.

Můj šálek kávy ("That's my cup of tea") - This place is what a coffee shop should be: great coffee, good atmosphere, nice staff, convenient hours and it a really ‘local’ vibe. 

The baristas turn out some of the city's best espressos and drip coffee. You can stop by for breakfast in the morning, for a tasty lunch in the afternoon, or just sit down with your book/newspaper/laptop after dinner and catch up on your reading.

Café Lounge - This Malá Strana spot combines elegant interior (formerly a residential apartment) with nice food, friendly service and good-quality coffee. You can easily spend hours here reading, talking or just looking around and sipping some gorgeous Moravian wines. Besides, it is a non-smoking café with a lovely garden.

Dům kávy is a perfect place to purchase premium coffee beans, coffee makers, grinders, espresso machines, etc. Although more a shop than a café, Dům kávy serves one of the best cappuccinos in town.

What I like about these five cafés is that despite their appealing atmosphere, locals still far outnumber tourists, the coffee is great, the staff is friendly and reliable, and the cafés are still what they should be – places to linger over coffee rather than take photos. And I hope that doesn’t change.