The last week's edition of one of the most popular Czech weekly magazines, Tyden, ran a feature on bad restaurants in Prague that cheat and rob tourists and locals alike. Oh boy, what a read! We thought we should post a summary of the article here as a public service announcement for all potential visitors of Prague.
Prague Wine Week is coming...
January has never been on top of either my or Honzi’s list of favorite months. At the age of ten (yes, a long, long time ago), the only bright side of January used to be snow fights and going down the hill on a sleigh. Nowadays, we wish January was over before it even has a chance to start. So is there any reason why you should enjoy the cold, sometimes rainy, windy and dark days of the first month of the year in Prague? The answer is a definite yes: the Prague Wine Week!
The fourth year of the Prague Wine Week, organized by the Víno Revue, aims to get Czechs and tourists alike off the beer, and turn their attention to wine. The festival starts with a gala event at the Crowne Plaza Prague on Monday, January 23. At this event, you get a chance to taste more than 300 great wines that were awarded in the largest Czech wine contest, the Prague Wine Trophy, and that can’t be found on the supermarkets’ shelves, for CZK 1000. But there is more…
From Monday, January 23, to Friday, January 27, restaurants, wine bars and wine shops throughout Prague will cooperate with award-winning wineries to create set menus accompanied by wine tastings that will give you the chance to savor a particular grape in its best light, or rather, with the best bite for prices that won’t break the bank (ranging from CZK 150 for no-meal options to CZK 450 for three-course options).
Well... given that it’s more than recommended to spend as much time in January as possible by eating and drinking with your family or friends, we’re definitely gonna try at least one venue… Vinograf.
This wonderful, cozy wine bar joined forces with the MIKROSVÍN MIKULOV winery to select 7 different regional wines and match them with local cheeses. Besides, they have the widest selection of Czech and Moravian wines in Prague and a very friendly and knowledgeable staff. We are quite sure you will enjoy Vinograf so much that you pop in again the next evening.
Made in Czechoslovakia
OK, we must admit it: life is not just about food and drinks, although sometimes Zuzi and I tend to forget that. But any visitor that has joined us for our Prague tasting walk will confirm that we also love to talk about architecture, design and things that we use on a daily basis, even the smallest things. Because let's face it - it's the things that surround us that shape our taste in fashion, arts, food and much more, ultimately making us who we really are. We talk about them because these small things, for instance things we remember from childhood, are the true essence of "local". Although you may find many similarities among nations (e.g. no matter where you lived, the odds are you hated broccoli when you were a kid), you can still find many things that will come as a surprise and that will help you appreciate local tastes and preferences.
Well, to appreciate the Czech taste, modern history and present, there is a great website that you can visit: Made in Czechoslovakia (you will probably know that Czechoslovakia as an independent state existed from 1918 to 1938 and then again from 1945 to 1993, when it split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia). It's a great site about applied arts, architecture and technology made in Czechoslovakia that will put many things into perspective, including cubism, modern Czech crystal, or even the famous Tatra and Skoda cars.
Speaking about Czech cars and other technology, we have another tip for you: after five years of extensive works, the National Technical Musem in Prague opened a few weeks ago. Seated in an awesome functionalist building on the Letná plain, just across the river from the historical centre (about 20 minutes by walk), it is a living proof that, as one of my foreign friends put it when he saw the old airplane suspended in the hall of the Prague Ruzyne airport, "Gees, the Czech really used to make everything!" I loved this museum when I was a kid, and I think you will love it, too. Check out, for instance, the Tatraplan, a famous Czech design that has inspired Porsches! It's a classic, and even Jay Leno has one!
Winter treat - sauerkraut soup with sausage
I know you probably want me to write about Czech cakes and sweets, and believe me, I will. But first, I have to share this warming soup recipe with you because it’s cold outside, which means I can only think about meals that will warm me up. Besides, you can't live on cakes alone. Believe me, you can't. Jan has tried, and ultimately failed (although he had a good run...).Well, this sauerkraut soup might not look cool or hip, as it has Eastern Europe written all over it. But for all the disagreeable clichés about Eastern Europe and its sauerkraut-based cuisine, this is a hell of a winter dish. Once you try this substantial, rich and quite filling soup, your doubts will melt away. This isn’t just a starter: it’s a whole meal by itself.
You should know that there is no one recipe to make the "zelňačka". Every cook has their own magic formula, and as far as I can tell, the only given constants are: meat, sauerkraut, potatoes and black pepper. The meaty version is more traditional; however, you can also make it vegetarian. I think that the use of sauerkraut as well as sugar and sour cream is key to this soup in terms of flavoring. The recipe below is an accurate description of how my mom used to make this soup, and she always got raves from everyone who tried it. So even though this is not the only way to prepare this soup, this recipe is our family gold! Respect!
Sauerkraut soup with sausage
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- small piece of bacon
- 2 pieces of sausage (different kinds for texture), sliced or diced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 3 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 4 balls all spice
- 1 cup peeled and cubed potatoes
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 cups sauerkraut, drained, rinsed briefly and chopped roughly (save the juice)
- 8 prunes
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- chili
- salt, sugar, ground black pepper and sauerkraut juice to adjust the taste
- 1 cup sour cream
Preparation:
- Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add oil and bacon. Cook until the bacon is golden, 4 minutes.
- Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 4 minutes. Add sausages and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Take off the stove and add the paprika, caraway seeds, all spice and tomato paste, stir properly, put back on the stove and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the potatoes, stock, water and thyme and cook until potatoes are almost tender (if you put the sauerkraut too early, potatoes will not cook properly and will be crunchy), about 15 minutes.
- Add the sauerkraut, garlic, chili, prunes and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 min.
- In separate cup mix 3 tablespoons of sour cream with 3 tablespoons of broth and add the mixture to the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning - the combination of sauerkraut juice which gives the soup a great tang, sugar, salt and pepper makes a perfect sweet-sour flavor that I think really makes this soup shine.
- Serve immediately, with a spoon of sour cream on top.
Sample some of the best food Prague has to offer during the Prague Restaurant Festival
For the third year running, the Grand Restaurant Festival returns to restaurants across the twelve regions of the Czech Republic from Sunday, January 15 to Wednesday, February 15. Twenty-eight eateries will participate in Prague alone – all of them listed in the Grand Restaurant Guide assembled by the event's organiser and famed food critic Pavel Maurer, who has also founded the annual Prague Food Festival.The Festival promotes high-quality Czech cuisine by Prague’s top and brightest chefs, along with local, seasonal ingredients and traditional recipes. Therefore, it offers a unique chance to taste some of the best food Prague and the rest of the Czech Republic have to offer for something between CZK 200 and 600.
So, have a look at the menus and tell us what are your cravings! Here is the list of restaurants we are definitely going to visit…
V Zátiší – as a treat for Jan’s mum, I especially look forward to the appetizer plate and warm gingerbread with caramel sauce
Bellevue – want to try their version of crème bulee
Alcron – their glazed beef belly sounds wonderful
Sansho – the 12-hour beef rendang is out of this world
SaSaZu – this is one of our most favourite places in Prague
Miyabi – just because we’ve never been to but heard great things about this oldest Japanese restaurant in Prague
Chateau Mcely, Piano Nobile – I’ve wanted to take my boyfriend there for a long time
Koishi – a necessary stop on our way to Moravia to visit my father... ...and take home his homemade slivovitz...
Christmas dining in Prague
Czech Christmas in a nutshell: Christmas tree decorating and gift-wrapping with joyful songs in the background, family having a substantial meal followed by Christmas cookies and unwrapping presents. This all is done on the 24th - Christmas Eve. There is no Santa nor St. Nicholas, but Baby Jesus who delivers all the presents (the imagery stops there - there is no sled or rain deer; Baby Jesus just gets the job done without going into the specifics). Traditionally, one member of the family (my sister) decorates the tree while the others prepare dinner or watch fairy tales. When everything is ready, the whole family (except the mum who is finishing the dinner) usually goes out to get some fresh air and little kids are being taken for sleigh rides. Arriving home to a house smelling of wonderful fish soup, fried carp, potato salad, Christmas cookies and "vánočka" Christmas bread with a huge Christmas tree and heaps of present magically appearing out of nowhere is the best part of being a kid during Christmas.Spending Christmas abroad is another story, but it doesn’t necessarily mean having to miss out on the whole Christmas tree, Christmas dinner and presents business! In Prague, the whole city wonderfully becomes a Christmas wonderland with Christmas lights, fairs, and countless festive things to do and eat! Happen to be in Prague on Christmas Eve and Day? Do you want to celebrate Christmas with your family and friends in one of the outstanding Prague restaurants? We’ve rounded up some inspiration for a truly festive fun time.
Italian restaurant Aromi has prepared a special four-course menu that combines both Italian and Czech cuisines and that aims to offer the best of both countries' Christmas traditions.
The meaty counterpart to its sister restaurant Aromi has also prepared a Christmas menu inspired by both Czech and Italian traditional cuisines.
La Rotonde and Alcron
For Christmas Eve, La Rotonde restaurant offers a special buffet menu featuring traditional Christmas specialties such as fried carp and potato salad, roast duck with dumplings and red cabbage, all accompanied by holiday music. The guests of the award-winning Alcron Restaurant, an intimate restaurant that seats only 24 people, can savor an exclusive seven-course dinner.
Terasa U Zlaté Studně (Golden Well) restaurant, a spot that boast one of the nicest views over historical Prague, offers an exclusive seven-course menu. However, they also serve a la carte dishes.
If you feel like enjoying calm and worry-free Christmas, just take a short ride from Prague to the Chateau Mcely - their team will take good care of you. This place has a unique atmosphere that combines the aristocratic traditions of the Thurn-Taxis family with the magic of Advent, and the food is divine.
The Dos and Don'ts of Prague Christmas Markets
Whether you are a fan of Baby Jesus or Santa, one thing is undeniable: Christmas is just around the corner. and with it come the Christmas Markets. The Christmas markets are a specialty of Central Europe: in addition to the Czech Republic, they have a very strong tradition especially in Germany and Austria. These markets combine Christmas souvenirs (usually of the folk tradition genre) with food that is either served on the spot or can make a nice Christmas present.Several Christmas markets have sprung around the city recently, occupying most of the places attractive to tourists: like every year, the Old Town Square accommodates the largest Christmas market, which is visited both by foreign tourists and locals who crowd the square on two occasions: the ceremonial lighting of the official Prague Christmas tree, and the New Year's Eve celebration. Other Christmas markets can be found at the bottom of the Wenceslas Square and at the Namesti Republiky square in front of the Paladium shopping mall. The novelty this year are the Christmas farmers' markets held especially during the advent weekends. So what should you do and what should you avoid at these markets? Here are a few tips:
DO try to stretch out and visit the farmers' markets outside the centre - OK, the Old Town Square Christmas market is nice and all, but let's face it: it is overpriced and aimed at the general tourist crowd. Zuzi and I visited the market today to check it out and we bough and tasted nothing. CZK 110 for a Coke-sausage-bread combo? Please. But if you've never been to Prague, you should go anyway - it is a beautiful place, and the tree is nice, especially when the sun sets down. But if you want to try any food, look elsewhere. In addition, the Czech farmers' markets usually have a great atmosphere and include live music, not Christmas carols from a CD.
DON'T buy Czech souvenirs at the markets in the centre - What can I say - they are overpriced. Buy them in smaller shops or in a department store.
DO try Czech Christmas sweets - Christmas sweets are a great Central European tradition - virtually all Czech families are locked in their kitchens over the December weekends making these small sweets, only to share and compare them at work and eating them all up before the New Year's Eve (the fitness centers are full in the first few weeks of January, as we all try to shed the pounds gained during Christmas). I would suggest you try the ones with poppy seeds (no, they are not hallucinogenic, and taste great!), nuts and Czech rum.
DON'T buy foreign food - Some markets may include stands that do not sell Czech food. I am talking about booths that sell Hungarian sausages and spices, foods and cosmetics with French lavender, Italian cheeses and hams etc. To be sure, they carry nice souvenirs. But why buy them in Prague? Opt for fresh, local produce. As a rule of thumb, don't buy food wrapped in plastic; opt for the fresh stuff instead.
DO have some hot liquids - After a few minutes browsing the stands out in the cold weather, nothing is as comforting as it a bowl of hot soup, or hot wine or mead. Having hot wine at a Christmas market has become a tradition - the hot red wine with spices truly smells and tastes like Christmas!
Where to go for Christmas farmers' markets:
Jiriho z Podebrad square - Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Sundays (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.), 28 December (8 to 6) and 31 December (8 to 4)
Dejvice market - Thursdays and Fridays (12 to 6 p.m.) and Saturdays (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square and Namesti Republiky and Namesti miru square - not really farmers' market, just regular Christmas markets. The first one is the biggest one, the last one is near the centre and targeted at locals.
The only Czech Michelin-star restaurant to change its concept
[2014-3-23 update: This blog post was written in November 2011 and is now outdated. Allegro was replaced by CottoCrudo, which does not have a Michelin star. Prague at this moment (2014) has two Michelin-star restaurants: La Degustation and Alcron].
Allegro, the Italian dining hall at Prague's Four Seasons Hotel helmed by the Italian chef Andrea Accordi, was the first eatery in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe to gain a Michelin star. In October, chef Accordi left Prague Four Season hotel’s Allegro restaurant and was replaced by the well-known Richard Fuchs, the first Czech to be the head chef at the hotel’s restaurant. It an interview, he proclaimed that together with his team, he would be introducing a new concept of the Allegro restaurant in February. To be honest, I cannot wait.We ate in Allegro only once. The interior of this restaurant was so over-the-top ornate and reminded us of some Palais. Although we generally liked the food (sorry about the pics, we forgot the camera at home), it wasn't flawless either. Overall, we were a bit disappointed: we didn't think it was worth the money. We expected a remarkable experience, but it just didn't happen. If this place had not been so highly rated and regarded, our experience might have been different, but back then we just thought there were many other more interesting places to eat in Prague?
However, we have learned that Allegro will be undergoing a process of modernisation from November 2011 to February 2012, to re-open as a stylish urban restaurant, lounge and bar that offers high-quality Italian cuisine based on traditional recipes with modern twists. During the works, go to La Finestra, or contact us for other recommendations. We hope the redone Allegro with the new concept will deliver a great dining experience and will uphold the famous French accolade.
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:
They offer original and unique jewelry, porcelain and glass, all from Czech producers and designers that will accommodate any budget.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Design lifestyle store full of original ideas, cool accessories and unique gifts such as a beautiful porcelain “babovka” form.
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