Kastrol

Anyone who has talked to us or joined one of our tours knows that when we want to treat ourselves to some fine Czech cooking, we hop in our car and drive to the famed Na Pekarne restaurant headed by Mr Fryc, a force of nature both in the kitchen and in the restaurant. We have to confess: we absolutely love it there. The only problem? The restaurant is not in Prague but in Cakovicky, a small village about 20 km from Prague.

Sure, you can get there within an hour from the centre by Prague Public Transport but if you miss the bus from the Letnany subway stop, you are running the risk of freezing to death while waiting for the next one. A few of our guests visited the place and loved it but we will be honest: it takes an effort to get there, which will ultimately be rewarded by fantastic Czech food, but it's an effort nonetheless.

Now there is an alternative that does not require you to travel out of the town: the Kastrol restaurant. Opened in late 2013, Kastrol is a sister restaurant of Na Pekarne: the basics of the menu are nearly identical and both restaurants share some suppliers of meat. The styling is also very similar: a simple, down-to-earth Czech pub that does Czech dishes really well. There are differences, too: while Na Pekarne focuses on Czech cuisine exclusively, Kastrol is not shy to incorporate elements of foreign (and especially French) cuisines into their offerings. Most importantly, Kastrol is located in Prague, although only the bravest real estate agents with the most chutzpah would have the courage to call its location "central": Kastrol is located on the very outskirts of Prague but is still accessible by public transport.

We have visited Kastrol twice recently: first with our friends of Scuk, a group of foodies behind the popular website that tracks good food around the Czech Republic and abroad, and later alone for lunch.

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We must confess that the first visit was a bit special: the chef knew we were coming as a group of foodies and he may have wanted to show off the restaurant's strong points. That's why we got a set menu that consisted of several tasting courses not available to the regular guest in this form. Winter is the season of meat here, so the courses really reflected that: the starters included steak tartare, head cheese and two pates. The next course was pan-seared zander with ratatouille and potato mash, followed by absolutely fantastic spare ribs with coleslaw and sourdough bread and butter with herbs. We were stuffed by the third course but we were not done yet. The next two courses were game meats: wild boar with gingerbread sauce and grilled dear. We finished with a plate of desserts and a classic that we absolutely love at Na Pekarne: potato dough ravioli stuffed with plum jam and covered with butter, sugar, nuts and gingerbread. The version at Kastrol finishes it off with whipped cream.

Yes, it was a special event and the restaurant wanted to showcase what they do best but we think it was representative of what the kitchen wants to do: honest flavors in honest dishes done well. It is rare to find a Czech restaurant that just sticks to a simple concept of honest Czech cuisine without doing things that make little sense just to please everyone. We got the impression from our first visit that Kastrol is one of these rare finds. 

The second visit was for late lunch. The restaurant was nearly empty at that time but started to fill up as we were leaving. We ordered their table wines and were disappointed: the Pinot Gris was nothing special and the rose was way too sweet for us. That's a shame because we were offered a wine pairing with the set menu when we visited with Scuk and we know the staff is quite knowledgeable about wines. Still, beer is probably a safe bet in a Czech restaurant: Kastrol changes the brewery on a monthly basis based on their guests' online votes.

For starters, we ordered potato soup with mushrooms and pate with boar cracklings. We liked both: the soup was rich and fragrant and nicely displayed the flavors of all the ingredients. The boar pate reminded us both of our childhoods spent in the countryside: a very rich and satisfying taste of the meat went well with the sourdough bread served.

For the mains, we ordered the beef shank slow-cooked in red wine and served with potato mash and steamed vegetables, and grilled suckling pig with mashed potatoes and cabbage. The shank was tender and the sauce had a rich flavor, a bit on the sweet side. The pork was perfectly done and paired well with the sides. It reminded us of a dish we recently had at Bellevue, one of the most popular restaurants in town, but the Kastrol dish was actually better: where the Bellevue dish was a bit bland, the Kastrol version packed more flavor and the meat was better prepared with more moisture. We had to finish our lunch with the plum jam ravioli because not having those for dessert would be against Jan's religion. The final bill? You will be surprised by how reasonable (read cheap) the prices are when considering the quality. The whole lunch set us back about EUR 20. 

We definitely recommend Kastrol if you want to sample some really solid Czech cuisine and see how the locals eat their lunch or dinner. It is a bit of a ride from the centre but we think it would be a great "local experience": you will see where the people in Prague really live (hint: it's not the tourist centre) and what they love to eat. They plan to have outdoor seating for the summer months (with a grill and a smoker) in their lovely courtyard, but it can be the experience of your trip even if you visit in the winter.

Kastrol restaurant

Phone: +420 607 048 992

Address: Ohradské náměstí 1625/2

Opening time: daily from 11am to 10pm.

Getting there: Public transport is the best option. See below for directions (provided by Google):

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Meet a Local: Adam and Vojta of EMA Espresso Bar

We've said it many times and we will say it again. We really like EMA Espresso Bar and we knew we would like it from the day it opened in June 2013. In its heart, EMA is an espresso bar: a place to get delicious coffee to go or to stay. But it's more than just that. In addition to the coffee - and they do both espresso-based drinks and drips using coffee from at least two roasters every week - EMA offers great Czech baked sweets (like various kolachees or sweet yeast buns with curd cheese that Jan tends to order more than he should), one or two salads and sandwiches, lemonades made in house or sodas by Fritz Cola, and even some wines supplied by Veltlin. EMA also added a daily soup to their menu a few weeks ago, and has began serving community table-based breakfasts on Saturdays.

What really makes it our favorite spot to grab a cup of coffee despite the sad lack of wi-fi (otherwise a standard in Prague cafés)? Is it the airy interiors with lots of natural light? The decor that is at once modern and reminiscent of the 1930s Czech functionalist architecture? Or the delicious coffee we order there on a daily basis? 

No, our favorite thing about EMA Espresso Bar is the friendly atmosphere, partly created by the team of their skilled baristas. In today's edition of the "Meet a Local" series, we bring you the views of the two baristas we chat with the most every time we get to the bar: Adam, who is also the manager, and Vojta, who creates fantastic latte-art on our cappuccinos and flat whites.

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How would you describe Prague style? 

Adam: A nice coffee scene has been developing in Prague recently. If you know where to go, Prague has many really nice cafés you can visit, each of them unique in terms of design, each of them with their style of coffee and each of them diminutive in size, so they have to make quite an effort to survive :-) In my book, these include I Need Cofee, Pražírna, Můj šálek kávy, Café Jen, Ema, Cafe Lounge, Mezi zrnky, Monolok, Bistro 8 etc. Awareness about coffee has been on the rise among both baristas and guests, which is probably the best scenario.

Vojta: Answers.. usually will bring more questions. I think it is quite difficult to define "Prague style". It depends on daylight, season, time and place, where you are. Because people in Prague, especially in winter, wear lots of black and grey... and the grayness is everywhere. But its going to get better:o).

Where do you go in Prague to be inspired?

A: For me that would be cafés. I like places where you can sit down by yourself and relax, have your own private space but be in the centre of the action. For me, such a place is the bench in front of the Vescovi Café in the Újezd area under the Petřín hill.

V: When I need inspiration, I usually walk through the city and near the river.. or I just sit in some pub alone, but not alone: having many people around is the right atmosphere for me. 

Three favorite places in Prague?

A: I generally like places with some trees and greenery. That's why i like parks, the Vyšehrad fortress which has remained a place that only a few tourists know about, and the Lesser Town for its narrow streets and the aura of ages long past.

V: Three favorite places in Prague are: (1) the Charles Bridge at 4 or 5 am in the summer when the sun rises; (2) crossing the Bridge of Legions in the Ujezd direction drunk at night during a drizzle; (3) and actually about 50% of Prague – that's my last favorite place.. You cannot really tell a favorite place. Each of them is nice at a different time and in different weather.

Describe your perfect Saturday? 

A: My ideal Saturday would start at about 10am-ish. I would visit the farmers' markets at the Jiřího z Poděbrad square. I would follow with a late breakfast at Café Jen, a walk to the Vyšehrad fortress, a book or some drawing, wine and the observatory:)

V: My perfect Saturday starts when I wake up about 11am, then have a brunch somewhere and then...? No-one knows. It's still too early :D

What’s your secret shopping address?

A: The farmers' markets at the Jiřího z Poděbrad square.

V: When I tell you my secret shopping address, it will not be a secret anymore! But it's at the same address as my favorite clothing brands: Carhartt, iriedaily etc.

The best place for romantic/weekend/with friends dinner?

A: Rest, ideally in their outdoor seating area in the summer.

V: For a really nice dinner, I head over to an awesome place called "Rest – sním či jím" (meaning "Am I dreaming or eating?")

Where do you like to grab a drink?

A:. Hoffa bar, Vinograf, Wine and Cognac ("U stare study" near the Malostranské náměstí square in the Lesser Town)

V: If you would like to grab a drink, definitely visit the Hemingway Bar, one of the best cocktail bars in Prague. Or Hoffa, a bit noisy but new, clean and friendly.

Where do you go to relax? 

A: The surroundings of the Karlštejn castle or the small garden in the courtyard of Coffeesource.

V: Best relax? Doesn't matter if it's in Prague or anywhere else.. it will be in my bed.. anytime, anywhere.

You swear they have the best breakfasts at…

A: Café Jen, Cafe Lounge.

V: The best breakfast? There's more options. Try Cafe Lounge or Bella Vida. Or visit the farmers' market, buy some food and go and sit somewhere in one of the bigger parks in Prague, for example Petřín, Ladronka, Stromovka or Riegrovy sady. Of course, that only applies in the summer:D

Top three things that every traveler to Prague should do/see?

A: Have a cup of coffee at EMA, the farmers' markets and the flea market on the river embankment and then renting a paddle boat on the Vltava river.

V: Top three things in Prague... Hmm... Prague Castle and the view, that's just amazing. The Letná park and the view from the Metronome where Stalin's statue used to be. And, finally, EMA and the baristas there :D (Or the sunrise viewed from the Charles Bridge I mentioned already. That's REALLY AMAZING!)

Three tips for Prague with kids...

Some of our guests arrive in Prague with kids. We love kids, pay special attention to them on the tour, and (without bragging too much) we think that kids love us back, at least on the tour…  We always try to provide traveling families with tips that might help them enjoy Prague as a family. Some parents then to avoid the major sights and take the family "out of the beaten path" (gosh, we love that cliche) but that's not a bad thing: we actually think that’s where kids can interact with local kids. (No, there’s not going to be too many local kids playing at the Charles Bridge.) To help parents navigate their way through Prague, we have designed three itineraries that we think your kids (and you, of course) will like. 

Now we should first and foremost issue a disclaimer here: we do not have kids ourselves. However, we grew up in Prague, and still can remember the places and the things we did and loved growing up, and we have many friends with kids who can help us out. We created three full-day itineraries that the whole family could enjoy. You can combine them or do them in parts - it’s all up to you. That said, we don't think you necessarily have to have kids to enjoy these walks. There's lots of culture and fun stuff and food along the way, anyway! We do describe things we like ourselves, so if you are like us, you may like them too.

Itinerary 1: “Everybody loves chocolate, pizza and mirror mazes!”

Everybody loves a cup of hot chocolate, right? If you can subscribe to that notion, start your day at Choco Café. Their hot chocolate is phenomenal and a single cup contains about a whole bar of chocolate. If you want to go local, buy the "Horicke trubicky” rolls (a thin wafer rolled into a large canoli-style pastry and filled with whipped cream) and dip them in the hot chocolate. You can definitely skip lunch if you have this chocolate after breakfast because it is very, very rich. On the other hand, please avoid if your kids tend to go out of control after a substantial sugar intake.

From Choco Café, walk to the river bank, and turn left to the National Theatre. Cross the bridge and stop half way on the Strelecky ostrov island. Kids might enjoy the obstacle course that has been recently developed there. Continue further to the Ujezd area and take the funicular to the very top. It’s a great ride with really nice views of the city. When you’re at the top, you absolutely MUST visit a venue that no Sunday walk with the kids could do without when we were kids: the mirror maze and the mirror hall with the funny (distorting) concave and convex mirrors. We loved them, and we think your kids will, too. 

After the climb to the top of the Petřín lookout tower (a small copy of the Eiffel tower), head over to the Prague Castle via the Strahov Monastery. We actually prefer the walk itself over the Castle itself (but then again, we've seen it already). The walk on the slope to the monastery offers great views of the city and space to run around. Do not make the mistake of taking the shortest route possible from the Monastery down to the Castle. Instead, turn left at the Loretta and walk down to the New World, an absolutely empty but fantastically picturesque area that avoids the crowds, and walk on into the Deer Moat, a beautiful park in the steep valley below the castle. (Deer Moat is usually closed during winters.) Beautiful gothic church or monumental courtyards full of history? Whatever! Your kids may love the Museum of Toys the best out of the entire castle.

We reckon this whole trip tool a few hours, and by the time you’ve visited the castle, you’ll be starving. There is an easy - and very popular - fix for that. Walk down to the Malostranske namesti square (about 10 minutes from the castle), hop on the tram (line no. 5) and go to Pizza Nuova for dinner. Who does not like pizza, right? And you’ll be eating well: the pizza there, praised by the famous Heston Blumenthal himself, is delicious, and the pasta dishes do not lag behind in quality. The restaurant is quite family oriented and kids love to run around the place, chased down by parents and members of staff.

Now, we have another tip after the kids have fallen asleep or passed on to the babysitter. Hemingway Bar. You know that after a day like this, you’ll be in dire need of a drink. And when you’re at it, you should do it well: Hemingay Bar is a local favorite and the place to go to for delicious drinks. Try one of their Becherovka drinks to taste a bit of the local poison!

Itinerary 2: "Walking with Animals”

This walk is more suitable for lovely and sunny days because there is some walking involved, mostly through the beautiful Stromovka park, our “home turf”, if you will (we live just behind the corner). One of the biggest parks in Prague, the Stromovka is a magnet for young families, joggers, dog walkers and even cross-country skiers when the snowfall allows it. Kids are welcome: the park incorporates several playgrounds and offers many activities for kids.

We start the walk at the Holesovice Exhibition Grounds. Built in 1891 for the Centennial State Fair (which also saw the development of the Petrin tower and the funicular to the Petrin hill, among other things), the Exhibition Grounds occupy a special place for all the kids (and adults) in Prague as the venue for the St Matthew’s fair, the annual fair with rides and shooting ranges and hot dogs and balloons and cotton candy etc. that takes place in March and April. Beyond this popular (read "crowded") event, the grounds today seem a bit derelict, especially when compared to their counterparts in Vienna or elsewhere. Still, the grounds accommodate the first stop on our walk: the Sea World ("Morsky Svet" in Czech). The Sea World is basically a series of smaller or larger aquariums showing the Czechs (who sadly live in a landlocked country) what fish and animals can be found under the sea. The Sea World organizes recurring daily events like the “shark feeding” and many others.

Walk into the Stromovka park past the Planetarium observatory and follow on to reach Vozovna, the old-tram-depot-station-turned-restaurant for a small snack. The food or coffee are nothing to write home about and not worth a special trip, but it is great as a stop on your way, and especially if the weather is nice, the visit can turn into a really pleasant experience. Did we mention there is a playground right next to it?

From there, walk past the “big circle”, avoiding joggers and in-line skaters, through the railway underpass and across the first bridge onto the Cisarsky ostrov island. If your kids love horses, they are going to love this place. The Cisarsky ostrov island is home to the Prague stables and features proper competition grounds for parkour competitions (not the hipster urban parkour but the real one, with horses). 

After that, you cross the pedestrian bridge and turn left, waling along the river banks. After a minute, you will reach the gate to the Troja Chateau and their beautiful English garden. When you’re finished walking around the chateau, just cross the street from the side entry to reach the gate into the Prague ZOO, one of the top ten ZOOs in the World according to many surveys. In addition to the animals, the ZOO offers a kiddie train ride, a cable car (yes, the ZOO is set in a mountainy landscape), lots of playgrounds, a mountain walk with an unusual view of the city, and so on. You really don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the ZOO. Well, at least we love it. If you don’t like crowds, though, avoid the ZOO over sunny weekends.

The area offers something for the parents, too: in addition to the Troja Chateau with the beautiful English garden, you can enjoy the Botanic Garden, and the St Clara and Salabka vineyards that offer tastings of their wines. During the high season, you can get back to the centre by taking a steamboat. The ride back to the Jewish Quarter is nice and takes less than an hour.

Itinerary 3: “Sunday with something for everybody”

The third walk avoids the centre completely, and is a great local activity for an afternoon. Just like the previous walk, this one also takes place mostly within the district of Prague 7.  

You will start at the Main Market in the Holesovice district with some food. Now, if it’s Sunday, you must visit the Sunday Family Brunch at SaSaZu. The Asian fusion restaurant, and the holder of the Bib Gourmand award, provides an army of nannies, lots of X-Box consoles and other games for kids, while the parents can enjoy a fantastic meal, get a quick massage and moms can get their nails done by the nail artist provided. In addition, kids prepare crepes for their parents in the kitchen with the chefs. It’s a very lively event with lots of expats visiting, so your kids can play with other kids and understand them, too. If you are not doing the walk on Sunday, we recommend instead visiting Hall 22 where local farmers sell their produce. It can be an educational event. 

From there, walk to the Dox Centre for Contemporary Arts along the Osadni street (possibly buying nice cupcakes at Patissier at Osadni 5). The Dox centre, in addition to their exhibitions and an excellent design shop, organizes art classes for children and a toolkit for kids to turn their museum visit into a treasure hunt-like game. We think you can spend hours there. They also have a cafe inside if you’re thirsty.

After the visit, take the tram from the Ortenovo namesti stop to the Letenske namesti stop. This is the part where itinerary 2 and 3 overlap: if you get off at the second stop (Vystaviste), you can visit the Exhibition Grounds, the Sea World and continue on to the ZOO (see above) from here, if you wish. But you can continue on, up to the Letna district. When you get off the tram, you can ether walk back on the main street for a minute and have great cakes at the Erhart Café, a great 1930s-style patisserie, or turn right and walk to the National Technical Museum, stopping at Dum kavy in the Jireckova street if you crave good coffee along the way. 

Nestled in the Letna park above the city, the National Technical Museum has been one of the most popular places for kids for nearly a century. A great exhibition (with texts in both Czech and English) of old and new cars, aeroplanes, trains, with installations about household products, astrology, photography, household products, TV broadcasting technology and so on. Fun for hours. Don’t forget to visit the small petting zoo behind the National Agricultural Museum next door!

From there, definitely visit the Letna park. Did we mention it has a huge, fenced playground? I guess we didn’t. The park is one of the most popular parks in Prague that offers stunning views of the city and great connectivity to the centre. We would recommend you walk the whole length of the park, finishing at Hradcanska subway stop. 

Once you reach the stop, you can opt for any of the three suggestions we have for a great finish to a great afternoon. First, you can walk to the Prague Castle through the Royal Gardens, which is about ten minutes by walk from there. Second, you can take a tram for two stops to the Vozovna Stresovice stop and visit the Museum of Public Transit, a place we loved when we were kids: a museum devoted entirely to old trams, buses and subways. Third, you can walk for about five minutes and finish the day in a creative way at Vypalene kotatko, a cafe devoted to DYI decoration of porcelain products. Basically, you can buy any product they offer (cups, pottery, hair brushes etc.), use their brushes and paints, decorate the products in any way you desire, and let the staff complete the glazing and baking process of the porcelain with your decoration. We know you may not have the time to pick the products up a week later or so (which is the standard time for that), but we think they might be talked into shipping the finished products to your place. Well. you can at least try, right?

No matter where you end up, we wish you a great time! If you follow any of our suggestions, please share your experience in the comments below! 

Crashing a high school prom in Prague

Jan's prom photo, 1996 (Jan's on the very left. The photo is a clear proof that some things get better with age.)

We think it is clear by now that we absolutely love immersing ourselves into new cultures when we travel, and we want our guests (and everybody else, for that matter) to do the same while they are in Prague. Today, we want you to experience coming of age as it's done here in the Czech Republic. We want you to visit a high school prom at the famous Lucerna dance hall dating back to 1907 because the "ball season" starts today and lasts until March.

"Visit a high school prom? You can't crash a prom just like that, right?" we hear you ask. Yes, you can in Prague. Czech high schools sell tickets to their proms and you can walk in even if you don't know anyone, or speak the language. The tickets are reasonably priced, ranging from about CZK 200 (EUR 7.5 in Jan 2014) to CZK 300 (EUR 11) for a ticket with a table. You can see the program of the ball season in the Lucerna hall here (in Czech only).

But why should you visit a high school prom? There are so many reasons we don't know where to begin. We think it could be the experience of your trip if things go well. As a foreign exchange student in Houston, Texas for a year in the mid 90s, Jan has been fortunate enough to experience two proms in two different cultures. And boy, are there differences! 

Firstly, you don't pick a date for the prom. We get awkwardness and embarrassment from an entirely different source: in the Czech Republic, you go to your prom... with your parents. The students dance with their parents and their teachers but as the night progresses, the adults start to leave and the kids finish with a party. Ballroom dancing is a big part of the prom anyway: virtually all high school students in the Czech Republic take classes in ballroom dancing (which is seen as a part of general education here) so they showcase the skills learnt to their parents during the prom. 

The other stark difference is the presence of alcohol and tobacco. As a senior at high school, you can legally both drink and smoke (the legal age for that is 18). And boy, people do enjoy both plentifully. (We must note that the Lucerna is famous for its entirely ineffective ventilation and A/C system, too. If you absolutely can't stand smoking, you should probably avoid this one, although you can find spots that will be smoking-free, and the dance floor is smoking-free, too.) 

Finally, the Lucerna dance hall is a fantastic place that is closed to public unless you visit a concert or a prom. It surely shows its age but it is a fantastic place for a prom: with a vast dance floor, three stories of balconies, several bars and lots of hidden stairways and corners, you can be both in the spotlight and hidden away, depending on your mood. The dance hall is soaked with history: many great from Louis Armstrong, Jacques Brel or Ray Charles to the Grateful Dead or Marilyn Manson have performed here.

So what are you to expect? We've found a nice amateur video that, the kitsch and quality (and the horrible misuse of an Adele song) aside, walks you through the itinerary of a Czech prom quite nicely. First, the dance show: the more talented students (those who took the advanced ballroom dancing classes) do a small performance for the audience. Then the seniors get on the floor, there might be a speech and lots of photos taken. After that (at about 7:50 mark) the individual classrooms collect money for the booze for the party later. Who's throwing the money? The parents and the grandparents, of course. Finally, lots of ballroom dancing and, ultimately, a party.

What you should expect, food-wise? Not much, really. Chlebicky, the Czech open-faced sandwiches, are likely to be sold on the spot, perhaps with other small foods. This is not a fine-dining event. Alcohol will be aplenty: lots of beer, harder liquors and wine (although don't expect a sommelier explaining the terroir or the kind of berries you should be getting in the bouquet). The prom is really about "having a ball" in all the possible meanings of the expression. The atmosphere is very cheerful and often emotional. You are parting with your childhood and becoming an adult. 

One final note and tip: Don't try to get in wearing jeans and sneakers. You will not get in, even with a ticket in your hand - there is a dress code. If you do not have a suit or a dress, we recommend whatever formal you have for the bottom part of your attire and cover the rest with your coat and scarf. Tickets can be bought at the booth in the Lucerna palace directly or in any of the Ticketpro points of sale beforehand (for some proms only).

Have fun! If you decide to go, share your experience in the comments below (incl. photos, if possible).

Our Christmas Meal at Aureole

Don’t get us wrong. We love Christmas. But organizing Christmas Eve dinner (the main event of the holidays here in the Czech Republic) for the family? A nightmare. Finding all the ingredients (while still doing last-minute shopping because the presents for you that you’ve just found out about are way cooler than yours), stressing about the family members arrival times and seating orders, cooking the meals while constantly cleaning the mess because we’re running out of time and omg they’re here already?! No, not again. Thank you very much.

That’s why we actually decided to make a change this year and go out for a nice, relaxed Christmas Eve meal. Having met with the parents a few days later (they spent Christmas outside of Prague), we just planned two things for December 24: a visit to Zuzi’s sister and her boyfriend, and a Christmas Eve dinner at Aureole. 

We kinda like Aureole. Although seated in a building Zuzi lovingly likes to call “The House of Evil” (she used to work there), Aureole is our secret tip for a “restaurant with a view”, a very popular category here in Prague that still deserves a proper representation in the centre. In the centre Aureole is not, but boy - you do get a view. Coincidentally, it also served what we thought was the best Christmas menu of all the restaurants we contacted before the holidays to compile our piece about dining in Prague over the holidays, so we decided to go.

The place was completely empty at 5pm, the time of our reservation. Another couple arrived shortly after us, and the restaurant was half full by the time we were leaving past 7pm. The staff indicated that they were booked out later that night. We were surprised to see mostly local families dining there. Still, the decor is quite striking at night, and the view is great. 

Zuzi’s grandma would faint if she had learnt that Zuzi ate meat on Christmas Eve (that’s a big no no in her family) so she opted out of the meaty amuse bouche, roast dear with cranberry and apple jellies and gingerbread reduction. Instead, the kitchen prepared a pair of veggie California makis. One word about bread. We have to say it out loud: the bread served in Czech restaurants is seldom little more than the pre-baked stuff you can buy at any supermarket. Aureole is no exception to the rule. We hope things will change soon for the better.  

The first course was the fillet of South Bohemian trout smoked in beech with horse radish mousse and lemon jelly. We liked the flavors but the trout was quite dry inside. We had a very similar entree recently at Mlynec, a restaurant we wanted to try after it reopened after the summer floods, and Aureole’s version was slightly better. The flavors were there and the horseradish blended nicely with the lemon jelly and the smokiness of the trout, but the texture of the fish was simply dry. 

We followed with the fish creamy soup and butter croutons. Nice presentation, as always at Aureole, and the flavors were right. Again, nice smokey flavors from the salmon and the roe added a nice textural touch. We both liked the soup. The next course was the mushroom “Kuba” (basically a barley risotto with pork fat with grouts and mushrooms) served with roasted “wine sausage”. Zuzi did not have the sausage, of course, but we both liked the dish. The sausage was very mild and ground almost to mousse texture inside. The “kuba” had a strong mushroomy flavor and a great texture.

Finally, the main was a Czech Christmas classic: fried carp with potato salad, this time breaded in Panko breadcrumbs and served with fried zander in wine batter and with fried roe. Out of the meats, we would have assumed that carp would be our least favorite but we were wrong: we absolutely loved the carp. It was cooked perfectly and packed tons of flavors (the good ones). The potato salad was good but hey - it was not grandma's.

We loved the trio of desserts, too: a tartlet with forest fruits, an apple baked in puff pastry and gingerbread-strawberry sorbet, finished with warm (milk) chocolate. We liked the baked apple the best. Jan had coffee. Aureole serves Nespresso coffee. Obviously, coffee is not a priority over at Aureole but let's be honest: fine-dining restaurants generally tend not to focus on coffee. La Degustation clearly took a bold step when it started serving drip coffee over espresso but it's an exception.

All in all, we really liked our Christmas Eve dinner at Aureole. The price for the set menu was CZK 890 (about EUR 33) each. With wines (incl. the lovely New Zealand Marlborough Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc), we paid about CZK 2,500, which we think was fair.

As an added bonus, we received carp scales (pictured), which bring good luck and prosperity according to a Czech custom. Nice touch.

Prague (not only Christmas) Gifts Ideas

Tis the season to... talk about shopping, obviously. Don't get us wrong: we love Christmas and all the good things it brings: seeing family and friends, eating all the Christmas cookies (more on that later), watching fairy tales on TV, opening a bottle of wine and simply having some quality time. However, when it comes to shopping for gifts, many things can go wrong, especially when you shop abroad, and especially when you are walking along the beaten path.

So, in an attempt to steer you in the right direction, we bring you our annual tips for some of our favorite Christmas gift ideas. Now, what we did here is we imagined what we would have loved to get if we were your family members or friends. In some rare cases, we assumed you had an unlimited budget. But mostly we just wished for something cool and reasonably priced. However, we always picked something we thought really represents where the Czech Republic stands right now and where it comes from. Notable omissions include: Russian dolls of any kind, "My dad was in Prague and all he got me was this stupid t-shirt" shirts, overpriced glass and fake garnets. We have also set some imaginary categories of family members and friends for your convenience. Enjoy!

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For kids with imagination: Fatra inflatable toys

After a long pause, Fatra, the original manufacturer, has recently resumed the production of the classic inflatable toy designs by the famed toy designer Libuse Niklova. We had so much fun with these when we were kids. No trip to a pool was complete without these inflatable animals. Oh, we can still smell that rubber. Now you can buy a piece of modern design history and bring it home to your little ones. Just like us, they are going to love it - guaranteed! If you wish to learn more about Libuse Niklova and her work, we recommend that you buy her work’s catalogue compiled by her son. Where to buy? In the Guma retro shop at Jecna 24 street or online at their website. If you wish to shop for children in a regular shop, we recommend that you visit the beautiful Ookidoo shop near the National Theatre or Space4kids, another cool shop for kids near the Hradcanska subway stop. Oh, how we wish these shop had existed when we were small! 

For small scientists and rascals: Kooh-i-Noor mechanical pencils

We have already written about these a while ago but they still remain a great gift in our eyes. And with their factory store just a few steps off the Municipal House and the Powder Tower, there is now no excuse for not buying a set of these for an elementary school student. Just a quick tip that... ehm... "adds value": just screw the mechanics out of the metal casing, and you get a spit gun as a bonus (here’s an old school class recipe: just take the casing, punch one end through the peel of the orange you ate during recess, blow into the other end and - voila - you get an invitation to the principal’s office). In addition to the mechanical pencils, the store sells lots of leads, brushes, fantastic set of colored pencils and other accessories and tools for the aspiring artist. Where to buy? The Kooh-i-noor design shop at Na prikope 24 street. 

For your hipster friend or relative: Botas 66 sneakers

From disappointment 30 years ago to hipster accessory today: when we were young, a pair of Botas shoes was a bitter wake up call from our dreams about wearing Adidas and Puma sneakers. However, with their new, retro “Botas 66” fashion line, Botas made a huge splash about five years ago, and a pair of the bright-colored sneakers is now a must-wear item for all Czech hipsters and the like. Still made mostly by hand in Skutec, Czech Republic, the Botas retain an old-school feel but add modern, colorful design, high quality materials and good craftsmanship. Where to buy? JB Sport at Dlazdena 3 street has a very small selection but boasts a great, central location. For a proper assortment, you’ll have to travel outside of the centre to Artis - Botas shop at Radlicka 11, Prague 5. If these are not your cup of tea, you can also check La Gallery Novesta selling Novesta shoes and some pieces by Leeda, or you can visit our favorite Kurator or Debut Gallery for the wonderful Cutulum shoes.

For dad or grandpa: Zufanek slivovitz

Hailing from Borsice in the Slovacko region of Moravia, just about two miles from Zuzi’s birth village, the slivovitz (plum brandy) made by the Zufanek distillery comes as close to the real thing as possible, and is the best slivovitz money can buy today. Yes, “the best stuff does not have a label”, as Mr Fric, a famous Czech chef, says to glorify Czech moonshine, but Zufanek comes very, very close. If you do not like Slivovitz, Mr Zufanek’s family also makes brandies from other fruits: pear, sour cherry, apricots, juniper, even walnuts. Where to buy? Sklizeno foodie market has a nice selection in different sizes, as does the Bartida shop and bar.

For the design lover with cash to spare: Dechem glassware

Following up on a tradition dating back to the 13th Century, Ms Tomiskova and Mr Jandourek, two young Czech designers, founded the Dechem studio in 2012 to “tell new stories in Bohemian glass". Their lamps and tabletop decorations immediately caught the attention of many design fans all over Europe. Be ready to splash some serious cash for their creations but their products are truly beautiful and forward-thinking. We would love this as a gift. Anyone? Where to buy? The Qubus design shop in the Dox Centre for Contemporary Arts, the Debut gallery, one of the great Artel shops and the Kubista shop.

For paper lovers: Modern Czech Stationery

Who does not love the smell of paper? We certainly do. When combined with clever design, we think a piece of modern stationery can be a great present. Our favorite Czech stationery designers include Papelote, which has been on the market for a few years and sells everything from envelopes to folders to diaries and notebooks and, importantly, wrapping paper, Paragraph, a young independent studio seated in the Zizkov district, and VOALA. Where to buy? Both Papelote and Paragraph have their own shops (see their websites linked in this paragraph). In addition, Paragraph stationery can be bought at Page Five, a recently opened independent publishing house with a shop that sells everything from books and magazines to stationery and posters, and in our favorite Kurator.

For your coffee snob friends: Chemex dripper + Doubleshot coffee

Do your loved ones love coffee and design? Why not combine the two? The Chemex coffeemaker, although not Czech, is a beautiful object by itself that will double as a decorative piece in any kitchen. Use it to make drip coffee from beans roasted by Doubleshot, the Prague-based coffee roasters who supply coffee to almost all the good cafés in Prague. You can buy a tasting set of three different coffees of your choice from their assortment. Where to buy?Muj salek kavy, one of the most popular cafes in Prague, is the flagship café owned by the Doubleshot roasters. In addition to delicious coffee and cakes, you can buy all the props to make great coffee at home. 

For design lovers who have everything: Brokis lamps

The installation of lamps by Brokis, based near Jihlava, Czech Republic, was one of our favorites at this years Designblok, the annual design show in Prague. Combining the creativity of young designers and the beauty of high-quality Czech glass, the lamps offer some striking designs. So good they were features in a recent Yves Saint Laurent video! Our favorites include the Shadow and Muffin lamps by designers Lucie Koldova and Dan Yeffet, the Capsula lamps by Lucie Koldova, and the Balloon lamps by Boris Klimek. Where to buy? The easiest way is to inquire for Brokis products at their website. They have stockists all around the world and are sold by several online shops. Try to google them.

For just about any woman (or man): Modern Czech jewelry

What woman does not like shiny things? The Czech Republic has recently witnessed the rise of many talented designers, ranging from the more traditional (e.g. Belda) to the more daring. These might not be to everyone's taste but are surely going to get everyone's attention. Our favorites include Zorya with their Virus collection, Janja Prokic and her Le Grand Jeu collection, Antipearle pearl-based jewelry with an edgy look, and Blueberries 3D-printer based designs. Where to buy? Zorya can be bought in their Letna-based studio (by appointment only), in the Dox by Qubus store and the Simple Concept Store. Janja Prokic can be had in the Debut Gallery, Antipearle sells its products in its showroom at Janackovo nabrezi from 10am to 6pm from 18 to 23 December, and Bluberries pieces can be bought online at their website, in the Leeda shop and at Modernista. 

For wine and glass lovers: A Czech red and glassware by Czech designers

Czech wines have been getting very good recently and although they are mostly known for whites, you can find some good reds here, too (although they will never have so much body as an Australian cabernet). And is there a better way to enjoy a good red than from a designer carafe and glasses? No, we didn't think so. Czech designers have always designed really nice glassware for wine and food alike. The glasswares by the Olgoj Chorchoj studio, Rony Plesl, Martin Zampach or the LLEV studio are among our favorites. Use them to devour a glass of some of our favorite Czech reds: the 2009 Shisar by Mr Zapletal, the 2009 Neronet by the Prague-based winery Salabka, or the 2009 Trkmanska by Stapleton Springer. Where to buy? The carafe at Hard-De-Core, and the wines at the Vinograf wine bar. Both can be found at the Senovazne namesti square in the centre of Prague.  

For your friend who looooves cooking at home: Lugi kitchen accessories

Lugi, the Czech manufacturer of modern design furniture such as our "when we grow up, we'll buy this" table, has found an ingenious way of putting that excess material resulting from their manufacturing process to good use: create a line of kitchen accessories and tableware. Their wooden trays, cutting boards and salt and pepper grinders are really cool, beautifully made and sport nice minimalist designs. Where to buy? Pavilon. the furniture and design complex at the Vinohradska trance market.

For your chocolate-loving aunt: Passion chocolates and pralines

Made in the Kbely district of Prague, these designer chocolates and pralines are the joint creation of Melinda and Geert, a couple that relocated to Prague after the Hungarian-born Melinda quit her job, met Geert in Belgium and decided to make artisan chocolates as part of her creative urge. The pralines and chocolates are beautifully decorated and creative and are made from high-quality ingredients. Where to buy? Online at their website. For perhaps a more accessible alternative, have a look at Jordi's chocolates at the Sklizeno foodie market at Vodickova 33 street. 

Well, this is just a short selection of things we really like. The list could be much longer of course, but for more ideas, we'll send you to our favorite shops instead. We are pretty sure you'll find your perfect gift there.

Harddecore - A wonderful gallery/shop with a great selection of Czech design with many things made specifically for this place.

Kurator - One of our favorite shops in Prague owned by lovely and friendly couple, Martina and Jan. They will do their best to help you find a beautiful gift (and probably feed you, too). 

La Gallery Novesta - This beautiful concept store carries pieces by many great Czech fashion (and other) designers such as Zuzana Kubickova, Jakub Polanka, Katerina Geislerova, etc. Your better half will be very happy to see you've picked something for her there.

Futurista - This unique space has a great selection of the best of Czech design, art books, jewelry and architecture.

Ingredients - We bet this is the nicest smelling shop in Prague. You can spend hours in this wonderful perfume store, but anything you pick from perfumes, candles to cosmetics will definitely bring a smile on the face on the receiving end.

Panska Pasaz - Imagine 10 great shops under one roof, all carrying great gifts for men. From great watches, ties and shoes to quality whiskey and cigars. As a bonus, you'll find a popup store there until Friday, Dec 13, featuring the talented Leo Macenauer and beautiful bags by Playbag.

Well, this concludes our annual list of Christmas presents from Prague tips. If you are missing something or are looking for something specific, let us know!

And remember: sometimes it may be better just to spend it on yourself:

Čestr's potato milk mash

Now, if you have joined us on the food and culture tour, you will confirm that one of the most popular dishes served include the potato mash at the Cestr restaurant. Yes, the simple mash blows everyone away. Why? Well, because it is not that simple. The “milk mash”, as they call it at Cestr, is a bit more difficult to prepare that your ordinary mash, but the result is worth it. You should not expect a Joel Robouchon-style butter fest but a delicious, fluffy mash with silky smooth texture. You know it’s good when you go to a specialty steak house and the potato mash still gets a special mention every single time, right?

Now the good people at Cestr, or, more precisely, Mr Lukas Drab, Cestr's sous-chef, have published the recipe for their famous mash in the monthly magazine issued by the Ambiente group of restaurants (which include Cestr). Just in time for the Thanksgiving dinner preparations. What a coincidence! Now if you want to be the star of the Thanksgiving family dinner, or if you just want to prepare a really good potato mash, read on. We are reprinting the recipe with the original photos, which we kindly given to us by the management. The key to the recipe is following the instruction, and not counting the calories!

Cestr's recipe is based on the following ingredients:

• 1.8 kg (4 pounds) potatoes
• 1 liter (34 oz) milk. The potatoes will cook in milk, so you should have enough milk to cover the potatoes in the pot. We are talking about whole (full-fat) milk, preferably organic.
• 100 g (7 tablespoons) butter
• a bit of salt. The exact amounts of butter and salt may vary and you should adjust them to your taste.

It all starts with the selection of the right potatoes. Here’s the rule of thumb: they should be good. Go figure, right? They should be firm and not too starchy, and should be free of sprouts. They do tend to change the selection of the exact variety at Cestr, so you don’t have to worry about that very much. Our guests did not get to taste the mash during the summer. The explanation is simple: new potatoes are not suitable for the mash, since their higher water content will break the texture. That is why they wait for about two months in the summer and then start making the mash again only when the potatoes are ready. 

1. First of all, peel the potatoes and soak them in water to get rid of the starch. At Cestr, they soak the potatoes over night, but half an hour will do in household conditions. 

2. Cut the potatoes to smaller cubes and cook them in water for about 5 to 10 minutes, continuously scraping off any starch foam that is created on the surface. 

3. Get rid of the water and simmer the potatoes in hot milk. The milk should be hot, not cold. (Cold milk will stop the cooking process and that’s bad for the mash). The milk should simmer, not boil. The more fatty the milk, the easier it burns at the bottom of the pan. Cook the potatoes until very soft for 25 minutes or so.

4. Drain the potatoes, keeping the excess milk of later use.

5. Put the potatoes in a mixer bowl, add butter, and start mixing with a whisk. First whisk without any milk and start adding the milk later to achieve a silky texture of the milk. The amount of milk needed may dramatically vary depending on the variety of the potato used.

Finally, a word about salt: Salt is added when the potatoes simmer in milk, and then again when the mash is being whisked.

We hope you will enjoy the recipe!!! If you do follow it (and we hope you will), please comment on the results and do post pictures of your mash! Happy Thanksgiving! 

How are the streets in Prague paved?

They say people can watch three things indefinitely: the fire... the sea.... and someone else working. However, the work of the people who pave the cobblestoned streets of Prague is painful to watch. The sheer intensity of the labour is perhaps too close for comfort. We think that the biggest mistake you can make when doing this is thinking about how big an area you have to pave, one stone by one. It's like building the biggest puzzle game ever, again and again, every working day, nine to five.

When we talk with our guests during the tour, one thing comes up repeatedly: the cobblestones in Prague. They are a mixed blessing, really. For a foreign visitor, they are beautiful and romantic, although they do lose points when it comes to comfort. You can leave those high heels at home because you will hardly ever use them in Prague. Local women are an exception - they are simply used to them and seem to have the ability to levitate above the stones in even the highest heels. Czechs also generally like them for their clear benefits and advantages.

First, there are the looks: the cobblestones look better than the cold asphalt. More importantly, they look cleaner than they really are - the uneven surface is forgiving to every cigarette butt and candy wrapper people may leave behind. Corporations also like them when they can order logos to be made out of different-coloured stones in front of their offices. Finally, the stones are recyclable - when a pipe bursts underneath them, you can easily take them out and then put them back again. That is why paving the streets with cobblestones has become a popular pre-election gimmick: many local politicians set out to repave the main streets in their district just before the election to show that they truly care.

Which takes us to the disadvantages of cobblestones. Firstly, their "recyclability"  became a huge problem when Prague hosted the World Bank/IMF summit in 2000, as the protesters from all over the World took to the streets of Prague and used the stones as ammunition against the riot police. Many streets in the centre were stripped of all the stones and became simple dirt roads. (Ouch!) Also, the comfort - or the lack of it - is an issue, especially when the big stones are used to pave the roads. Yes, never buy a used car from Prague because the stones will ruin the entire suspension. Finally, the cobbled streets are demanding in terms of the required labour and time. There is virtually no automation involved, and each stone has to be hammered in manually. Many of our guests were simply fascinated by the work involved in paving the streets when they saw it in action.

The streets around our home were recently re-paved, so Jan grasped this opportunity to interview the workers about their job. The video proves two things: (1) Jan exhibits a striking failure to multi-task for a former conference interpreter and babbles like an idiot when he shoots videos, and (2) people paving the streets of Prague are extremely reluctant to give interview and are clearly surprised when anyone wants to talk to them. We post the video anyway, in all its naked glory. Just enjoy the view of other people working. And please turn on the English subtitles (CC as closed captioning). Enjoy!

Best Prague cafés (according to us)

[If you are reading this, you may have been pointed to this page by Google. Great! But in reality, this is an older post about breakfasts in Prague. If you want to see our updated, 2015 version of the same post, please click here. Thank you for reading, and enjoy your coffee!]

With the Prague Coffee Festival near, it's about time we update the list of our favorite cafes in Prague. Sadly, winter has come early this year (as we write this, the temperature is below 10C/50F, and it's early October), which really means the coffee season has begun. What may be great news for cafe owners is a piece of bad news for ice-cream vendors (although Czech rarely do believe in seasonality when it comes to having ice-cream). The following list is a list of cafes we love and recommend, in no particular order of preference:

EMA Espresso Bar Opened in June, the newest entry on the Prague coffee scene has quickly become very popular. The modern interiors referencing Czech functionalist architecture are full of light and create a nice atmosphere; the staff is nice and knowledgeable and uses their La Marzocco Strada EUR 20,000 machine to prepare cup after cup of delicious coffee. You can always get espresso or drip coffee either from the coffee roasters of their current preference - JB, based in Bavaria, or their "coffee of the week", which includes anything from Square Mile, Bonanza Coffee Roasters, Doubleshot, Union etc. In addition to coffee, EMA offers a few easy and quick fixes: sandwiches, focaccias, two salads, and a small selection of cakes. They do plan to put more focus on food in the future with the addition of a chef, but you should not expect a restaurant. EMA will always remain an espresso bar at heart. One think should be noted: as a true espresso bar, EMA does not offer wifi to its guests. And for those who don't like coffee, EMA offers a small selection of great teas by TeaJay and home-made lemonades.

Muj salek kavy

A long-established Karlin district's staple, Muj salek kavy is loved equally by locals, expats and travelers, and can get quite easily crowded, especially when they close down their outside seating for the winter. The cafe is owned by Doubleshot, arguably the best known independent Czech coffee roasters, and the owners make great use of their own roasts, using their custom-made Spirit Duette coffee machine. Breakfast is served from Monday to Friday until 11am and the whole day over the weekend, and a light lunch or dinner can be had afterwards, including a daily soup. The food is good, but let's face it: the coffee is the star in this establishment. We hardly ever get a cup of coffee without some of their delicious cakes. Our favorites include their cheese cake, carrot cake and banana-and-coffee cake. They are on the sweet side, but we like them. The staff speaks fluent English (one of their baristas is a Melbourne native) and is very welcoming.

Monolok

Nestled in the heart of the Vinohrady district's residential area, Monolok is our favorite place to go when we want to enjoy a cup of great coffee in a quiet, relaxing atmosphere. One of their baristas has currently finished third in the World Cup Tasting Championship (no, we're not making this up), and the waiters are generally very friendly and attentive. Coffee and some simple dishes can also be served in their tiny but nice courtyard. The interior design of this place is lovely, simple and airy

Café Lounge

This definitely IS your daddy's café. While other establishments may unapologetically form a part of the recent hipster café trend, this café and restaurant clearly evoke times long past, the times of Belle Epoque and the First Republic. The café may feel a bit cramped on first sight, but it is very cosy and fills up very quickly. They serve espresso-based drinks, vacuum pots, drips and cascara drinks. This is the only café on the list that features a proper kitchen and doubles as a full-fledged restaurant, and the food is not bad. About the desserts: the Czech baked sweets on the table are nice, but definitely skip the desserts in the glass vitrine. If you want some elaborate cakes, visit the nearby Cafe Savoy instead (but skip the coffee there). In addition to coffee, Café Lounge serves local wines with a focus on organic wines made in Central Europe. The café also rents out picnic baskets in the summer.

I Need Coffee

Owned by the former co-owner of the Leeda fashion label, I Need Coffee sells nice coffee; cakes and macaroons made by Chez Lucie, a famous Czech food blogger (and our friend); some sandwiches; kremrole (Czech merengue-filled rolls); Czech ciders; croissants with jams from Hradec Kralove etc. They also serve breakfasts, mostly of the meatless kind. All served in beautifully designed cups and tableware. The one-room café is beautifully designed in a minimalist fashion. In addition to coffee (and this is the only café on the list that does not offer drips) and food, you can buy some cool books about design, designer towels and glassware, and sometimes a themed T-shirt. I Need Coffee is a great place to stop on your way to or from the Vysehrad Castle.

TriCafé

The owner of this small café near the Charles Bridge is a photographer (and some of his equipment is on display in the café) who used to work at Café Lounge. TriCafé serves good coffee, nice home-made cakes and nice savory treats. To call the design of this café minimalist would be an understatement: the café features just the bare essentials: the bar, a few tables and chairs. That's it. However, the atmosphere is very relaxed and nice (even though the Charles Bridge is just few steps away), and you can see they all put all their heart into their little cafe.

Kavárna Pražírna

If you need a dose of caffeine and you're near the I.P. Pavlova subway stop at the border of the New Town and the Vinohrady district, the Prazirna is the place to go. As the Czech name of the place suggests, the café roasts its own beans. The place is located in a cellar and is popular among locals, especially in the evening. If you need wifi, sit in the first room, while the second room will provide more privacy. While we are not blown away by their selection of small nibbles (clearly there's space for improvement when it comes to food), they do understand their coffee and they always welcome you with a smile.

AlCafetero

One of the first gourmet coffee establishments in Prague, this mom-and-pop operation has been on the coffee map for years. The owner reigns supreme in this café (e.g. refusing to serve sugar with the coffee), and a visit to this café is more like a visit to the owner's living room: it's small, and it's personal. That said, the place has a loyal following, and offers some nice small dishes, cakes and pastries made by the owner's wife (who, incidentally, comes from the same small town in Eastern Slovakia as Jan's mom).

Mezi zrnky

Mezi zrnky in the Vinohrady district is a diminutive café replacing the now extinct Cup Up café. Their barista Jara is a coffee geek full of ideas: recently, the café organized a coffee pairing with food. This café can serve also as a bistro: the establishment offers a daily soup and some other small dishes. It is small, with the seating capacity of no more than ten, but it's quite cosy. We love their tables decorated with newspaper shreds.