Michal Čihař - Blog Archives for Pubs

V rámci Grand Restaurant Festivalu jsme navštívili Restauraci U bílé krávy. Protože máme rádi hovězí maso a obzvláště steaky, byl to celkem snadný výběr.

V útulném prostředí jsme byli usazeni ke stolu a po povzbuzení chuťových buněk pomocí aperitivu Kir už na stůl přicházely variace z předkrmů (filátko krokodýla s lilkovým kaviárem s omáčkou demi glace, žabí stehýnko v bylinkové krustě se salátkem z řapíkatého celeru a fenyklu, kaštanové velouté s avokádovým olejem). Přestože jsem z kombinace měl původně obavy, nakonec se ukázala jako výborně sladěná a těžko vybírat, co bylo lepší.

Jako první z hlavních chodů bylo na pořadu Boeuf Bourguignon s batátovo-bramborovovým pyré, maso se rozplývalo na jazyku a omáčka s pyré ho vhodně doplňovala. Závěr degustačního chodu patřil výběru steaků Charolais, kde jsme byli již zcela ve svém živlu.

Vyvrcholení celého večera přišlo v podobě dezertu - tvarohová domácí zmrzlina s čerstvým ovocem, kterou obsluha připravila přímo na našem stole pomocí kapalného dusíku. Krásně se na to koukalo a výborně chutnalo, takže jsme odešli naprosto spokojeni.

V rámci Společných aktivit jsme si potřebovali něco vyjasnit a pro tento účel si zarezervovali salónek v sousedském pivovaru Bašta. A přestože jsem si myslel, že personál českých restaurací mě nemůže ničím překvapit (výhrůžky že nám rozbijí hubu za stěžování si na podmíráky v Restauraci Antal nasadily laťku hodně vysoko), odešel jsem odsud opět o zážitek bohatší.

Jedná se o nekuřácký podnik s vlastním pivem a malou nabídkou jídel k pivu, která nám vždy chutnala, takže jsme očekávali, že i tentokrát budeme spokojeni. Po příchodu jsme se zeptali, jestli můžeme přesunout stoly a obsluha nám zapůjčila prodlužku na připojení notebooku a při konzumaci jídla a piva jsme začali diskutovat.

Najednou rozrazil dveře (pravděpodobně podnapilý) pan majitel, co že tu děláme, jestli jsme zaplatili pronájem salónku a vůbec, že mu tu blokujeme spoustu míst. Na naši odpověď, že jsme takto rezervaci domluvili zareagoval jen dalšími výpady. Výstup zakončil tím, že nám do salónku pošle dalších deset lidí (v tu chvíli jsme tam měli tak 3 volné židle). Ať si je k nám klidně pošle, stejně jsme tu po takovémto chování naposled. Následovala odpověď ve smyslu, že takhle podniká už deset let a lidí mu tam chodí dost, tak ať si klidně nechodíme.

Dojem už nemohlo vylepšit to, že se nám personál při odchodu omlouval za jeho chování. Takže jen přidávám své doporučení - tomuto místu se vyhněte, majitel o vás nestojí.

After more than one year, I decided it's time to resurrect pub reviews category on my blog. The delay was partly caused by my half year trip to Japan meanwhile and lack of motivation to blog, but I think now I'm ready to push some more reviews.

This time I'll recommend Kozlovna (sorry no web pages exists, address is Lidická 20, 150 00 Praha 5). I randomly found it when walking in the city centre and I was really positively surprised by quality of beer (Velkopopovický Kozel 11° Medium), food and service. On my first visit I had great ribs, on second deer fillets and both were just delicious.

The interior perfectly matches name of the restaurant and the brewery which ships the beer (Kozel = billy-goat) and you can find horns or goat shapes all around. Another plus is that half of the restaurant is non smoking, so you don't have to smell that ugly smoke.

This time my experience is fresh and horrible. We went after work for some beers to restaurace Antal. Service was really slow and we waited long time till we could order our five beers. When they arrived, there were quite empty to call them half liter of beer.

No matter what we drunk them and ordered another one, this time asking for full beer. Well it didn't arrive and our complain followed. Waiter seemed to be surprised that guest dares to complain and looked very angry. However after some minutes we got full beer. All of us agreed that it was filled with water. This time we found phone number to owner and called there. Owner was at the bar and ensured us, that there was no water in our beers.

We still resisted as we had ordered food. For most of us it arrived, only my colleague didn't get his one. But after several urgencies, it arrived and by accident he had some paper in it.

However we were still strong and resisted and ordered another beer. This time it seemed to be okay. Last surprise came when we payed as waiter calculated somehow two more beers than we have.

Simply avoid this place if you can. Looking at other experiences (in Czech only), we're not alone who has such feeling about this pub.

This time it won't be about food, but only about entertainment. Čistá duše is music club in Prague centre (on Charles square). I think it can be called as meeting point of African culture (well at least it looked as such to me :-)).

Every evening (probably) you can listen there to rhythms of African drums and enjoy dancing on them.

Drinks are for reasonable price for this part of town, but you won't get there anything to eat, so you should choose something else to fill your hungry stomach.

Restaurant Orlík is yet another restaurant in Prague center I will write about. It lays on waterfront just next to Šítek water tower (Czech only), few minutes of walk from National theatre.

You can select from many traditional meals, I guess everybody will find something what will attract him. Everything I tasted there so far was very good, so I can really recommend you this place to have a lunch or dinner.

You can drink Budweiser Beer here, it is not cheap, but also not expensive and it tastes good. They also offer variety of wines, which are good priced.

Orlík is yet another restaurant in Prague center, where you can go without affraiding that you will pay too much for food.

In middle of Petřín hill, there lies small restaurant called Petřínské terasy (this website does not contain much information). You would not go there for low price, but for nice location, where you can see whole Prague centre.

You can select from variety of special meals, starting from some salads and ending with big steaks. I choose second option and I was pleased by the food. It was really good and I was not hungry after eating it :-).

This time I can not report beer quality, as I didn't drink it, but there was good selection of Czech (well Moravian) and Italian wines.

If you're looking for nice place where to go for some special occasion, or just exclusive view on Prague, this restaurant is definitely for you. Prices are not too high, but you can not expect something at this place to be cheap :-).

This weekend I visited restaurant Haštalský dědek. It is new restaurant (I think it has been opened last year) in centre of Prague, in small street near Old Town Square. It has modern interior where man feels good.

You can eat there traditional Czech cuisine for affordable prices. I took great gulash served in small pot with potato pancakes. Only disadvantage this food had what that it was too big when I was not much hungry :-).

Beer was for nice price (22 CZK for lager) and tasted really good (they serve Krušovice beer). They also offer some special beers, however I didn't taste them.

Generally there is nothing to rebuke. I can really recommend you this place if you're looking for good place to eat in centre of Prague.

I decided to add new blog category and new content to this blog. I will write short reviews of pubs and restaurants I visit. Partly it is as diary for me, to remember good and bad places, but maybe somebody who is going to visit Prague (well most of reviewed ones will be from city where I live), will find here good tips where to go and which places to avoid.