There are no right angles at Maitrea. The solid-wood tables and chairs all have rounded edges, the doorways are arched, and the lamps are elongated and ethereal, like jellyfish in mid-swim. Even the point where the walls meet the ceiling has been softened with a tube-like rim and a neat row of colored stones.
Maitrea happens to be a vegetarian restaurant, but it is, first and foremost, beautiful. This has to be emphasized, because when a lot of people (myself included) think of vegetarian restaurants, we conjure up images of either unembellished, harshly lit cafeteria-style eateries or the kind of place where hippies sit on grotty carpets with their dogs and talk about marijuana marches.
Neither of
these categories applies to Maitrea, which is creative but uncluttered, cozy but not dirty. It's actually spotlessly clean and, it has to be said, expensive-looking. All of the details – the sculptural fountains and custom-made furniture and mosaic tiles – couldn't have been cheap to put together.
And it didn't come quickly, either. The reconstruction of the restaurant and the building in which it is located was done in accordance with feng shui principles and took nearly three years to complete. The whole of the building is called Maitrea, too (a Sanskrit term that can be translated as "loving kindness") and is referred to by its proprietors as a "house of personal development." It hosts tons of vaguely Buddhistic gatherings: meditation seminars, spiritually-oriented lectures, and free-form dance classes. So it only seems appropriate to have a vegetarian-friendly eatery on the premises.
The Maitrea restaurant is run by Václav Stanislav and Martin Dobeš, who founded the veg hideaway Lehká Hlava three years ago. For fans of the original restaurant – which is fully booked on most evenings – the opening of Maitrea just off Old Town Square comes as a welcome expansion. The new place has two floors and seats ninety people, almost double the capacity of Lehká Hlava. Its upstairs space is airy, with high ceilings and large windows; the downstairs section is more intimate and features a couple of couches on a raised platform next to a modern-style fireplace.
Maitrea's menu is similar to that of its sister restaurant: a jumble of veggie-only dishes, from pasta and stir-fries to burgers and burritos. There's even a Czech option, a version of vepřo knedlo zelo (pork with dumplings and sauerkraut) – dumplings with sauerkraut and tofu pork. Sounds fascinating, but somehow I haven't felt the urge to try it.
I'm not crazy about meat substitutions, all those seitans and soy bacons; I generally find them weird and not particularly tasty. I'd rather just have a bunch of vegetables, with some beans or something to make up for the lack of protein. So I'm not sure why I ordered an okara burger (125 CZK), really (okara is a type of soybean pulp common in traditional Asian cooking). For a regular eater of real cow burgers like me, I could have expected that the non-cow version wasn't going to impress me much.
But for a veggie burger, it wasn't too bad. The bun was homemade, fluffy and dotted with sesame seeds. The toppings were decent – a nice slice of tomato, crunchy lettuce, and a garlic yogurt sauce. Turns out (surprise, surprise) it was the soy part that bothered me most. The patty was fried to crispiness on the outside, but kind of runny on the inside, like mashed potatoes that have too much cream in them. Coupled with the drippy yogurt sauce, the patty made the burger incredibly messy to eat. It actually did taste good, but because most of the dish was running down my arms and dropping onto my plate, I had to put it down pretty quickly.
The Mexican dishes seem to be better. I had a red bean chili (130 CZK) that came wrapped up with cheddar cheese in a cone-shaped tortilla. This wasn't especially authentic Mexican food – the chili was a little too sweet and lacked any sort of spicy seasoning – but it was beautifully presented and made with fresh ingredients. On the side was a scoop each of sour cream and red pepper salsa, along with a leafy mesclun salad. The guacamole (70 CZK) is listed as an appetizer and comes with a homemade brioche, but I ordered it as an accompaniment to my chili. It was tangy and made with real avocados, not from the bottle. Yay!
They're big on the homemade stuff at Maitrea, which is one reason why I like it so much. They have their own fizzy lemonade (mint or ginger flavor, 45 CZK) and bake their own chocolate chip cookies to go with mashed-up strawberries as a dessert (the cookies were a little on the tough side, actually, but you have to appreciate the effort).
Another reason to like the restaurant is that it's super-affordable, especially considering its location. There's nothing nearby like it – well, there is Beas, the vegetarian dhaba around the corner, but since they decided to change their system to self-service, it isn't what it used to be. Maitrea charges a comparable price for a lunch menu, 105 CZK, which includes the soup of the day (on my visit, a simple carrot soup with dill and yogurt) and an entrée (chickpea and peanut "perkelt" with bulghur wheat and rice). If you happen to have devoted your life to the spiritual side of things, you can do one better: monks, ordained clergy members, and "enlightened people" eat at Maitrea for free.
The expressed goal of Maitrea is to be "a pleasant place to meet people who are open to inspiration." I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I do find Maitrea to be a pretty inspiring place. Maybe next time I visit, I'll meet some inspiring people there, too.
Maitrea
Týnská ulička 6
Praha 1 - Old Town
map
Tel: 221 711 631
photographs Tomáš Krist for Lidové noviny; all others restaurace-maitrea.cz
This review originally appeared in Czech translation in the 07/11/09 edition of Lidové Noviny.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Restaurant Review: Maitrea
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Food news: The new Grand Restaurant Guide is released, La Casa Blů airs out, and Marks 'n' Sparks considers expansion
Last week saw the release of the 2009 Grand Restaurant Guide, with listings of 455 restaurants across the Czech Republic. The top-rated establishment according to the voting public was Alcron at the SAS Radisson, followed by La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise, Francouzská Restaurace at Obecní dům, Rialto Ristorante in Brno, and V Zátiší. 2008's bizarre overall winner (and #1 and #3 in service and food, respectively), U Lípy, was conspicuously absent from the rankings.
Congratulations to La Casa Blů, whose owners decided to make their restaurant and bar complet
"House of Personal Development" Maitrea on Týnská ulička plans to open a vegetarian restaurant in early 2009. The center
Starbucks-esque Polish chain Coffee Heaven has announced that it will be consolidating its operations and closing six of its nineteen Czech stores as we
And some good news for home chefs frustrated by Albert's perenially moldy produce: Marks and Spencer is reportedly considering opening a series of grocery-only stores (known as Marks and Spencer Simply Food in the UK) in the Czech Republic. They've already experienced success here with their in-store food sections, which feature M&S-brand canned goods, frozen foods, wines, and more.
photographs kanzelsberger.cz, lacasablu.cz, maitrea.cz, marksandspencer.cz
Monday, December 8, 2008
Restaurant Review: Lehká Hlava
This review originally appeared in Czech translation in the 15/11/08 edition of Lidové Noviny.
When Lehká Hlava first opened, I thought it would never last. Its location on a tiny side street – the shortest in Prague, in fact – seemed too secluded to get much foot traffic, and its vegetarian menu seemed a little too wholesome for a nation of dedicated meat eaters.
I was wrong.
In the past few years, Lehká Hlava has become one of only a handful of Prague restaurants that turn away hu
ngry customers on a regular basis. Even on a Monday or Tuesday night – days when some waiters barely lift a plate during dinner service – reservations are a must.
Before the floods of 2002, the same space was occupied by Dobrá Čajovna, a company that has opened a series of cozy teahouses across the Czech Republic and now even has a couple of branches in Wisconsin and Vermont. But none of them appear to match the charm and secrecy of the original Boršov location: the candlelit room strewn with pillows and Persian rugs where tea drinkers sometimes took naps; the brighter front room, more suitable for reading or long chats with friends; the old-fashioned bell that guests had to pull on in order to be let inside.
I get a little nostalgic visiting Lehká Hlava sometimes, even if the restaurant does have some of that same comfy feeling to it that the čajovna once did. The back room, whose cave-like dark blue walls are dotted with tiny lights for stars, is especially popular – I wasn't able to reserve a seat there on either of my most recent visits. The other large room is nicely designed too, although it is so packed with tables that it can sometimes feel uncomforta
Good thing Lehká Hlava has such a unique atmosphere, because the food is a bit lacking, even if it is pleasantly inexpensive. Like many vegetarian restaurants, this one will serve dishes from just about any kind of cuisine (Mexican, Italian, Thai, Middle Eastern) as long as they don't contain meat. The menu is fairly large, and with the restaurant so busy, the solo chef in the tiny open kitchen must be under quite a bit of pressure every night.
Sometimes, the stress seems to show in the food. The grains in the bulgur wheat risotto (135 CZK) were tough, while the tempeh that came with it was dry and shriveled, as if it had been heated more than once. Besides that, I didn't much like the concept of the dish, which paired an oily mixture of stir-fried vegetables and bulgur with a dollop of peanut and sun dried tomato pesto. The idea may have been to give the dish some more flavor – which it definitely could have used – but the pairing seemed more careless than creative.
There are a few other bizarre combinations, too: hummus served with tortilla chips (80 CZK), for example, or a carrot cake doused in melted milk chocolate (70 CZK). The hummus with chips was a little off-base (classic toasted pita bread would really work better), but those with a very sweet tooth should find the carrot cake to their liking. Made from millet instead of regular wheat flour, and spiced up by coconut and fresh ginger, the very dense and moist cake took well to the high-quality chocolate sauce. The same kind of chocolate is used in Lehká Hlava's popular hot chocolate (50 or 70 CZK; try the delicious Aztec version with chili and walnuts) and fruit fondue (80 CZK).
I also enjoyed a main course of grilled goat cheese with gratinated potatoes and sautéed fresh spinach (165 CZK), layered with a top crust of crispy cheese and a sprinkling of chopped walnuts. It's a well-thought-out, satisfying vegetarian entrée. The eggplant quesadillas (135 CZK), meanwhile, were mediocre at best but at least partially redeemed themselves with the very good homemade guacamole and tomato salsa that were served as accompaniments.
Credit should be given to Lehká Hlava's imaginative drinks menu, which features a variety of fresh juices, including the Heart Core (50 or 65 CZK), a combination of freshly-pressed apples, carrots, and ginger. They also do guarana cocktails, fresh lemonade with mint, and something called the Greenhorn, made from young barley shoots, in addition to serving a small selection of wines and leaf teas. Finally, we have a restaurant whose non-alcoholic menu offers more than just Coke and mineral water.
I wouldn't recommend the mineral water, by the way – apparently they pour it into glasses from a large bottle, so it is often completely flat once it reaches the table. And don't try asking the waitresses for ice with your fresh juice, because they'll probably forget to bring it; the service may be friendly, but it's unreliable (you may find it easier to dine here during their monthly brunch, when the food is self-service only).
Lehká Hlava does have its faults, but at least it's doing something different from the countless copycat restaurants that have saturated our dining scene – which may be part of the reason why people keep coming back. There's really nothing else like it, and the love and care the owners have put into the space are palpable. I'm hoping a few more risk-taking entrepreneurs will step forward in the near future. Prague, and all its hopelessly bored restaurant-goers, would almost certainly welcome the change.
Lehká Hlava
Boršov 2
Praha 1
Tel: 222 220 665
map
Open Mon–Fri 11:30–23:30, Sat-Sun 12:00—23:30
photographs 1, 4, 5 Tomáš Krist for Lidové Noviny; all others lehkahlava.cz
Monday, November 17, 2008
Restaurant Review: Radost FX
This review originally appeared in Czech translation in the 25/10/08 edition of Lidové Noviny.
When winter time comes around, most of us do our best to keep ourselves from getting sick. We wear scarves. We take extra vitamins. We may even go to the doctor's office to get flu vaccinations.
I am just as diligent about avoiding the restaurant at Radost FX. I don't often lie, but when it comes to that particular spot, I am not above fabricating an aunt's 60th birthday party or a sudden attack of the shingles. Believe me, if there was an anti-Radost shot, I'd be the first in line.
But just as some of us will still come down with the flu despite our best efforts, I sometimes end up getting dragged to Radost.
My friends, you
see, will not heed the sound advice of the restaurant critic ("That place SUCKS"), because they always have a very special reason to go there. Somebody doesn't eat meat. ("It's not the only vegetarian place in town," I argue.) They serve brunch. ("Are you out of your mind? Have you SEEN the French toast?") It's late and we're hungry. ("Oh… all right." There really isn't anywhere else to have a sit-down meal in this city after midnight.)
The fact that I am something of a food snob is not the only reason I refuse to eat at Radost. I'm also trying to protect my and my friends' health and general well-being.
It could just be hearsay, but Radost's food does have a reputation for making people ill. Besides the various discussions of this topic on the internet, I personally know several people who have gotten sick after eating there. Even just this past week, a friend who accompanied me on one of my visits said she felt not very good at all after eating one of the restaurant's beloved Popeye burgers (the "burger" part is made out of spinach, hazelnuts, garlic, and cheese, in case you were wondering).
Far be it for me to know exactly what's going on. But I would like to point to the eyewitness account of a buddy of mine as a possible (partial) explanation. My friend was at Radost early in the day and saw the chef taking a batch of produce from the delivery man. The chef shook the hand of the delivery dude, brought the veggies into the kitchen (separated from the dining room by only a curtain, so it's possible to glimpse inside), and without washing his hands proceeded to chop up the tomatoes and put them on a plate for a customer's salad. And then, as an afterthought, he grabbed a slice of tomato from the plate and popped it in his mouth.
With standards like these, it's no wonder people are getting sick.
Of course, there are a lot of restaurants in this town with questionable hygiene practices – more, probably, than I'd care to know about. But even if the food at Radost isn't regularly groped by dirty hands, it's still presented as if it was. All of the dishes come out looking carelessly made and sloppy.
Take the Heaven's Garden dish (195 CZK), another supposed favorite of avid Radost-goers. It's basically a plate of mashed potatoes smothered in a dull cream sauce and topped with random vegetables: carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, red and green peppers, parsley, black olives (what?), and sun-dried tomatoes (why?). Some of the carrots were shredded, others were julienned. It's as if they just threw in whatever scraps they had lying around the kitchen.
The ratatouille (190 CZK) may be even worse. When I tried it, the vegetables were inexcusably overcooked, to the point where it was nearly impossible to tell the difference between the eggplant and the zucchini because both were so mushy and brown. The zucchini had been lazily cut into five-centimeter-long cylinders. The couscous that came with the ratatouille was bone dry; it must have been made the day before and stored improperly afterwards. And spooned on top was a nonsensical serving of sour cream. As if that would make this pile of slop worth the money.
I guess laziness rules at Radost. On my first visit, the waitress took a drink order from my friend without asking the rest of us what we wanted, then brought the drink and still didn't ask. On my second visit, my brother, who has a serious peanut allergy, asked a different waitress if there would be peanuts or peanut products in his stir fry. She said she wasn't sure and she would find out. She didn't. My brother got sick.
What more can you expect from a restaurant where my friend (the same unlucky lady who ate the foul Popeye burger) once found a big piece of glass in her salad? That may have been a few years ago, but judging by my recent experiences there, I still wouldn't put that kind of insanity past this place.
What confuses me most is the fact that so many people continue to eat at Radost. Some even swear by it. A Hollywood actor once took me there on a miserable date because he refused to eat anywhere else the whole time he was shooting his movie in Prague. He even had Radost food delivered to the set every day.
Okay, so I guess the interior is kind of cool, with the brightly patterned couches and funky wallpaper and quasi-trendy dance music provided by live DJs on the weekends. The restaurant feels like an extension of the club downstairs – all the more so because of the cigarette smoke and the fact that customers have to use the dank and dirty club toilets.
But even if you're enticed by the shabby chic décor and the promising-looking menu, even if you're a vegetarian and you want brunch or it's late and you're hungry, don't do it. I, for one, plan on never getting dragged to Radost again.
And after this review is published, I won't even have to come up with an excuse.
Radost FX
Bělehradská 120
Praha 2 - Vinohrady
map
Tel: +420 224 254 776
images 1, 4, 5: Tomáš Krist for Lidové Noviny; 3, 7: radostfx.cz; all others: Prague Spoon
Monday, September 15, 2008
Restaurant Review: Kabul
This review originally appeared in Czech translation in the 06/09/08 edition of Lidové Noviny.
When a dish shows up in your dreams, you know it must really be something special.
That's what happened after one of my recent trips to restaurant Kabul: just as I was drifting off to sleep, my belly still full to bursting from an enormous dinner, the memory of the Afghan-style kebab I'd devoured only a few hours before wafted into my mind. I recalled the ground beef patty's mildly charred, almost crispy exterior; its juicy deep pink center; the aromatic dollops of chutney – one tangy and sweet, the other bold and spicy – that so perfectly complemented the smoky grilled meat.
A little pool of saliva began to collect in my mouth. My stomach growled. Against all odds, I was hungry.
Since it opene
d on Karolíny Světlé a few years ago, Kabul and its fantastic kebabs have been a well-kept secret known only to a handful of devoted regulars. Afghan cuisine isn't exactly Italian or Chinese food, after all, and it can be a tough sell. When I informed a group of out-of-town visitors that we were going to be having dinner at a place called Kabul, they didn't look especially thrilled.
But by the time our table was loaded with fat kebabs, homemade bread, and colorful vegetable side dishes, they'd become believers – as has everyone else I've brought to the restaurant. It's a pleasant little family joint with unique and delicious food at reasonable prices. What's not to like about that?
Kabul is nice to visit both in the wintertime, when the tiny dining room lined with Afghan carpets becomes a cozy cold-weather hideaway, and in the summer, when the restaurant expands to include an outdoor courtyard. With its picturesque wrought-iron well and walls lined head to foot with wisteria, the garden has some enviable features.
Still, the atmosphere outside could use some improvement. The restaurant/ club/ drag queen cabaret next door likes to blast cheesy pop music over their neighbors' demure Afghan soundtrack. They also have menu-wielding employees standing at the shared garden entrance, doing their best to snatch away Kabul's potential customers. There's not too much owner Hasib Saleh can do about those things, but he might consider upgrading the plastic tables and chairs to something a little less crappy – they cheapen the image of his restaurant more than it deserves.
Of course, a certain crustiness is part of what makes restaurants like Kabul so endearing. The puffy, pleather-bound menus, quirky restrooms, and occasional chipped plate show a lack of pretentiousness that I find refreshing. As long as it doesn't go too far (cockroaches, dirty toilets, cockroaches on the dirty toilets), a little bit of the lived-in feeling is fine with me.
It's not all about the kebabs, either (though I do feel compelled to add that aside from the beef version, Kabul also has chicken and mutton kebabs that are very good as well, all for around 200 CZK). Ashak (150 CZK) is a tasty dish made up of pierogi-like dumplings filled with leek and topped by white yoghurt, dried mint, and ground beef with lentils. The al dente stickler in me would have preferred the dumplings to be a little less cooked, but for all I know, that could be the authentic way to serve them.
Vegetarians can fill up at Kabul, too, as can those who are dead against trying Afghan food; the menu also lists spaghetti, goulash, and pizza, although the Western-style additions hardly seem necessary. Vegetarian sides include bamya (140 CZK), or okra with onions and tomatoes; a garlicky steamed spinach dish called sabzih (70 CZK); and dal (60 CZK), a mildly spicy yellow lentil puree that's perfect for scooping up with Kabul's homemade flat bread (40 CZK). I'd also recommend the excellent kadu (140 CZK), a fried pumpkin dish topped with white yoghurt.
Celebratory Afghan dinners are typically served in the form of a spread, or dastarkhan, where the dining table is laden with various meats, vegetable dishes, breads, rices, nuts, and fruit. It's a good idea to mimic this tradition on a trip to Kabul with a small group so you get to try lots of different dishes. Or you might like to take your food to go and have a little dastarkhan of your own at home (or at your office – they apparently cater parties of up to 500 people).
I do find Kabul's food to be a little on the greasy side for my liking; it's not something I'd be able to eat every day. But if you try it and become a fan, you might want to take advantage of their new 85-CZK lunch special. It may not be the environment for a high-power business lunch, but your meal is certain to be cheap, filling, and tasty.
You'll probably be happy with the service, too. Mr. Saleh is usually on hand to oversee the restaurant and often serves customers himself with a big, friendly smile. No wonder so many people have adopted Kabul as one of their favorites. Just make sure that when you stop by, you don't get tricked into going to the Tingl Tangl drag queen show next door. Your dinner still might enter your dreams, but it'll probably be in a whole different kind of way.
Kabul
Karolíny Světlé 14
Praha 1
Tel: 224 235 452
map
Open Mon – Sun 10.00 - 23.00
Monday, July 28, 2008
Restaurant Review: Safir / Beas
This review originally appeared in Czech translation in the 07/06/08 edition of Lidové Noviny.
With a surging interest in gourmet cuisine among its residents, Prague can now lay claim to plenty of upscale restaurants. But some of its best and most interesting food is also its least expensive – and doesn’t require table service. Here’s an overview of two great spots to get a satisfying meal for under 150 CZK.
When its original location on Havelská shut down, fans of Safir Grill’s reliable, low-cost Lebanese food found themselves without a place to go. Not long after, the restaurant re-emerged, this time simply as Safir, in the newly-built Nový Smíchov shopping mall.
This low-key Middle Eastern joint is a nice addition to the typical food court – not as greasy as the McDonald’s across the way, but not as time-demanding as some of the sit-down restaurants nearby. At lunchtime, the lines at Safir are long, but the wait is minimized by the efficient and friendly staff.
There’s a variety of classic Lebanese dishes here, both with and without meat: gyros, tabbouleh, d
olmas, and falafel are among them. For a convenient to-go food, try the twister gyros, a tightly-wrapped sandwich of roasted chicken and cabbage in Lebanese bread. It’s something like KFC’s Twister sandwich, only better – and certainly healthier.
Safir’s tabbouleh is a little on the flavorless side, probably because they make theirs with curly parsley instead of the more tasty (and less common in these parts) flat Italian variety. But their hummus and baba ganoush are delicious, especially when paired with a plate of crispy, freshly-made falafel patties.
I also love their grape leaves and cabbage leaves, which come served with the refreshing yoghurt and cucumber sauce known as tzatziki. For dessert, they offer sticky-sweet pistachio or peanut baklava (pistachio is better) or the soft, spongy harisa cake, in either coconut or walnut versions. Everything can be wrapped up to go, so it’s a good option for a last-minute dinner when you don’t feel like cooking.
The atmosphere is a little lacking, but what can you expect from a shopping mall restaurant? Safir does their best under the circumstances, with mosaic tables, Arabic-style mirrors, and even shisha pipes offered on the menu – though I have yet to see anyone try them. Just watch out for your belongings; thieves occasionally lurk among the tables, looking for a stray purse to grab while its owner has her hands full of falafel.
Late last year, Safir opened up a second location in the DBK department store at Budějovická. I still wish they had a spot downtown, since there’s an unfortunate lack of good quality, low-budget Middle Eastern food in the city center. Maybe they’ll be back someday. For now, we’ll have to rely on shopping malls in order to get our Safir fix.
Safir
OC Nový Smíchov
Plzeňská 8 – Praha 5
map
Tel: 257 310 149
DBK Praha
Budějovická 1667/64 – Praha 4
map
Tel: 296 825 111
It almost seems too good to be true: two portions of vegetable stew, rice, salad, soup, yoghurt sauce, chutney, and dessert for only 98 CZK (pictured below). But at Beas, this is the standard menu (the large one, anyway; a smaller version, which comes minus the chutney and dessert, goes for 85 CZK).
The food here is not only plentiful and cheap, but is some of the better Indian you’ll find in town. Beas employs Indian chefs at both its locations, and isn’t afraid of being authentic; they even serv
e pickles, the super-spicy condiment made of pickled fruits and vegetables.
Meat-eaters might be disappointed that Beas is exclusively vegetarian, but the offerings here are so rich and filling that some of them may hardly even notice. The generous portions of rice (either white or flavored, depending on your preference), sabji (vegetable stew), and dhal (bean, chickpea, or lentil stew) are hearty enough alone to fill up the hungriest lunchtime patrons. The other menu elements are there to round out the experience – like the raita (yoghurt sauce with herbs), which acts as a cooling contrast to the spicy stews, or the chutney (a condiment made of dates, raisins, or other fruits), whose sweet, gooey texture is a natural complement to the savory vegetables.
The set menu is served to at the counter, cafeteria-style, but if you have a little more time, it’s worth waiting for the kitchen to whip up some of the Indian specialties they prepare to order. Among these are the excellent dosa, a thin, crispy pancake made of rice and flour and stuffed with either potatoes or spinach, and the parantha, a type of whole wheat flatbread filled with a spicy potato mixture (pictured below; on a recent visit to the Bělehradská Beas, however, only two of the six made-to-order options were in stock).
Both locations have pleasant courtyards to eat in, but the interiors are perfectly nice, too, with cream-colored walls and sleek wooden chairs. At the Týnská restaurant, each table carries a silver pitcher full of tap water, a quaint touch that adds to the homey surroundings. Unfortunately, the Bělehradská location has now replaced the pitchers with plastic water filters – more hygienic, perhaps, but a little less aesthetically pleasing.
If you’re curious about Indian desserts, be sure to try Beas’s halva. Unlike Arabic halvas, which are usually sesame-based, the Indian variety is made from semolina wheat and has a soft, couscous-like consistency. Served with a thick vanilla cream, it’s the perfect way to finish a meal at the dhaba. Or try a glass of the mango lassi – like most things at Beas, it’s delicious and healthy, and it won’t strain your wallet.
Beas
Týnská 19 (in the courtyard) – Praha 1
Open Mon-Sat 11:00-20:00, Sun 11:00-18:00
map
Bělehradská 90 – Praha 2
Open Mon-Fri 11:00-21:00, Sat 12:00-20:00, Sun 12:00-18:00
map
tel.+420 608 035 727
images: praguespoon.com, beas-dhaba.cz
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Food news: Cooking classes, paella, and rumors of noodles
I've gotten a few queries lately about whether or not any cooking classes are being held in Prague. There are actually lots of them -- but they're mostly in Czech, of course. Cooking schools seem to be popping up everywhere at the moment; the most notable is the Pražský kulinářský institut (Prague Culinary Institute), where a huge range of classes are taught almost daily by some of the city's most well-known chefs. Then there's Chef Parade in Žižkov, which offers (among other
courses) a "Cookdating" class designated for singles only. Culinaria gives sporadic lessons in Indian and Italian cuisine in English. And there have also been some informal group cooking lessons occasionally put together by expats. If anyone knows of any other English-language cooking classes, give us a heads up by putting a note in the comments!
As for food events this week, Monsoon is preparing a Singaporean menu as part of their One night stand in Singapore this Thursday, while Oliva is going Spanish with a special paella weekend -- check it out here.
It looks like new Asian fusion restaurant Angel may be listening to its customers (or its reviewers): they've rounded out their meat- and fish- heavy menu with two additional vegetarian options. And another Asian-themed restaurant, The Noodle Bar, is apparently looking to open a second location in Vinohrady. More on that when it happens...
Monday, January 21, 2008
Food news: Starbucks and Gordon Ramsay come to town (separately)
Despite half-hearted threats of protest from the Association of Residents and Friends of Malá Strana, Starbucks will be opening its doors to the Czech public on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the mammoth coffee shop chain says it has "carefully and thoughtfully rehabilitated the Palác Grömlingovský retail location and returned it to its historic use as a coffeehouse and gathering place for the local community." More on that later...
On the other end of the culinary spectrum, English chef Gordon Ramsay will be in Prague Tuesday to promote his latest venture, maze. The surrounding festivities are to include a press conference and dinner at the restaurant for invited members of the local media.
The Dejvice location of organic grocery store Country Life has been temporarily shut down in order to make way for a "vegetarian bistro." The shop should re-open within the next couple of weeks.
Around the cor
ner from Country Life, Asian fusion restaurant Monsoon has announced its new Saturday Family Lunch special, which offers a three-course menu at 199 CZK per person. Children under 8 eat for 10 CZK per every year of age (a seven-year-old eats for 70 CZK, etc.), and a surpervised play area is provided.
images: starbucks.com, telegraph.co.uk, monsoon-restaurant.cz
