Fine Cafe

** I've been told this restaurant has closed - November 2013

"The pleasure of criticizing robs us of the pleasure of being moved by some very fine things." Jean de la Bruyere

I've been watching Prague's restaurant scene for more than 10 years.

I've seen chefs come. I've seen them go. I've seen them come back.

I've watched restaurant locations that fail. And fail. And then succeed.

The most recent example of this is the return of chef Jean-Paul Manzac with his opening of Bistrot M at La Boucherie Moderne in Smíchov.

His return reminded me of the location for his previous effort, Brasserie M, which I wrote about back in 2007. A great deal was invested in fitting out that restaurant with an ultra-modern, open kitchen, custom-made furniture, and interesting copper accents.

That restaurant closed and was replaced by the unremarkable Fama Grand. Now it has been replaced by the more remarkable Fine Café.

It is in a somewhat isolated location, not far from Tesco on Národní. The massive construction and diversion of foot traffic caused by the nearby metro station construction can't help things.

But a glance at Fine Café's enticing and creative online menu inspired me to return once again to this spot. The inside is not dramatically different than it was during the Brasserie M days.

The high ceilings, wood flooring, shiny copper, and bright kitchen are all still there. If you look carefully you can see the wrought iron in the tables and railings still say "Brasserie M."

The smoking area is up front. The nonsmoking section is the slightly raised area across from the kitchen.

There's a large open dining room in the back that is suitable for parties.

The sound system played a rather unpleasant type of techno.

I drank a very pleasant Pinot Grigio (62 CZK/.1 liter).

My friend enjoyed fine and more equitably priced Merlot (28 CZK/.1 liter).

One thing I like about Fine Café's menu is that everything is available in half portions. It is easier and cheaper to sample a number of different dishes. We started off ordering the ricotta gnocchetti. (165 CZK/small).

We both thought this was lovely. The gnocchetti were ethereally light, sitting under a smooth, balanced cream sauce. Under that were lightly crunchy pieces of chestnut. Dried beetroot added another contrast of flavor and texture. The fresh herbs were a nice touch.

Another choice in the "From the Garden" section was the pumpkin risotto (85 CZK/small).

The lightly sweet rice was overcooked by my standard, but tasted very good. It was studded with walnuts and pumpkin chunks, and topped with a dollop of goat creamy goat cheese. Even the small portion felt substantial and filling.

The next menu to sample was "From the Sea." I got the soft-shell crab with saffron risotto (195 CZK/large).

The crab was fresh and properly fried to a light crispy texture. There was just one problem. It was far too salty for me. The risotto was again too soft, but tasted fine. I didn't pick up too much of the saffron flavor.

Actually, there was a second problem. I told the waitress I wanted small portions of everything. I even repeated it in Czech. When it was delivered, the crab portion looked large, so I asked about it.

"What size portion of crab is that?" I asked.

"That's a large portion," she replied.

"But I ordered all small dishes."

"No, you didn't. You ordered a large."

I always appreciate it when told that my memory of very recent events diverges sharply from reality. Thankfully, there are plenty of servers in this town willing to help me with this.

"From the Land" we ordered the pork tenderloin (155 CZK/small). The silky, tender meat was cooked to medium, which I consider perfect. I do not fear pink pork.

Freshly diced apple was on the side, and it all was placed on a smooth pumpkin puree. A rich demi-glace was poured on top tableside. We both considered this dish the hit of the night and something worth returning for.

I ordered the corn-fed chicken with pistachio pesto and polenta (125 CZK/small).

Again, the meat was amazingly tender. It reminded me dishes that I'd had cooked sous-vide (under vacuum) that give meat similar qualities. The warm polenta was excellent, with a great corn flavor and delicate texture. It was topped with a rich sauce like that on the pork. It was a very reasonable amount of food for the price.

The bill for this meal, which included two .2 liter glass of wine came to 1117 CZK before tip. We were very full and thought it was very fair for how much we ate.

I returned a week later with another friend.

JK had the Jerusalem artichoke soup (55 CZK/small).

The creamy soup was poured over sauteed spinach and mushrooms in the bowl. The subtle flavor of the mushroom came to the surface. She liked it a lot. I thought it was good, though not as rich and perfect as a version I once had at Chagall's Club.

I went for the beef tartare (175 CZK). The meat by itself was rather bland. But it was topped with avruga caviar and an almost butter-like sour cream mixed with wasabi.

It sat on top of very thinly-slice beets, which gave it an earthy tone we liked. Mixed together on bread, it was OK, but it took a while to get the flavor proportions right. I'd probably not order it again, though.

JK was interested in the goat cheese ravioli with raisins and maple syrup (85 CZK/small). This she loved.

The ravioli were al dente and had a small amount of tangy cheese inside. There were crunchy pine nuts along with the raisins. The dish was somewhat overwhelmed by the syrup. I liked it, but you need to know what kind of sweetness you are getting into here. It could easily be a dessert.

I ordered the linguini with squid, spicy salami, and pine nuts (105 CZK/small).

While the overall flavor was fine and the pasta was properly cooked, I found this dish disappointing. The calamari rings were the smallest I have ever seen. They were microscopic and rubbery.

I tried the veal cheeks (155 CZK/small). The meat came apart easily on the fork, with a beautifully savory sauce.

JK was put off by a thick piece of fat. I liked the fat. The maple syrup carrots not as sweet as I feared. It came with a side of smoked mashed potatoes, which were creamy, but not as smoky as I expected.

JK had the sea bass with artichokes and chili jam (170 CZK/small).

The boneless fillet was small but fresh, with a crispy skin.

We both went for dessert. I had the chocolate souffle, which was really more like a fondant (105 CZK).

It had an intense and top-quality liquid chocolate center. It rested on a fairly average vanilla cream, but the chocolate more than made up for it.

JK had the banana bread (78 CZK). I admit, I had low expectations, but it was the best banana bread I've ever had.

It was served warm, with a bit of crispness to it, and sat next to a pool of peach sauce. On that was a very refreshing frozen yogurt. A surprising winner.

The bill for this second large feast was 1271 CZK. I thought it would be more, considering all the food we had. My overall feeling is that the value and quality at Fine Café more than make up for its imperfections.

Yes, the service was inept at times. But it was also mostly friendly. I was told by JK that "the ladies room smelled like a men's room." From my point of view, the lights are too bright and that, along with the poor music choices hurt the atmosphere. I think the name of the place itself is bland and doesn't clearly evoke what kind of restaurant this is.

I take no pleasure in criticizing these small things. The food is what counts to me, and I would like to see this place succeed. This type of cooking, especially at these price points, needs to be nurtured. We left both times feeling like it was a good deal for a good meal.

That is a very fine thing, indeed.

Fine Café
Vladislavova 17
Prague 1
Te. (+420) 224 054 070
(+420) 725 605 040

Bilkova 13 Revisited

"We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves. Otherwise we harden." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I rarely return to write about restaurants for a second time. This is one of those times.

I last wrote about Bílkova 13 in the summer of 2011.

Back then, it was a relatively new restaurant specializing in Italian and international fare. I didn't fall in love, but I generally liked it.

Earlier this year, this restaurant with its address in its name got a makeover. It was already going for a high-end crowd. Now it's aiming a little higher.

Bílkova 13 reopened this fall with a revamped menu and a somewhat different look. Restaurants are always changing their menus, and I don't revisit many, but the photos of their new dishes on their Facebook page enticed me back.

Even though it closed down for a while for reconstruction, I wasn't struck by many big differences in the interior. The bar area was lighter and brighter.

The same goes for the middle dining area. Tables were covered with white tablecloth.

There's a live lobster tank there.

In the large main dining area, the lights are now kept much lower. It's a big restaurant, so even with a fair number of diners, it only felt about half full.

They had a live piano player one night to boost the atmosphere. He was pretty good if you like that kind of thing.

I arrived with Miss P. She had a glass dry Prosecco (65 CZK). I tried a very nice Malbec rosé (110 CZK). We later shared a large bottle of Perrier (130 CZK).

We received an amuse bouche the waiter called a "savory pork pâté."

It reminded me of sádlo, or pork fat, but a little smoother and with fancier presentation. It's not Miss P's kind of thing, so I got both portions.

She ordered the tuna ceviche in ponzu with avocado puree and lemon mousse (220 CZK). This was a fine looking and fresh piece of fish.

I wouldn't call it a ceviche since the dish leaned more toward salty than citrus. There were wedges of what tasted like pomelo on the side. We found it enjoyable, though quite small, and it was gone too quickly.

I had the beef tenderloin tataki (264 CZK). The lightly seared, super tender beef with a char-grilled exterior sat on a sweet soy sauce mixed with pumpkin oil and sesame.

There was small seaweed salad on the side. We both thought this was delicious and perfectly prepared. Although small, I found it more satisfying than the tuna starter.

To further satiate her tuna craving, Miss P got the seared tuna steak (459 CZK) for her main course. We emphasized how rare we like it, and they did it just right.

It was also a generous portion. The tuna sat on lentils and a lovely, sweet Madeira wine sauce. On the side was a creamy celery root puree with a splash of olive oil. This plate was judged a success.

Miss P also ordered a side of mixed vegetables (124 CZK).

This was not a regular menu item, but the waiter helpfully asked what types of vegetables she wanted and came out with a flavorful mix she was very happy with.

I got the risotto with scallops, pancetta chips, egg yolk, and cheese Grana Padano (340 CZK).

The yolk mixed in with the bacon and thick, creamy rice and produced a deliciously decadent mixture. I dabbed it sparingly on the delicate, perfectly seared scallop. I thought it was wonderful fall comfort food for people with a little room to spare in their arteries.

I was in the mood for dessert and was surprised there were no chocolate choices. So I went for the caramelized apples with cinnamon and raisins (140 CZK).

The apple rested in a vanilla cream with shredded pastry and pine nuts. I liked it, but some might find it too sweet.

Miss P had an enjoyable cafe macchiato (55 CZK).

The service was a mixed bag. Our waiter was generally efficient, but he had a stony and terse disposition. There were also lapses. Our amuse bouche plates remained on the table for half the meal.

The bill for this dinner was 1908 CZK before tip. We enjoyed the meal and looked forward to returning the next week.

This time, the amuse bouche was a glass with olive oil, sage, and pesto sour cream with bread sticks.

This didn't work well. The bread sticks got soggy and mushy in the cream.

We were celebrating, so we ordered a bottle of Mailly Brut Rosé Champagne (1230 CZK). They were having a special discount on champagnes this night.

We loved its dry and subtle, fruity character. We also had a large bottle of Mattoni mineral water.

Miss P started with half a dozen oysters (600 CZK). They were as good as can be, large and meaty and refreshing.

They were served with lemon wedges and a variation of a mignonette sauce with chives. We tried to find out exactly what kind they were. After a long wait, the waiter told us they were Bretons, but that's all we could find out.

I had the B13 Salad with chopped chicken, sesame, shitake, ginger dressing, seaweed and cucumber jelly (179 CZK).

This didn't really work for me. Everything had been soaking in vinegar for too long. There were a lot of red and yellow pepper slices and not enough chicken. It was too sour and too limp.

Miss P got the sea bass fillets (379 CZK). The fish was light and pristine -- the best sea bass I've had in a while.

It sat on a tasty sautee of eggplant with some quartered cherry tomatoes and whole black olives. The menu said it came with a sauce vierge, which is chopped tomato and basil with lemon juice and olive oil. I didn't really taste that.

I decided to go for one of the most expensive items on the menu: The filet "mignon" with Albufera sauce (760 CZK). I asked for it medium rare and it came out just right.

The sauce was a rich combination of foie gras, cognac, cream, and beef drippings.

The flavor of the Argentinean steak was good, and it was not tough at all. But it was not as tender as I'd expect from a South American filet. The beef tenderloin starter was, in all ways, superior. This dish seemed to be more about the sauce. I liked it, but not enough to justify the price.

For dessert, I got the crème brûlée (158 CZK). The cream and caramelized sugar were as they should be. It came with a few nice candied nuts and salted caramel ice cream.

Although I love salt and caramel, this version was not so good. The ice cream had large salt crystals sprinkled on top, so I got too much salinity in the first bites and not much toward the end. Strange and not so pleasant.

The service this time was more friendly. But we also had a waitress who spoke almost no English and we had some confusion over the wine. At this price point, I'd expect fluent English. It's also worth noting that their website, as of this writing, is only in Czech.

The bill for this celebratory extravaganza with champagne and the higher-priced dishes cost 3406 CZK before tip. There were great moments in each meal. But overall we enjoyed our first, less expensive visit more.

I'll probably go back to Bílkova 13 again and try a few more dishes. The menu has some interesting choices. But it's right at the tipping point for me on my value scale.

I'm hoping the next visit will continue to renew my interest.

Bílkova 13
Bílkova 13
Prague 1
Tel. (+420) 224 829 254

Hergetova Cihelna

"Most modern calendars mar the sweet simplicity of our lives by reminding us that each day that passes is the anniversary of some perfectly uninteresting event." Oscar Wilde

As of this week, I've been writing about food and drink in Prague for 5 years. I've been eating and blogging pretty much non-stop since February 2, 2007.

It's fair to say my knowledge of the scene is encyclopedic. And encyclopedias need updating.

Because restaurants often change their menus, change their chefs, or even close down, many of my old posts are no longer relevant. For example, I went to Hergetova Cihelna more than four years ago. I wrote that even though the views were fantastic, I thought it was overpriced and didn't like their burger very much.

A few weeks ago, a trusted source who knows his way around a kitchen told me it's now totally different. He even gave me a list of what I should order.

I went the next day.

The compound housing the restaurant in Malá Strana features the humorous David Černý sculpture called "Piss."

It's fairly self-explanatory, but if you haven't seen the fountain, the men swivel at the hips, and the... spouts move up and down. The water streams into a pool shaped like the Czech Republic. The compound also houses a Kafka museum.

It's hard to miss the steps down into the restaurant. The entrance is well-marked.

The reception is there and they take your coats in colder parts of the year.

The fairly large restaurant was almost empty on the first Saturday I was there with my Italian friend. The room is broken up by many square columns that hold up the vaulted ceiling.

Tables were relatively close together but smartly set. They have comfortable chairs. The bar area was also rather tight with the seating.

Our friendly server showed us to our table. The music was a New Age-light techno hybrid that was not to my taste but on low volume. The Gipsy King-type music that came later was more to my liking.

I had booked ahead, and we had a table by a window. The weather was inhospitable, but we had a clear view of the Charles Bridge.

In warmer months, the terrace is a much better spot to take in the scenery around the river.

The waiter brought warm pizza bread rolls, served crunchy and warm, in a bowl with olive oil and garlic. Nice.

We began with .15 liter glasses of wine. My friend had the Italian Cantina Tramin Pinot Grigio (145 CZK). I had the French Domaine Camaisette Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence rosé (135 CZK).

Both were very light and crisp. My friend thought the white was nothing special, but I thought they were both smooth and refreshing. We had two more rosés later.

For a starter, my source highly recommended I try the improbable-sounding foie gras pizza (445 CZK).

Gourmet goose liver on a pedestrian Italian crust? It struck me as a potentially unfortunate combination. But he spoke about it with such love, I had to try.

The small circle of dough was only a bit bigger than my hand. It was lightly coated with a pear chutney. Slices of foie gras were baked on top of that. Then it was drizzled with aged balsamico and sprinkled with a few mache leaves.

The crisp crust had a buttery top with only a little sweetness from the pear. For our tastes, it was an unusual but wonderful platform for the silky, warm foie gras. The balsamico gave it the perfect tart note.

Sometimes the ridiculous turns out to be sublime. We thought it was amazing.

Given the uniqueness, we also had to try the sashimi pizza (395 CZK).

The same crust was covered with fresh, raw tuna. The wasabi cream was very mild and had almost no sharpness to it. There were a lot of chopped scallions -- too much I'd say. We liked it, but it didn't match our love for the other pizza. Cool tuna is not as well-suited to sitting on hot bread.

My friend decided to have a starter as a main course and got the Basque-style grilled octopus Pil Pil (365 CZK). The single tentacle was fresh and super tender.

The tomatoes had good flavor, but I didn't taste much of the advertised chili. What I did taste was the garlic, which overwhelmed the dish. While I didn't mind paying a big price for the pizzas, I thought the cost of this was too high for the insubstantial portion.

Next up, my source recommended I try Hergetova Cihelna's burger. I had one there years ago and didn't like it, but the man told me it was totally different.

Now, if you know me, you know I take my burgers seriously. I'm quite conservative. I like them American-style, with straight ground beef and some salt with standard toppings.

Against all my instincts, I ordered the Burger Royale (395 CZK). Served on a brioche-like custom-made bun, the ground beef is wrapped around foie gras and topped with sun-dried tomato, sweet onion compote, and rucola.

The beef was the highest quality and had the most delectable smoky char around the outside. The patty was cooked medium rare. I thought I wouldn't like the goose in the middle, but the creamy center was quite enjoyable. Even so, I wouldn't mind if the burger was available in a cheaper non-foie gras variation.

The bun tasted great and held together like a champ, aided by being sliced in two. Even the unusual toppings worked for me. The excellent fries, with a little skin on them, were crisp and well-cooked. The two onion rings were a little greasy, but OK. The truffle mayo on the side took some getting used to.

My friend, who often expresses distaste for both burgers and my obsession with them, also thought it was great. Neither of us could believe she actually liked a burger. This burger represents so much of what I've fought against throughout my adult life. And yet, I will say it is one of the finest I've had, price be damned.

We also sampled a dessert, the baked pineapple with spiced caramel (195 CZK) from their Asian lunch menu.

It came with a creamy, dreamy coconut sorbet and a dollop of what tasted like vanilla cream from a crème brûlée.

The bill for this meal came to 2520 CZK before tip. That's serious money, but I enjoyed the meal so much, I thought I wouldn't mind doing it again.

So we did it again a week later.

This time, most of the restaurant was booked for a corporate party, so we almost didn't get a table as walk-ins. We sat at the bar and shared another foie gras pizza.

Then my friend ordered something we saw go to another table on the first visit: tempura fried tuna (585 CZK).

She made sure to ask that it be cooked rare. The middle slices were close to rare, but the end pieces were medium.

It was served with a well-executed, light green wasabi-potato purée. Underneath was a gari-veal jus that was close in flavor to a sweet teriyaki sauce. On top, there were enoki mushrooms.

My friend liked it, but our pleasure was undercut by the overcooked bits. We wanted to see more red.

I ordered the grilled lemon sole (595 CZK).

I've eaten filet of sole many times, but I'd never had the whole fish, including skin and bones.

This one was topped with beurre noisette with chopped capers, nuts, chives, and shallots. The whole top filet, including the skin, was wonderfully delicious. The delicate, flaky flesh was perfectly fresh, moist, and a real pleasure. There was just a hint of lemon.

After lifting out the bones, I discovered that the bottom filet didn't fare as well as the top. It was bathing in the butter and became butter-logged. Still, I'd rank the top half as best sole I've ever had.

I'm a big fan of sweet potatoes and often mash my own at home. This iteration didn't thrill me. It was far too lemony, to the point of sourness. Despite the issues, I'd get the sole again.

My friend finished with a cappuccino (65 CZK) and I had a cafe latte (65 CZK).

Both were good, though my friend remarked that the sugar dispenser seemed out of place in a restaurant of this class and price level.

This meal cost 2350 CZK before tip. Service was almost always friendly and efficient, except at the very end when the large corporate party got started and the waiters got pulled away for a while.

I know there are people out there who will be aghast at the thought of foie gras on a pizza or in a burger. I used to be one of those people. But these marriages of haute and humble just worked for me. I can't deny it.

I won't wait another four years to return. I'll probably be back during the warmer months on the calendar.

Sitting on their terrace with the burger and a glass of wine will certainly add some much-needed sweetness to the simplicity of my life.

It's hard to put a price on that.

Hergetova Cihelná
Cihelná 2b
Prague - Malá Strana
Tel.: +420 296 826 103