Osteria Ai Galli

"A rooster crows only when it sees the light. Put him in the dark and he'll never crow. I have seen the light and I'm crowing." Muhammad Ali

It's been a few years since I visited Ichnusa Botega & Bistro. I had some great meals there -- what I remember of them, anyway. They always involved copious amounts of wine and lasted at least three hours.

The other thing I remember about Ichnusa was the lack of a written menu. The chef would come out, tell you what ingredients he had available, and what he could make out of them. There was usually some back and forth with the customer before the order was settled.

That's essentially the concept at the Italian restaurant Osteria Ai Galli in Holešovice, up near Letenské náměstí.

The restaurant is on busy Veletržní street.

Inside the entrance, there is a small shop. There are cases with cheeses, salamis, mortadella, and dried fish.

There are also shelves with pasta, balsamic vinegars, coffees, and more.

A few steps further in, there are two small dining areas. One is lined with racks holding wines for sale.

There are just five tables here. They go with paper napkins in this restaurant, rather than cloth.

The other dining area is also quite small. Reservations are recommended. I called once in the afternoon for a Friday night reservation and was told they were full.

The restaurant is dog friendly. I believe this is the owner's friendly dog.

More canines came later.

We sat in the wine rack room. We started off with the house red and white wines.

Both were dry, crisp, and tart. It was a total of 290 CZK for the house-labeled bottle and the carafe. They were simple but drinkable.

The bread was fine, but nothing special.

However, the thick, sweet balsamico and quality olive oil were great complements.

For the first round, we had a cutting covered with mortadella, beautifully soft and silky prosciutto from Marche, and excellent salami from Piemonte (145 CZK).

The cheeses were Asiago and Pecorino. A dish of plump and tender sun-dried tomatoes sat in the middle.

We also had clams in a broth of white wine, garlic, and parsley (165 CZK).

The little clams were fresh and meaty. Very enjoyable.

For a main course, the waiter recommended the monk fish. Miss P asked if it could be done alla Gallipolina --- a style she enjoyed over the summer during a trip to Puglia. He hadn't heard of it, but she described it, and they made it.

The fish rolled in bread crumbs and lightly cooked.

It wasn't done quite the same way as in Italy -- there were no little black grill marks -- but it was fresh, delicate, and much appreciated. The rich sautee of porcini was fantastic. The mix of tomato, aubergine, and celery was tasty.

I had the double veal chop.

One the positive side, the flavor was wonderful. The meat was salted just enough to bring up its rich flavor. On the negative side, the chop was run through with gristle and fat.

With the dull knife I was given, it was hard to cut satisfying and easily chewable slices from it. It could have been great with better veal, but I was disappointed.

The fish and the meat cost 525 CZK and 475 CZK, but I am not sure which was which because the receipt was not clearly itemized. The service was good except it did take too long to get the bill delivered to the table. The total was 1550 CZK without tip.

We sat in the other room on the second visit. We were joined again by our furry friend.

We started with prosecco.

Then they ran out of that, so we had a raboso.

We enjoyed its light, sweet sparkle.

This time, we started with a mix of mussels and clams.

The mussels were plump, fresh, and warm. I would not describe them as hot.

I had homemade tagliatelle with Italian sausage, tomato, and parsley.

The salty sausage was fresh but one-dimensional. To be fair, I've been spoiled by a number of other great Italian sausages lately. The pasta was nice, but cooked a little past the point I like.

Miss P had the shrimp, which she liked very much.

They were cooked to just the right point and kept that special flavor you get when cooking them with the heads and shells on. It was well worth the peeling effort. The salad on the side was nothing to write home about.

I needed to try a dessert. They had tiramisu, but I went for the sweet mascarpone.

Aside from the thick dusting of cocoa on top, the name pretty much says it all. It was sweet, creamy stuff, but I wished I went for the tiramisu.

The tab for this visit came to 1025 CZK before tip.

If Osteria Ai Galli was in my neighborhood, I'd be more than glad.

Some things on their unwritten menu were great, but not everything. They didn't make me want to change my regular Italian restaurant rotation of La Bottega di Finestra and Osteria Da Clara. Miss P is Italian and felt pretty much the same way.

The bottom line is that I liked it. I'm just not crowing about it.

Osteria Ai Galli
Veletržní 71
Prague 7 - Holešovice
Phone: +420 775 439 222
Phone: +420 777 979 858

La Gastronomia

"How I wish that somewhere there existed an island for those who are wise and of good will." Albert Einstein

Not long ago, I jumped into my trusty four-wheeled vehicle and headed off into the leafy, craggy wilds around Nebušice. I was on the hunt for a fine meal.

Actually, the area I'm talking about is not that far from bustling Evropska street and easy to get to on a weekend by car. There is also bus service. But for a lazy guy like me, it takes a good push to get me over to that side of town.

A well-told tale about tasty Italian food is the kind of push I'm talking about. Friends who live in the area said I had to try La Gastronomia.

It's a relatively new restaurant and food emporium run by chef David Lagomarsino. Previously, he worked at one of Prague's best Italian restaurants, Aromi.

The interior is gorgeous.

It would not look out of place in the center of Prague or any other capital city. In fact, I wish it was in the center of Prague.

Much of the floor space is devoted to the food shop. There is a selection of Italian wines.

They have freshly-prepared salads.

There's a wide variety of cheeses and cured meats.

The man handling those foods is the highly knowledgeable Italian gentleman who worked at La Bottega di Finestra since it opened. They bake their own focaccia in a sparkling new kitchen that you can see through glass from the shop.

They do cooking classes back there.

In front, there are tables where you can sit and eat. There is also a back room with more tables that can be pushed together for a party.

You can look out the window and see the Mercedes, BMWs, Audis, Porsches, and Volvos (all these were there when we visited). In warmer months, it is nice to sit out on the newly-built rear deck, where they also have a grill.

I sat in the back with a bunch of friends. We started with several carafes of still and sparkling water (45 CZK each).

We also got a few baskets of their delicious, super-moist focaccia.

There was plenty of olive oil in those salty, bready cubes.

I was sipping Il Selese Soave from Verona (1.5 liter/110 CZK).

It was very drinkable, with lightly tart citrus notes. A friend and I thought it had more character than their smooth Pinot Grigio by the glass.

We all ordered two or three courses. I started with what the menu called vegetable terrine (187 CZK).

It was a creative but not perfectly descriptive name for rich, warm, mashed pumpkin topped with a portobello mushroom, rucola, shaved Parmesan, and a balsamic reduction. I thought the lightly spicy dish was an earthy and inspired combination of flavors.

One friend got the slow-braised octopus with shaved Grana Padano and baby spinach (214 CZK).

The tentacles had a beautiful, smoky char on the exterior and a soft, tender interior. There was also rucola, balsamic and olive oil mixed in. We agreed this was excellent.

My neighbor at the table had the linguine with clams (259 CZK).

The pasta was al dente, and the shell fish was as fresh and tender and tasty as could be. It was done just right, but I felt the portion was small for the price.

Someone else had the passatelli with Argentinian prawns (215 CZK). The thick homemade pasta was lightly coated with Parmesan and bread crumbs.

There was a light, peppery sweetness with the flavor of dill clearly coming through. Datterino tomatoes provided bursts of brightness. As sweet and fresh as it was, there was really only one prawn though.

For my next course, I had the agnolotti filled with pears and gorgonzola cheese (199 CZK).

These gorgeous pillows of pasta were coated with a butter and sage sauce.

The sweetness of the fruit mixed with the tangy cheese made for a marriage that I approved of whole-heartedly.

Another neighbor went for the milk-fed veal T-bone (496 CZK). It was the best veal I've ever had in this country.

I've never had a more tender cut here. It was simply grilled with salt and pepper to a mostly rare state. Medium rare was requested, but we were happy with it just the same.

The meat was so good, I barely remember the basic, grilled vegetables on the side. I saw raw cuts of this veal on sale in the shop. I'm still sorry I didn't buy some.

For dessert I tried the chocolate amaretto cake (99 CZK).

The dense, moist slice was studded with dark chocolate and infused with the essence of the sweet almond liqueur. It was topped with fresh cream.

Someone else had the crème brûlée.

It was nice and light, though I'll say I prefer denser, creamier versions.

Service was excellent. Our waiter was very friendly and accommodating for customers with small children. One small issue was that several items on their relatively new menu were not available. I wanted to try the lamb chops, the tuna, and the almond and pistachio cheesecake, but none of those were available when we visited.

Even if the quantities on the plate were not always large, the quality of every offering was always high. They know what they are doing in the kitchen.

Everyone had a good feeling about this restaurant and shop. And to keep feeling good, I took some of their food home with me. I bought portions of the eggplant lasagne (140 CZK) and the meat lasagne (179 CZK).

Both made for rich, gourmet lunches at work on the two days that followed.

I'm only pleased that there are such great Italian places like this in and around Prague. In Smíchov, I can get quality Italian foods, wines, and prepared meals at Wine Food Market. In the center, I stop by La Bottega di Finestra. In Vinohrady, there is La Bottega di Aromi. And now in Prague 6, I know where to go.

I'm sure I'll make a special trip to visit La Gastronomia again. It is an Italian island of quality cuisine that makes you feel like you've left the city behind.

La Gastronomia
Horoměřická 2337/8
Prague 6
Tel. (+420) 702 074 677

Il Mercato

"By the time I returned to Czechoslovakia, I had an understanding of the principles of the market." Vaclav Klaus

I first got a taste of Brno in 1995. Back then, one of the most popular "Italian" dining options was a slice of pizza with a squirt of ketchup, served through a tiny window on Česká street.

You can still get it there today.

Even so, eating out in the Czech Republic's second city has come a long way since my first visit. Fine dining establishments have slowly and sporadically sprouted up over the years.

Several years ago, I surveyed the scene and sampled Borgo Agnese, Ristorante Rialto, Noem Arch and many others, a few of which have disappeared. But a new crop of restaurants have been making names for themselves.

There's Pavillon, a modern-looking eatery by the much-lauded team behind U Kastelána. And the sushi restaurant Koishi was voted the sixth best restaurant in the country in Maurer's Grand Restaurant Guide for 2012.

Now Riccardo Lucque, Prague's purveyor of top Italian fare and the creator of Aromi and La Finestra in Cucina has opened a restaurant in Brno.

It is Il Mercato, located on the Zelný Trh (Vegetable Market) in the center of town.

It's in a historic building that also houses the Grandezza Hotel. Dining outside is an option in the warmer months.

But the inside may also give you a warm feeling. The dining room is light and long. Large windows let the sun stream in during the day.

Exposed brick, beautiful wood flooring, and ceiling beams, give the new restaurant a comfortable, lived in feeling.

There's also an open kitchen.

Like Aromi, there's a table with cheeses, olives, hams, and a wide selection of grappas.

The restaurant is dog-friendly. A golden retriever slept peacefully under another table.

We stopped in for a late lunch. Hearing lively tunes by Mina playing over the sound system quickly brought smiles to our faces.

Our waiter quickly brought us basket with light and dark bread, bread sticks, and crunchy, spicy chickpeas.

The bread is good, but the slices they serve at Lucque's Prague restaurants are better.

What we really loved was the Giachi primolio extra virgin olive oil. The olives are picked in the first ten days of November, the oil has low acidity and really presents the essence of the fruit.

To go with that we had a large bottle of Mattoni mineral water (90 CZK) and a glass of Ruggieri Prosecco (110 CZK).

Then, Miss P had the starter portion of the porcini mushroom risotto (295 CZK). This was a daily special.

Although looser, with more liquid than some versions, it was an absolutely creamy, delicious delight. It burst with porcini flavor with undertones of white wine, the rice was cooked perfectly, and the fresh leaf parsley accented it at just the right moments.

I had the scallops with smoked aubergines and Bernaise sauce (295 CZK). The photo does not give the proper perspective -- these three scallops were the largest and plumpest I've seen in a long time.

They were lightly seared, with light brown crusts on top and the most delicate, almost gelatinous interior. The sweet aubergine had just a hint of smoke. The egg yolk, clarified butter and herbs of the sauce sent it into the realm of decadence. Amazing.

There was a noticeably long pause between courses. Only three other tables were occupied in the late afternoon, so I'm not sure what caused the delay. Miss P had a glass of Nino Franco brut rosé "Faive" (130 CZK).

This was fine, but not as complex and enjoyable as the Berlucchi '61 Franciacorta rosé we enjoyed at Aromi.

From the secondi, Miss P had the grilled octopus (395 CZK).

These were the best tentacles I've tasted since the great ones I had at Divinis Wine Bar a couple of years ago. But this version was even better. The lovely char on the outside gave it a smoky, crunchy exterior that gave way to an almost impossibly tender interior.

The close up shot makes it look small, but it was a generous portion. The octopus sat atop a caponata of red pepper, zucchini, green beans, and fresh apricot slices. The juices from the ripe fruit combined enticingly with the reduced red wine underneath.

I got a starter-size risotto as my main course -- the risotto alla Milanese (225 CZK).

Each bite of the al dente rice was a saffron-infused pleasure. Crispy slices of beef bone marrow lay on top. Each piece melted in the mouth. There was added tang from the freshly grated Parmesan on top.

I wanted that dish to last forever, but there was some consolation when it was time for dessert. I went for the profiteroles filled with hazelnut crème Chantilly (175 CZK).

The Chantilly inside the pastry balls tasted like the best hazelnut gelato I've had. But what made this extra special was that the balls were covered with sweet, creamy mascarpone drizzled with apricot syrup. I was told everything was made on the premises.

Miss P ordered the lemon sorbetto.

This is a favorite at Aromi, but this version had more Prosecco and lacked the tartness she was looking for.

We finished with two cappuccinos (55 CZK each).

It's top quality coffee and comes with a dish of cremina, the mix of sugar and a few drops coffee that dissolve more easily in the cup.

The tab for this meal was 1920 CZK before tip.

We only had one day to spend in Brno so we walked around town, shopped, and had more coffee. And then we went back to Il Mercato for dinner.

Unlike lunch, we received an amuse bouche. It was tangy Gorgonzola topped with honey on crispy pane carasau.

The combination of flavors was so simple and yet such a great combination to start off with. My bouche was amused.

We decided to try a Czech wine, so we had two glasses of rosé Merlot (80 CZK).

It was not bad, but nothing special.

Given the short time between meals, we weren't so hungry. Miss P had the seared tuna and artichoke salad (195 CZK).

It included radicchio and Romaine lettuce with a light oil and vinegar dressings.

She asked if the tuna could be extra rare, but was told the tuna was served rare and already cooked. It was a little more done than she liked, but she still really liked it. But what she loved was the raw, thinly sliced artichoke hearts. The chewy, crunchy, earthy flavor was a taste of her Tuscan youth.

"This is the best salad ever," she declared. "Can I have it again?"

"Yes, you can."

So she had another one. I'm not sure if they seared another tuna based on her previous request, but this one was much more rare.

You can also see how these special artichoke hearts looked.

I had a hard time deciding what to order because so many dishes sounded good to me. After much deliberation, I choose the grilled organic chicken "diavola" (295 CZK).

I picked this because I'd had almost the exact same dish at Lucque's La Bottega di Finestra in Prague. I wanted to compare.

The chicken, with most of the bones removed, had the same beautifully crispy skin and moist flesh underneath. However, the sauce was lacking the zing in the version I'd had before.  The roasted potatoes in the Brno dish were done right, but I preferred the vinegared potato salad it came with in Prague.

We also had Mattoni with the meal and finished with cappuccinos. This dinner cost 990 CZK before tip.

The service was generally efficient and friendly, with only a couple of lapses when our servers left us unattended for too long.

The big question is whether it is worth it to pay Prague prices in Brno. My answer is yes, absolutely. The quality and standards are the same. It was a lovely experience.

Shortly after opening, Il Mercato has to be one of the best restaurants in the city. I really hope I'll get a chance to return to this market.

Il Mercato
Zelný trh 2
Brno
Tel. (+420) 542 212 156