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

Mood Restaurant

"The American mood, perhaps even the American character, has changed." Archibald MacLeish

If you're a native English speaker and you've lived in Prague for a long time, it can feel like a small village. If I don't know you, I bet I know someone you know.

This "One Degree of Separation" principle applies to expat American chef, Jeff Cohen. Our circles overlap slightly, and I've run into him a few times over the years.

Cohen was the opening chef and creator of the international menu at Artisan. It was well-regarded by many, including me. Then he worked in the kitchen at Kampa Group's Hergetova Cihelna. I had some very enjoyable meals there.

Now he's the head chef at the new Mood Restaurant. It's in the richly renovated boutique Hotel Voyage in Žižkov.

The good-looking building and brightly colored signage stand out on the otherwise rather dingy Koněvova street.

The interior has a pop art feel, with spare, modern furniture, more bright colors, and odd, eye-catching photos of toothy smiles on the walls.

I particularly liked wide-planked hard wood flooring. There is a rear dining area that is a little more woody when it comes to the chairs and tables than the front.

On the way there, you can take a look through a window into the brand new, ultra modern kitchen.

When the weather was warm, my favorite spot was the back terrace. You take in the greenery and watch the bikers, rollerbladers, and strollers gliding through the park under the Vitkov National Memorial.

On my first visit, I sat in front.

I drove my car since there is plenty of free, white line parking in front on weekends. Buses run near the restaurant, but it's a 10 minute walk to the nearest tram.

Because of the car, I was drinking water. They serve .25 liter bottles of Bonaqua (39 CZK). I wish they'd carry Mattoni instead.

I'd heard talk that burgers would be a specialty of this restaurant and I'd enjoyed Cohen's burger at Artisan. So, I ordered the Mood Classic Burger (215 CZK).

The thick patty, formed from a custom grind, sits on red and green lettuce, tomato, and red onion. On top rested two long, crispy slices of bacon.

There was no cheese, although this is available on the Jalapeno Cheddar Burger (235 CZK). I found out the toasted buns are custom-made for Mood at Bakeshop Praha.

I'll be frank, I think this is one of the top burgers in the Czech Republic. The top quality ground beef patty is hefty, wonderfully smoky from a lava grill, and just juicy enough, even though it was cooked almost well done (I asked for medium). The bun holds it all together like a champ.

The burger comes with little dishes of ketchup, mustard, and mayo. It always bugs me not to get a bottle of ketchup on the table. These small dishes never supply enough for both the burger and the fries. I wished the cool lettuce, tomato, and onion were on the top or the side, rather than under the hot meat.

These small details didn't put my love asunder. I have a very high opinion of the burger. For second point of view, I talked to a friend who also tried the Mood Classic Burger. He gave it a full on rave. He even went so far as to say that Mood's is better than the much-beloved burgers at The Tavern.

Do I agree? I'm going to wait until my end of the year burger ranking list to reveal my final decision on that.

On my second trip, I was on the terrace.

I began with a glass of homemade ice tea (60 CZK). It was lightly sweet and quite tart, with plenty of lime as well as fresh mint leaves. It was refreshing.

I tried a bowl of gazpacho (45 CZK). The tomato stood out, and there was a balance of salty and sour.

I wished for more flavor from other vegetables like cucumber. I also prefer a thicker texture like the gazpacho I had recently at La Terrassa.

I realize there are many ways to make this cold soup. This one was on the thin side. I'd point out that the gazpacho photo on Mood's website shows a soup that appears quite thicker.

Then I had the pineapple-soy marinated rib eye (365 CZK). This was a quality, very tender piece of beef.

Rib eyes are usually so tasty and easy to cut because they are also relatively fatty, so be prepared for that. I did ask for medium-rare, and it was cooked past that point.

Although I never met Cohen in Atlanta, I found out he was a chef at my favorite steak house, Houston's, at the same time I lived there. He told me this steak is modeled on their "Hawaiian," which I ordered regularly.

That one had a charred, sweet-salty, teriyaki-like crust on it from the marinade. The Mood version is saltier and dominated by the soy sauce, rather than pineapple juice. I assumed this was something of a concession to local tastes.

The green beans were fine -- hot but still crunchy and topped with chopped bacon. The mashed potatoes were creamy, buttery, and lovely. The lightly sweet and salty demi-glace sauce on the side was truly excellent. It was plate-licking good.

Although full, I felt it my duty to try a dessert. I ordered the bread pudding (110 CZK). This is one of the most decadent sweets you'll find around these parts.

The warm eggy bread was studded with pieces of chocolate. Then it was coated with quality caramel sauce, not the nasty, artificial kind.

If that were not enough, there was a homemade toasted marshmallow on the side. It was briefly flambéed and tasted like it just came off a stick over a campfire. Amazing.

On the third visit, I finally had a beer. They serve Pilsner Urquell on tap, but only in .33 liter glasses (39 CZK).

They also have tapped Krušovice Černé and non-alcoholic Bernard. My Italian companion had a fruity, dry .2 liter glass of Sauvignon (88 CZK).

I had the buffalo wings (95 CZK). They had a crispy skin, with tender, juicy meat underneath.

One can choose mild, medium, or hot. I chose medium, but they were so mild, I wished I went for maximum heat. There was a cheesy blue cheese sauce on the side with celery sticks. I wished for carrot sticks in there, too.

My date had the mussels (195 CZK).

We both thought the mollusks were not of the highest quality, some with a rubbery texture, some tasting less fresh than others. Hopefully that was a one-time problem or a sourcing issue.

I hope that gets fixed, because the sauce that went with these mussels was crazy good. It was one of the most buttery I can remember, so if you're on a diet, forget it. Also it had an almost lemon-like tartness that comes from reducing the serious amounts of white wine. I was soaking it up with bread, but had to stop because it was too rich for me.

For myself, I had the club sandwich (195 CZK).

It looks nice, but it didn't work for me. Double-decked white toast was layered with tomato, rucola, avocado, red onion, smoked turkey, and mayo.

You don't see it in the photo, but there was an overwhelming amount of very strong, raw, sliced onion. I picked a lot out, but since it mixed with the mayo, it was hard to get it all without a majorly messy operation. That said, I'm sure they'll make it without onions on request.

That wasn't the only issue. The smoked turkey breast, although quite smoky, tasted like the rubbery and insubstantial supermarket variety.

Although there is no law saying a club sandwich should have bacon, I'm one of those people who think there should be.

Good curly fries, though.

I had to go back one more time for no other reason than there were still several items on the menu that piqued my curiosity.

I started off with the tomato tartare (145 CZK). This I liked.

It had a healthy hit of basil and lime juice, which worked well to bring up the flavor of the tomato. There was a hint of shallot. On top were crunchy green beans mixed with cream and vinegar.

Last but not least, I went for the barbecued ribs (185 CZK). These were real baby backs and they were cooked just right.

The tender, silky pork peels off the little bones. No knife or fork required. You do get a water bowl with lemon on the table for washing up.

The ribs were coated with a thick, sweet sauce. It's an imported variety that Cohen jazzes up with molasses, brown sugar, and sambal chili sauce for a mild kick. Some might find the sauce too sweet or too generously applied. I didn't.

These small but satisfying racks come with coleslaw that, unlike some American versions, was on the savory side. That's a good thing, given the sweetness of the meat.

Since Cohen knows me, I did my best to sneak into the restaurant unnoticed. He often walks the floor of the dining rooms, so he usually found me half-way through the meals. I did take the opportunity to ask him detailed questions about what went into many dishes.

I had different waiters on two of the four visits. Service was always quite good. I leave it to others to judge whether I had a different experiences than regular guests.

Burgers, ribs, club sandwiches, wings, and rib eyes are available in many places around Prague. But a lot of the "American" food tastes decidedly un-American. Mood has an American-style menu designed by an American chef. And it tastes like it.

Of course, I wish every dish was a home run, especially with offerings that remind me of home. But more than enough of the food hit me in my strike zone -- especially that burger.

I'm sure I'm going to be in the mood for Mood again soon.

Mood Cafe - Bar - Restaurant
Koněvova 28/29
Prague 3 - Žižkov
Tel. (+420) 222 517 615

Občanská plovárna

"The nicest thing about standards is that there are so many of them to choose from." Andres S. Tannenbaum

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I ultimately judge Thai restaurants by their Pad Thai.

When done right, it's one of my favorite dishes, but it requires the balancing of a lot of flavors. I've had plenty of bad ones and very few good ones.

My standard for excellent Pad Thai in Prague is the one served at Noi. In fact, it's among the best I've ever had. There's a lot going on in that dish.

I read a report that there was a really good one being served at the Thai restaurant, Občanská plovárna. I went to check it out.

The restaurant sits on the river below the main embankment road.

The nearest tram stop is Čechův most. Trams 1, 8, 12, and 17 go there.

I used come to this building in the late 90s when it was a high-end restaurant called Aqua. The 2002 floods wiped out the structure's interior. It's had a series of tenants afterward that didn't interest me. But it's a great location.

They've done up the interior with some Thai touches. There are great glass window walls that completely open up the dining room to the river.

Outside there are plenty of metal tables along the banks of the Vltava. Some had table cloths, which lent a more upscale feeling.

It was less pleasant to eat on bare black metal. Either way, there is a good view. The tables also have good cover in case of rain.

On my first visit, I had the Pad Thai. But I'm going to save my review of that for the end.

I started off with a beer. They serve Lobkowicz, which I quite like, in .3 liter glasses only (30 CZK). It's a nice alternative to Pilsner Urquell.

I do wish they had half-liter glasses. They also serve BonAqua sparkling water (45 CZK), which I really don't like.

First, the price is crazy. Second, the .25 liter bottles are too small to quench your water needs through a meal. And third, Mattoni is Czech, tastes better, and comes in more satisfying .33 liter bottle.

My date had a .2 liter glass of wine (50 CZK). It was fine.

We both ordered soups. They took a long time to arrive. I had the Tom Kha Kai (95 CZK), another classic Thai dish.

It was lightly sweet with the comforting aroma of galangal. The chicken was fresh and not overcooked, as is sometimes the case. There was also a good balance of lemongrass, fish sauce, and cilantro (coriander). The bowl was large.

My Italian companion had the Tom Yum Kung (105 CZK).

This roughly translates as hot and sour soup with shrimp. Indeed, I usually enjoy this soup at other restaurants because of its terrific tang.

Here, the broth was more salty than sour. The chef at this restaurant is Thai, but I've never had a version quite like this.

Dull, almost raw mushrooms floated at the top. Underneath, there were three, delicate, properly cooked shrimp. This was a similarly large serving of soup. I didn't like it much.

This meal, which included the Pad Thai with shrimp (285 CZK), some stir-fried spinach, and a long wait for both came to 815 CZK.

I returned on a warm evening with G-Man.

He started with the fried black tiger prawns (175 CZK). You get six medium-size crustaceans with plenty of bread crumbs on them. There was the standard sweet chili sauce on the side.

They were nice and crunchy, but it's not something I would have ordered to test the skills of the kitchen.

I had the Pra Neua or which the menu describes as marinated beef tenderloin with lemon grass, cilantro, and Thai herbs (185 CZK). This I loved.

The slices of beef were incredibly tender and tasty. All too often when I get beef salads in Prague, the beef is all too tough. Not here.

The dressing had the perfect balance of fish sauce, lime juice and, coriander, and mild, sweet onion. It was the right mix of sweet, savory, and sour. The portion was not large, but the quality level was high.

Inspired by my choice, G-Man ordered the Lab Kai (165 CZK). This is billed as a salad with fresh coriander, mint, onion, lime, and chicken.

It basically tasted the same as my dish, except with chicken. I didn't really detect the mint in there, and it was not as spicy as my Pra Neua. We both liked it anyway.

Then I got an order of panang curry with pork (185 CZK). Rice was included with this dish.

The mildly sweet sauce had the strong flavor of lime leaf I like. It also was thin and soup-like. I long for thicker curry sauces in this town.

The pork was fresh and not overcooked. Other than that, there was really only lightly cooked, chewy eggplant chunks. Not too exciting.

This meal, which included five beers and two glasses of wine came to 960 CZK. The service was a bit better this time.

And what about that Pad Thai with shrimp?

First, it was certainly the nicest presentation I've seen. The huge portion came wrapped in a banana leaf.

It's really enough for two people. I took half of it home. There was a generous portion of butterflied, properly cooked shrimp. The tofu picked up a smoky flavor from the grill.

And yet the massive amount of rice noodles themselves were unforgivably bland. I squeezed out the one lime wedge, but it didn't help much. I'd probably need at least two or three more to get the flavor right. And though there were chili flakes on the side, the crushed peanuts were missing. As in not there.

In addition to more lime, I'd wish for another dash of fish sauce and a hint of sweetness. And I wouldn't forget the nuts. These are my tastes, but my date agreed with me completely. This Pad Thai didn't make the grade for either of us.

While I loved the beef and chicken salads, the noodles and curry left me disappointed. The view and the peaceful location are perhaps the biggest draws for Občanská plovárna.

The trams that go there are not the most convenient for me, but a better option for some, including me, is that they have their own parking lot. It's something I'd consider on a nice weekend day.

But given my standards, I'll probably still choose Noi when I'm in the mood for Thai.

Občanská plovárna
U Plovárny 8
Prague 1 - Mala Strana
Tel: (+420) 257 531 451