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

Blackdog Cantina

Blackdog Cantina was renamed and moved to:

Blackdog Bar & Grill
Česká 140
266 01 Beroun
Telefon: +420 773 380 280
E-mail: info@blackdogs.cz
www.blackdogs.cz
www.facebook.com/BlackdogCantina

"The dog is a gentleman. I hope to go to his heaven, not man's." Mark Twain

There's a Tex-Mex and burger joint that's been getting a lot of attention from the Czech press.

This country's top food blogger, Pan Cuketka, said he had the best burger of the year there last summer. The American owner, Scott Van Wagenen of New York, was interviewed by one of the biggest newspapers. The other top Czech paper gave the food top marks. A major Czech news magazine raved about the "fantastic burgers."

Yet, little to nothing has been written in English about Blackdog Cantina.

Until now.

One reason could be that it is in Beroun, about 40 kilometers from the center of Prague. Undeterred by distance, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

I'd been looking for a chance to drop in for more than half a year. A return from an Italian road trip finally gave it to me. It was good I had my GPS with me. The device quickly helped me find the little corner the restaurant sits on.

The restaurant is tiny. There's an open kitchen and bar with a few stools in front of it.

There are about five or six tables. That's it.

In the summer, there are more, with outside seating.

I reserved a table at 6 p.m. on a Saturday night. The waitress on the phone said she didn't think it was necessary. Thirty minutes after we arrived, they were turning people away.

We started with drinks. My Czech friend had the house red (45 CZK). She said it was quite nice for the price. I ordered the homemade ginger lemonade (20 CZK).

It had a pleasant ginger zing, but was otherwise too watery for me. I thought it needed a shot of lemon or sugar or both.

My friend got a small order of beef nachos (small 105 CZK/large 170 CZK). The small order is plenty large for one person.

The star here is the beef. It was slow-cooked to a tender state and marinated in adobo seasoning. It had a subtle but unique flavor and aroma that I've never found anywhere else in this country.

The beef rests underneath black beans, melted cheese, guacamole and sour cream. It sits on top excellent warm corn tortilla chips that keep a lot of their integrity under the heavy ingredients. We both loved it.

I wanted to get a chipotle pork taco, but the pork was unavailable this night. Instead, I tried the lime and coriander marinated chicken taco (50 CZK or two for 75 CZK).

The pulled chicken had the light flavor of lime, though it was a little salty for me. They spice some dishes to order, and this one had mild heat, as requested. Also in the warm, soft corn tortilla were cheese, lettuce, salsa, a dab of guacamole, and sour cream.

For a second round, I couldn't resist the Infarkt Burger (140 gram burger for 110 CZK or 200 gram version for 135 CZK). I got the large.

I don't believe in half measures when it comes to heart attacks or burgers.

It comes on a lightly sweet, soft, but deceptively sturdy brioche-style bun. Equal in excellence was the high-quality ground beef. The thick patty had great flavor.

Also included were guacamole, soft, smoky bacon, melted cheese, red onion, lettuce, tomato, and seasoned mayo. The menu said it had ancho chili, but I didn't really taste it.

The one disappointment here was that the menu also said burgers are cooked medium unless otherwise requested. Mine was cooked all the way through, with not a bit of pinkness to be seen. Aside from that, I'd rate it among the top burgers in the country.

Finally, I finished with the chocolate death (65 CZK).

This cake, served warm, was similar to a fondant, but without the liquid center. Instead, the chocolate sauce -- real, high-quality stuff -- was poured over the top. A great ending.

The bill for this meal was a modest 445 CZK.

I was impressed enough that I had to make the 45 minute drive to try more. I returned the following week with my Italian friend and another couple.

The ladies had the house wine. Big B and I had the amber Birell (30 CZK each).

I really don't like non-alcoholic beer, but this one was drinkable. Big B liked it a lot. We also had Mattoni mineral water (25 CZK).

Some of us ordered a couple of things, thinking it would come in two rounds, but it all came at the same time in a Tex-Mex avalanche.

I wanted to try the black bean and sweet potato empanadas (75 CZK), but those were not available this time. Instead, I got two tacos with the same filling (75 CZK).

They had different types of salsa. I didn't really pick up the flavor or texture of the sweet potato. But I really like black beans and the warm corn tacos shells are great. It's a nice vegetarian option.

Big B got the large Lucha Libre Burger (130 CZK). This one includes bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese, grilled onions, and salsa.

He declared the bun "very nice" and he loved the grilled onions. His was cooked medium-well, definitely more than medium. He said he would certainly return for another one. Big B was also pleased with the low price for such a high-quality burger.

My Italian friend had the grilled vegetable quesadilla (60 CZK). This was a bit of a let down.

It was dark, but the only vegetable we could see or taste inside was grilled onion.  The grilled onions were done well, but it was too simple.

A bigger let down was M's beef quesadilla (70 CZK).

They were filled with cheese and the adobo beef, which was as good as the first visit. But the tortillas were on the grill too long and had a burnt taste. We decided not to send them back, but it really took the pleasure out of them.

Finally, I had the chipotle pork enchilada (115 CZK).

The baked flour tortilla sat on black beans and rice and was coated with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. It was big.

Inside, there was slow-cooked pulled pork. There was a lot of it.

The meat was tender, with a hint of the chipotle. I wished for more. The pork had a sweetness that might surprise some people, but I was fine with it. My friend didn't think I could eat it all, but I finished every bite.

This second evening was marred by the table next to us. It was occupied by six roaring, shrieking drunks. They were mainly partaking in the Holba beer on offer, along with various shots. It was hard to cope with in such close quarters.

Blackdog Cantina is not perfect.

The overdone burger and quesadilla attest to the occasional lack of focus. The owner was cooking on both nights.

There are also reports on the Czech site, Scuk, about issues with service.

But I will also say that there is nothing else like it in this country. Who else is doing Tex-Mex quite like this? The tacos rival those at Las Adelitas, the only authentic Mexican restaurant in the Czech Republic. And on top of that, the burgers are great..

I don't know if I'd make a special trip again. However, the next time I'm heading toward Plzen, I'll certainly stop in Beroun and have a burger and adobo beef nachos.

The Blackdog is not quite heaven, but it's enough close to the border.

Blackdog Cantina
Pivovarská 105
Beroun, Czech Republic
Tel: (+420) 773 380 280

Chateau Mcely - Piano Nobile Restaurant

"Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it." Benjamin Franklin

I needed a change of scenery. A friend felt the same and offered to take me to lunch at Chateau Mcely.

I'd heard some good things about this hotel and spa opened in 2006 by Inéz Cusumano and her husband James, a former energy company executive. The menu of the Piano Nobile Restaurant looked pricey but tempting.

Since someone else was paying, why not? We hopped in the car and made the hour drive out to the small town of Mcely.

Coming through the electric gates, you catch your first glimpse of the stately, reconstructed manor at the end of a well-kept lawn.Passing through the front door and under the custom-designed iron work, you begin to feel the attention to detail that has gone into restoring this building.We were led into small dining room, which was empty following a wedding party.The heavily draped room had what appeared to be original parquet flooring, but just about everything else looked new.Almost too new.

Our waitress brought a bread basket. It was very ordinary stuff, with cold butter.I'm too often surprised that high-end restaurants invest so much in their cooking and the first impression they make is with boring bread and a hard spread.

For a starter, I had the hot foie gras served with Rémy Martin granité, homemade marmalade, toasted butter bread and veal jus (490 CZK).Each small bite of the rich, delicate goose liver melted in my mouth with buttery flavor. It was perfect.

The granité was a cool and interesting palate cleanser. The sweet veal jus provided a nice base and it was nice to mop it up with the brioche-like bread. I thought the acidic "marmalade" also provided a nice acidic contrast to the smooth foie gras. The menu said it was made with fruit, but the consistency and flavor tasted more like red cabbage to me. Either way, I liked it.

My friend had the "homemade ravioli stuffed with tiger prawns." (490 CZK).The menu needs a small correction. Ravioli is plural. This was one medium-sized raviolo.

It contained chunks of a shrimp and sat on top of a sweet and sour sauce made with fresh garden basil. We both found the dish too small and simple.

Enya songs played over the sound system.I saw that the spa area of the hotel has a nice-looking massage room, which is where I most often hear this relaxation-inducing music. It's not my favorite outside that context.

For my main course, I had the lamb chops baked with herbs (690 CZK). It was served with a dandelion-potato purée with mascarpone and thyme.The small but thick chops were tender and delicious. The honey-sweet and tart sauce had the complementary flavor of rosemary.

The lamb was barely warm, while the potatoes where piping hot. Even though the chops were served medium-rare as requested, there should have been more heat in the meat.

My friend had the fillet of pollock made according to Grandmother Cusumano's recipe (590 CZK).It came with roasted potatoes, capers, homemade dried tomatoes. There was a light white wine sauce. The fish was fresh and light, the vegetables well-executed, and the sauce sauce fine.

I liked it more than my friend did, but overall, the dish didn't greatly impress either of us.

For dessert, I had the chocolate fondant with raspberry and cream, and a glazed chocolate wafer (390 CZK).The chocolate was super intense and I enjoyed it very much.

My friend had the plateau of French cheeses with homemade marmalade (390 CZK). I can tell you that we greatly enjoyed these cheeses and especially the marmalade made with plums, onion, and wine.

I can't tell you too much more. When I asked our friendly waitress to describe the cheeses, I was rather amused by the response:

"That one is cow, that one is goat. The one over there is cow," she pointed out.

"Could you be more specific?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know," she replied with an embarrassed smile.

"Could you find out?"

She returned a few minutes later with the flags that had been on the cheeses in the kitchen and haltingly read the names and pointed out which was which. I gave up learning more about these. The service started out OK, but faded by the end of the meal.

We had a cappuccino and a cafe latte (85 CZK/each).We didn't drink alcohol so we also had two .33 liter bottles of water (50 CZK/each).

The three course lunch menu is 990 CZK per person. But many of the better dishes have 100 CZK supplements. We had 500 CZK in supplemental charges. That comes to 2750 CZK before tip. If we'd been drinking wine or cocktails, the final tab would be closer to 4000 CZK.

After lunch, we took a stroll around the manicured grounds. The house stands on a hill above the surrounding farm land.There is a very nice patio for outdoor dining in good weather.It would certainly be a nice place for a posh party.

A walk around the property only takes about 15 minutes. The most interesting part was the pool with lily pads growing in it.As we walked, we talked. Was Chateau Mcely worth the trip? The food was quite nice, with the foie gras the stand out dish, but we didn't feel it justified the big bill at the end.

We felt like pretenders on a playground of the super rich. We had initially thought about staying over for a night, but with weekend room prices in "Castle Season" starting at 246 euros, not to mention the cost of spa treatments, it was beyond what I'm comfortable spending.

I usually avoid thinking in terms of other currencies, but I succumbed to the temptation in this case out of curiosity. For example, the shrimp raviolo starter worked out to more than $25 or 20 euros.

If the prices don't sound high to you, and you need a quiet place to decompress, I'd say go for it. I did read a lot of happy comments in their guest book.

As for me, I'm far from poor, but I'm just not that wealthy.

Chateau Mcely
Mcely 61
289 36 Mcely
Tel. (+420) 325 600 000