tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975Fri, 22 May 2026 11:05:36 +0000ReviewPrague 12 Spoons3 SpoonsOld TownNewsPrague 2CzechNew TownInternationalOutdoorFrenchPrague's BestAsian FusionItalianMala StranaPrague 6RomanticVinohradyVegetarianAsianEventOpeningsSeafoodStarbucks1 SpoonChild-FriendlyDessertPrague's WorstCaféCoffee4 SpoonsAbout the SpoonBeerFine DiningGordon RamsayGroup-FriendlyHotelMediterraneanMexicanPalladiumPrague 7SushiAmericanHolešoviceIndianMichelinPizzaPrague 5PubBalkanBarBubenečBurgerChineseClosingsCocktailFast FoodFestivalGreekLatin AmericanLebaneseMeatMiddle EasternPastaPrague 3Prague 4Prague CastleSmokingStar DishSteakTeaThaiThanksgivingUpscaleViewZizkovAfghaniAmbiente GroupArgentinianAustro-HungarianBad ServiceBakeryBelgianBratislavaBrnoBrunchBřevnovCheap EatsChocolateCompetitionCookingCountryDancingDejviceFloraFood PoisoningGroceryGuideHradčanyHungarianIce CreamKarlínKlokočnáKrkonošeLive MusicLunchMcelyMusicNightlifePankrácPersianPeruvianPrague 13Prague 8RusticSpanishSpecial EventSpecialty StoreSportsStodůlkySvíčkováThemeTuchomericeVietnameseWinehttp://praguespoon.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)Blogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-1062212675183582409Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:34:00 +00002010-02-01T11:44:41.561+01:00About the SpoonClosingsFrenchLunchMexicanNewsOpeningsMy new favorite lunch spot is Home Kitchen on Jungmannova. It's about the size of a large closet and only has a few seats, but it serves honest food made fresh several times a day. The menu changes frequently, with three different soups daily (I warmed myself up with a fantastic dill and potato version), a meat entree (like duck breast with rosehip sauce and gratinated potatoes), and a couple of http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2010/02/food-news-openings-closings-and-goodbye.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-6548166254400722976Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:40:00 +00002010-01-28T20:13:10.665+01:002 SpoonsFrenchOld TownOutdoorPrague 1ReviewUpscaleI'm being watched. Somebody is creeping up behind me, and although I can't see or hear him, my whole body has stiffened in anticipation. I try to relax – maybe I'm just being paranoid. Maybe the feeling will pass.It doesn't. From over my left shoulder, a hand appears, brandishing a bottle of wine. My glass is filled. The hand leaves. No more than thirty seconds later, I get that same feeling http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2010/01/restaurant-review-le-terroir.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-883389070563603130Mon, 18 Jan 2010 06:09:00 +00002010-01-18T07:09:00.080+01:002 SpoonsInternationalOld TownPrague 1ReviewStoletí is apparently a very popular restaurant. I discovered this as I was doing my research before writing this article: rave reviews were all over the internet, both from local critics and on tourist-oriented websites. On one of the most well-known travel sites, tripadvisor.com, Století ranks among the top restaurants in Prague, and reservations are a must on more or less any day of the week. http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2010/01/restaurant-review-stoleti.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-442480381775072711Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:26:00 +00002010-01-04T10:19:33.561+01:002 SpoonsCzechNew TownPrague 1ReviewRomanticWineNote to readers: As of 30/11/09, U Petrské Věže is no longer in operation.There's something old-fashioned about U Petrské Věže. You'd think I was talking about the 14th-century building in which it resides, with its vaulted ceilings and Gothic cellar, or the restaurant's crystal chandeliers and antique-style furniture. But the kind of history I have in mind is a little more recent: waiters suitedhttp://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2010/01/restaurant-review-u-petrske-veze-closed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-8303223031885019592Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:41:00 +00002009-12-21T07:41:00.414+01:002 SpoonsHolešoviceHungarianPrague 7ReviewIt was a rainy Friday night, and we were looking for a restaurant called Paprika. The streets behind the Pražská Tržnice were dark and abandoned. No people, and certainly no restaurants, in sight. I was beginning to think we were lost… Well, not really. We were in a car, warm and dry, and we had a GPS navigation system to guide us to Jateční 39. But even after we'd reached our destination, I http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/12/restaurant-review-paprika.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-9041314546721631241Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:14:00 +00002009-12-21T02:28:24.749+01:004 SpoonsBeerChild-FriendlyCzechOld TownPrague 1Prague's BestPubReviewThe newest, best, most must-visit restaurant in the country doesn't have a celebrity chef. It doesn't have white tablecloths, amuses-bouche, or a sommelier. Instead of soufflés, there's smažený sýr (fried cheese); tlačenka (head cheese) takes the place of truffles.This is Lokál, and it's the restaurant we've all been waiting for.I probably don't have to tell you how miserable most Czech pub food http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/12/restaurant-review-lokal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-2120336032537041478Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:39:00 +00002009-12-09T01:20:17.029+01:002 SpoonsAmericanGroup-FriendlyLive MusicOld TownPrague 1Prague's Hard Rock Café may have opened just this year, but the American rock 'n' roll-themed restaurant chain had already had a presence here since the early 1990s. That's when tourist-oriented vendors began selling (next to those ubiquitous "Prague: Czech It Out" shirts) Hard Rock Café Prague T-shirts. The joke, of course, as that there was no Hard Rock Café, but that didn't prevent http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/12/restaurant-review-hard-rock-cafe.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-6779408916832365828Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:14:00 +00002009-11-30T07:19:44.528+01:003 SpoonsOld TownPrague 1ReviewVegetarianThere 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.http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/11/restaurant-review-maitrea.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-7541666127522854296Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:41:00 +00002009-11-16T07:41:00.951+01:002 SpoonsAsianAsian FusionBratislavaOutdoorReviewHere's a riddle for you. It's lunchtime and you're hungry. Because you have a pretty distinguished palate, you don't want to eat just anything. It has to be decent. Up to international standards, even. But there's a catch: you're in Bratislava. Besides hopping in the car and driving the 60 kilometers to Vienna, what can you possibly do? You see, there isn't much going on in Slovakia's capital in http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/11/restaurant-review-lancia-cafe.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-4479954291708420702Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:03:00 +00002009-11-02T07:04:08.602+01:00BurgerPrague 1Prague 3Prague 6Prague 7Prague's BestPrague's WorstReviewWhat makes a good burger a good burger? Well, for starters, the burger can't be a karbanátek. I've seen some people in these parts frown on the notion of a hamburger being anything more than a quick food alternative to a real meal. But across the ocean in the hamburger's adopted home, putting together the all-American meat sandwich has turned into something of an art. Top-notch chefs like Daniel http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/11/prague-burgers-small-scale.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-2340121649065251877Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:56:00 +00002009-10-19T11:28:31.534+02:002 SpoonsAmericanGroup-FriendlyInternationalNew TownPrague 2ReviewRomanticSeafoodIt seldom seems to happen – in this country, anyway – that a restaurant's best asset is its kitchen. Lots of places are long on atmosphere, and nowadays you can even count on reasonably good service at most higher-end restaurants. But good chefs are still few and far between. One of the exceptions is U Emy Destinnové, whose owner and head chef Steven Trumpfheller outclasses both his restaurant's http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/10/restaurant-review-u-emy-destinnove.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-5074320631280386981Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:05:00 +00002009-10-12T07:05:00.363+02:004 SpoonsItalianOld TownPrague 1Prague's BestRomanticWhat happens when I get recognized in a restaurant? Well, the service usually gets better: suddenly, a waiter who's been ignoring me all night is perfectly on point, asking if we need a dash of fresh pepper or a foot massage. That's why I try to avoid getting noticed – otherwise, I would never know how the restaurant is experienced by the average visitor. The review just wouldn't be fair. Try as http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/10/restaurant-review-la-finestra.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-3275848073276570979Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:58:00 +00002009-10-09T11:36:27.865+02:00MexicanNewsOpeningsPrague 2VinohradyLooks like Fosil will no longer be the only authentic Mexican restaurant in town.The popular Mexican food delivery service Las Adelitas has announced it will open its first restaurant this month. There will be a grand opening party on Friday, October 16th -- but they are also holding a "pre-inauguration" party tonight at 8pm, at the new location on Americká 8 in Vinohrady. Delivery is on hold forhttp://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/10/las-adelitas-to-open-restaurant-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-5199578066790135475Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:09:00 +00002009-10-05T08:09:00.623+02:003 SpoonsMala StranaOutdoorPrague 1ReviewViewKampa Park's best asset is still its location. Positioned atop the Vltava in the shadow of the Charles Bridge, with sweeping views across Old Town and just a short distance from Malá Strana's storybook streets, it is hard to imagine a more attractive locale for a Prague restaurant. But everybody knows that already – especially the hordes of tourists death-marching across the Bridge who spot Kampahttp://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/10/restaurant-review-kampa-park.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-482271511953184920Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:33:00 +00002009-09-28T12:41:36.188+02:003 SpoonsMala StranaPrague 5ReviewSushiI almost gave The Sushi Bar four spoons.As my regular readers know, I don't give full marks very often. That's not because I'm trying to be difficult, or because I don't think this country has any great restaurants. I guess it's just that my standards are pretty high, and I haven't been met with a lot of perfect dining experiences lately.Until, that is, I went to The Sushi Bar. Or so I thought. http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/09/restaurant-review-sushi-bar.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-718793760390441934Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:32:00 +00002009-09-14T07:32:00.305+02:002 SpoonsChild-FriendlyGreekGroup-FriendlyOutdoorPrague 3ReviewZizkovI don't know what it is about me and Greek places. On my last visit to a Greek joint (Kri-Kri, on Korunní), I was not only subjected to painfully slow service, but was told that I should expect it to be slow, because that's how things happen in Greece. Now here I am, sitting at Taverna Olympos, and after waiting ages for a server to take our orders, I have spotted him making his way over to a http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/09/restaurant-review-olympos.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-6508394610362201327Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:40:00 +00002009-09-08T11:04:28.899+02:003 SpoonsBubenečItalianMediterraneanOutdoorPrague 6ReviewIt's not hard to see why the most-asked question about Mirellie is whether or not it's affiliated with the popular restaurant chain Kogo. All you have to do is open their menu.Anyone familiar with Kogo's offerings will experience a little déjà vu at Mirellie. The divisions between dishes are the same and in the same order – starters, fish starters, soups, pastas, risottos, etc. – and many of the http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/09/restaurant-review-mirellie.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-3132373121466801280Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:20:00 +00002009-09-08T10:36:09.272+02:002 SpoonsMala StranaOutdoorPrague 1ReviewRomanticWhen Pálffy Palác was in its heyday, in the mid-90s, they used to serve whole roasted heads of garlic at the beginning of each meal. You'd pop a hot clove out of its shell and smear it on a crusty piece of bread, over a thick layer of butter. The garlic would dissolve into a soft puree at the gentlest touch of a knife.I was only a kid when my family started going to Pálffy for dinner, but for http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/09/restaurant-review-palffy-palac.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-6001631217667047518Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:17:00 +00002009-09-08T10:38:42.503+02:002 SpoonsAsianAsian FusionHolešovicePrague 7ReviewIf you don't understand what "fresh pomelo, spring onion, Chinese cabbage, ginger, lychee, Hanoi crab, krupuk chips and shiso leaf sauce" means, you're not welcome at SaSaZu.That is the description of the Vietnamese summer salad as listed on SaSaZu's menu, which, in both print and online formats, exists only in English. Inevitably, this raises some questions: do the people running SaSaZu not http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/08/restaurant-review-sasazu.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-4079481821435517588Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:39:00 +00002009-08-03T07:39:00.157+02:003 SpoonsChild-FriendlyFrenchMala StranaPrague 1ReviewSteakThis review originally appeared in Czech translation in the 13/06/09 edition of Lidové Noviny.There's only one reason to go to Café de Paris: the beef entrecôte. The menu doesn't leave its patrons with too many other options. The choices are as follows: French onion soup, a foie gras terrine, the beef entrecôte, a vegetarian version of the beef entrecôte, and a goat cheese salad. Two appetizers, http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/08/restaurant-review-cafe-de-paris.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-777812281574385362Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:22:00 +00002009-07-27T10:04:58.299+02:00CzechGroup-FriendlyHradčanyPrague 1Prague CastleReviewThis review originally appeared in Czech translation in the 18/07/09 edition of Lidové Noviny.Vikárka is one of those restaurants that's been around since the beginning of time. Not literally, of course – but almost.The establishment is well-known to local residents for its location within the walls of the Prague Castle, as well as for its rich history. Originally the site of church institutions,http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/07/restaurant-review-vikarka.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-8306356368685570078Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:21:00 +00002009-07-25T13:27:21.880+02:00DessertIce CreamNewsOpeningsAmerican ice cream company Ben & Jerry's will be opening its first Czech store at the end of next week. The brand is known for its super-rich, unusual flavors, including Cherry Garcia (cherry ice cream with cherries and fudge flakes), Chunky Monkey (banana ice cream with fudge chunks & walnuts), and Chubby Hubby (fudge-covered peanut butter-filled pretzels in vanilla malt ice cream http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/07/food-news-ben-jerrys-to-open-in-prague.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-1039837318673582939Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:21:00 +00002009-07-25T15:45:16.136+02:003 SpoonsChild-FriendlyCzechKlokočnáOutdoorReviewThis review originally appeared in Czech translation in the 04/07/09 edition of Lidové Noviny.In Central Bohemia, between Prague and the Sazava river, is a so-called "micro-region" called Ladův Kraj. It was given the name after Hrusice-born painter, illustrator, and author Josef Lada, who used the area's rolling hills and picturesque villages as inspiration for his well-known children's http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/07/restaurant-review-u-kone.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-3287009738536260358Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:16:00 +00002009-07-20T00:36:23.770+02:003 SpoonsChild-FriendlyChinesePankrácPrague 4Prague's BestReviewThis review originally appeared in Czech translation in the 27/06/09 edition of Lidové Noviny.Stop what you're doing, everybody. Put your pencils down. Turn off your mobile phones. I have a very important announcement to make.I have discovered a good Chinese restaurant. Here. In Prague. Isn't today a wonderful day?I actually can't take credit for finding it myself. There has been some debate http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/07/restaurant-review-peking.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7613763890663240975.post-5359423277061790394Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:34:00 +00002009-06-29T07:34:00.087+02:002 SpoonsBubenečItalianPizzaPrague 6ReviewThis review originally appeared in Czech translation in the 03/01/09 edition of Lidové Noviny.It had been a long time since I'd visited Pizzeria Grosseto.I knew I had blacklisted the place a few years ago, but I couldn't remember why. A rude server, or overcooked pasta, perhaps – one of the usual Czech suspects. With so many bad restaurant experiences under my belt, it can get hard to keep track http://praguespoon.blogspot.com/2009/06/restaurant-review-grosseto.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Laura Baranik)10