I'd read good reviews about this restaurant and it was within walking distance of the Hilton, where we were staying. It's in the Hotel Merkur, but has an outside entrance, too. People were coming in and out of the entrance to the hotel constantly and every time they did smoke was sucked into the empty non-smoking dining room (the bar was packed with smokers enjoying their meals and cigarettes.) The place is a bit seedy, as is the hotel to which it is attached. Clientele are mostly the Czech equivalent of hipsters, although some families with children and older couples joined us in the dining room as the evening progressed.
The food was good. Actually, mine was wonderful. Carpaccio, which I had never had, was delicious: delicate, paper thin, and accompanied by pickled vegetables that resembled giant capers. I then had garlic soup, which was a huge bowl of garlicky broth with cheese and potatoes, covered with dense, crispy croutons. Those two dishes were enough to fill me up, but I didn't finish the soup because I had to save room for my entree. Greg's entree was a spinach omelet, which was a crepe with spinach and fried cheese. Uninspired, he said. I think he can be uninspired with his ordering. I had crispy duck breast with honey and lime juice and crispy potato wedges. Yummy! We finished with cherry cake, a square of dense cake topped with a cherry strudel topping. It was a delicious blend of sweet and tart. We also had a bottle of sparkling water and a bottle of wine.
And the bill was under $50! read more
