by David Kraus
I believe Czech cuisine is delicious and unique. And we have made it out goal to share this during our Secret Food Tours in Prague.
But honestly, if Czech cuisine was on MasterChef, the judges would insist we work on our plating and presentational skills.
And they would be right. Czech eateries are not over concerned with how the food looks on the plate, they just care that it tastes good.
But there is a new restaurant here in Prague which has a goal of elevating traditions and hauling them in line with 21st century gastronomy.
It’s called Czech Slovak Restaurant & Lounge, located on the ground floor of the hotel “U Kříže” and set in a Renaissance building with vaulted ceilings and an original sandstone gate.
These historic elements have been complemented by an elegant minimalist architecture with an effective light design that changes with daytime and mood. The restaurant is very small, fewer than 10 tables. So you will have enough personal space.
Everything looks and feels like a “fine dining experience”. And to be honest I never was a big fan of these because they always felt pretentious. But not here.
The main philosophy behind the Czech Slovak is to make fine dining approachable for everyone. And I think they managed to do that perfectly.
The service was very friendly and attentive but never too much. The food looks amazing and very modern but tastes like home. And the price is more than reasonable. Just to give you an idea we had a 7 course degustation menu with a signature drink for €38. The waitress explained the plates as they arrived while the waiting time between courses was just right.
But even if you don’t want to have the full degustation menu the á la carte menu will make you happy. The menu is not too long, for the focus is on quality, not quantity.
From the menu I would recommend the royal cream sauce with beef and dumplings. It’s one of the most traditional dishes in Czech cuisine and delicious. You can ask for a drink pairing with anything.
The concept of the restaurant is perhaps best described by the chef himself, Karel Pazák: “While serving our specialities, we focus not only on food quality and its food design, but also on sophisticated presentation and imagination. We try to surprise, amuse and pleasure you by unhindered attitude, using molecular procedures, fancy servicing techniques and friendly service.”
They also take pay a big attention on the quality of their ingedients. BIO quality game meat from the Šumava forests, bacon from special breed of Mangalice pigs, young lamb and poultry from private breeders. A private Brno farm supplies snails and caviar as well as meat. And of course there has to be a home-made craft beer Zlatý Kříž, which you can only taste here.
During its few months of existence the Czech Slovak already made it to being number 18 out of 5000 restaurants on TripAdvisor.
And I’m not surprised. As you might have noticed I fell in love with this place. And I think you won’t be disappointed either.
Adress: Újezd 20 Praha 1
Opening hours: MO— SUN 12:00 — 23:00
Reception: +420 257 31 25 23
Email: [email protected]
Tram routes: 9, 15, 20, 22 or 23
Closest tram station: Újezd
Web: https://czechslovak.cz/en/restaurant-en/