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A bar too far

No action in Žižkov, but plenty elsewhere

By Dave Faries
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
May 16th, 2007 issue

Jan Přerovský/THE PRAGUE POST
Looking for Bukowski's? Behind this unmarked door sits an unfinished pub.
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It’s never a good sign when you’re compelled to borrow from a Kevin Costner film, but the oft-delayed opening of Bukowski’s in Žižkov leaves me little choice but to say: If you build it, they will come.
But first you must build the damned thing.
Few new establishments ever open their doors on the promised date. However, Glen Emery’s booze joint may set a new record for dalliance. “Big Glen,” as he is known (to distinguish him from the owner of U Maleho Glena), first announced a mid-December launch. A few months later, with only one wall and a portion of the bar surface finished, he held a soft opening. For beer, guests trekked across the street to Nad Viktorkou. And a few guys hauled munchies back from a potraviny around the corner.
Nothing much happened after that farcical evening. Money ran short, so the story goes, and construction came to a stop.
Recent signs of life within the Bořivojova space suggest cash may again be trickling in. Wallpaper is up and the front bar assembled. If Emery and his partners bail on the second drink station, they could — potentially — open in a week.
We’ll see. In the meantime, five months in limbo makes Bukowski’s the most famous unopened bar in the city.
Hello to bio
According to press reports, optimistic marketers for the “bio” food industry expect Czechs to spend 2.5 billion Kč ($120 million) on organic products by 2010. Given local tastes, that would seem to suggest a better selection of handpicked potatoes, cheese made from the milk of free-range animals dumped in vats of oil, stalls along Wenceslas Square offering healthier grilled gristle — that sort of thing.
A couple of interesting rumors
Financial backing is in place for a Mongolian grill restaurant. The meat-heavy create-your-own concept gained some popularity in the United States and parts of Europe several years ago. Would-be proprietors must now work out the details and find a location.
Alex Atala, chef at D.O.M. in Sao Paolo (ranked as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world) plans to spend a few weeks hunting this fall — and for some reason picked the Czech Republic for his safari. He will devote any spare time to cooking a special dinner with Jiří Štift at the Radisson. Expect all this to happen sometime in October.
Equatorial Prague
Take a short jaunt to Tuchoměřice May 18 for an African Unity Day celebration at Auberge de Provence, the otherwise French-Belgian restaurant. Why not? The former imperial powers once ruled over big chunks of the continent. The event features dishes from across Africa and live music. Call 220 951 083 for more information.
Final (slurred) words
Good of the folks at Pachtův Palác to send an update about their recent VIP soiree (slovenly scribes not invited). The tables apparently groaned under the weight of French cheeses, given that it was billed as a “festival of taste, smell and sound.” (Italics mine) Waiters stood “ready” to pour French wines — although there was no mention of beverages actually poured. The note concludes with this assurance: “The whole evening was intended as a celebration of French culture and cuisine and there is no doubt that it was so.”
Sounds like the PR person wasn’t invited, either.

Dave Faries can be reached at dfaries@praguepost.com


Other articles in Night & Day (16/05/2007):

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