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Bringing the heat

Vltava puts the chef on stage, and other spotlights

By Dave Faries
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
November 21st, 2007 issue

COURTESY PHOTO
Milan Pešek of Vltava Restaurant displays a burning desire to teach and cook at one of his recent Chef Shows.
Cats serving as Pepe Le Pew’s unwitting foils in old Warner Bros. cartoons fell into their predicament by donning a clever disguise to escape the attention of rampaging mutts — i.e., slapping on a stripe of white paint and vigorously rubbing themselves with garlic so as to appear more skunklike.
Those cartoons came to mind last week when an invisible, but quite noxious, stream of garlic was responsible for scattering tourists in my wake after I sampled the salad at a “Chef’s Show” at Vltava Restaurant in the President Hotel. The recurring event provides chef Milan Pešek with a stage to walk through the evening’s meal, first discussing recipes then preparing them for guests.
A case of too much garlic? I thought he mentioned using just one clove of the pungent weed in his iceberg salad dressing. But it tasted like he used the entire bulb.
Pešek often cooks at a station set up in the dining room so he can illustrate professional techniques. Last week’s event, however, involved a few dishes requiring his entire backroom setup, so we were deprived of the full show.
As for the three-course meal, Brazil beef steak ordered rare turned out medium (and most locals already know how to overcook meat). The Spanish potato tortilla accompaniment, on the other hand, was tacky, creamy, complex and well worth learning about. Pešek covered veal carpaccio in a thick truffle marinade. Belgian chocolate cake, not bad.
The salad? Not the best thing to prepare on a first date, I’ll tell you that much.
Check with the restaurant at 234 614 138 for upcoming dates (and hope the show goes on). Cost varies, but hovers in the 650 Kč ($36) per person range, which includes a glass of wine.
Also on parade
We know from Forrest Gump that shrimp are versatile (and elusive) critters. Nonetheless, chef Guy Nuttall at Monsoon feels compelled to prove the point once again, working the diminutive shellfish into five courses. Shrimp Fusion night takes place Nov. 29 at the Prague 6 destination. Call 222 959 999 for more.
So you’re stuck in a Müller Thurgau rut, huh? Look up a vinotéka called Casa Lusitana (a little help: Křižíkova 115, Prague 8–Karlín). It specializes in Portuguese wine, including fortified varieties, but also stocks bottles from other regions.
Hidden in a press kit about Stilton cheese and its availability in the city, a more interesting (and perhaps nauseating) note about Stilton smoothies. Say what you will about Prague’s lagging culinary scene, at least we’re not subjected to bizarre culinary trends.
New in town
Recently opened in grand central, otherwise known as Wenceslas Square: V Melantrichu. Haven’t stepped inside, but the menu is pretty basic: garlic soup, smažený sýr, svíčková, venison, shark steak, skewered meat, gou . . . wait a minute. Not sure if I trust it, but yes, the menu did say shark. It’s located on the fourth floor of Oasis City.
The sushi craze continues with Zahrada v Opeře. The New Town establishment lists traditional maki, nigiri and such on “Sushi Days” (which translates as Tuesday–Saturday for lunch and dinner). Featured items include the usual stuff — prepared by a chef born and trained in Japan — along with “unique” Czech-Japanese fusion dishes. Think carp, perhaps yanked fresh from the bathtub. Sushi Days continue into February.
Divinis was set to reopen until a dispute with the landlord put things on hold at the last minute. And watch for construction at the old Ocean Drive location. A new restaurant is slated for that space.
Past tense
Corinthia Towers’ recent celebration of shellfish — Invasion of the Crabs — attracted an astounding 245 people for the all-you-could-eat massacre.
On a fairly regular basis, the folks at Oliva will hustle together a menu highlighting exotic flavors or unique ingredients. Such is their dedication that recently the chef hopped into the driver’s seat and headed to Hungary to purchase foie gras straight from farmers who normally supply restaurants in France.
Final (slurred) words
A simple birthday party at Jáma turned ugly … well, not ugly, but — um — let’s just say it took a sophomoric turn when about 12 people formed an impromptu “spanking machine” to punish the 18 year-old guest of honor. If you’re one of those studious science-club types who missed out on this, spanking machines served as a kind of ritual bridge from adolescent outcast to tribal member, a solemn ceremony bonding youth to their social group. Which, of course, is an anthropologic way to explain why a group of pre-teens (or in this case, adults) would wallop the hindquarters of another pre-teen (in this case, teen) on her birthday. Some things make perfect sense on a Friday night in Prague.

Dave Faries can be reached at dfaries@praguepost.com


Other articles in Night & Day (21/11/2007):

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