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Home of good intentions

Comfortable U Emy Destinnové is still working out the kinks
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By Dave Faries
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
July 2nd, 2008 issue

U Emy Destinnové


Kateřinská 7
Prague 2-New Town
Tel. 224 918 425
Open Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m. -11:30 p.m., Sat. noon-midnight

Food **
Service ***
Atmosphere ***
Overall **

Dorotea Bylica/The Prague Post
Co-owner Jiří Pešek toils up front, creating a warm, cozy atmosphere.
FROM THE MENU



Chicken and vegetable chowder 65 Kč
Caprese 120 Kč
Grilled eggplant 115 Kč
Mussels 185 Kč
French duck in port sauce 280 Kč
Scallops wrapped in bacon 420 Kč
Scallops in sesame 420 Kč
Pan-seared until scars of deep amber lace the surface, crusted here and there as sugars from a sauce reduction begin to burn, pulled from the stove just as pincers of heat reach the middle — these are scallops nearing perfection.
Many kitchens are prone to overcook the delicate shellfish. U Emy Destinnové’s chef, however, rewards guests with a surprising expression of bittersweet, smoky, mellow flavors coaxed not only from the scallops, but also from an intensely fruity, honeyed reduction sprinkled so thoroughly with toasted sesame that the elements become difficult to pin down. Herbs tossed on at the finish add a grassy background note — yet none of this hides the taste or texture of the shellfish itself.
On my first visit, the chef prepared the king scallops — silken and faintly sweet — wrapped in bacon so demure that it left only a gossamer trail of melted fat. There’s no crust, no residual bite of smoke, no real relevance.
But that’s just fine, because the shellfish are extraordinary, even if the supporting cast falls flat.
U Emy Destinnové lives off such good intentions. So-so ingredients and kitchen blunders occasionally bump a dish off-course. The skewered caprese, for instance, suffered from a seasonal woe — anemic basil — and an expediting problem that allowed the mozzarella to dry out. Once in a while, you could hear the restaurant’s American chef cajoling whoever was working the stove that particular day.
Sometimes he needs to push a little harder. Strips of tender, meaty duck ordered on one visit virtually engulfed the palate, thanks to a dense sauce reeking of tannins, earth and forest fruit. The next time it withered, as an extra helping of salt shredded the once-beautiful rendition of port and apricot. Although cooked to an ideal softness, grilled eggplant rolled around bell peppers and goat cheese develops an odd, soapy, lingering sharpness, most likely from a hefty addition of garlic.
A bowl of mussels — tender, nicely musty, all fresh and open — supposedly brewed in a broth of leeks, sherry and garlic instead wallowed in a stinging bog of warmed saltwater. Some rebellious bitterness managed to bob through the surface. Otherwise, the brackish liquid drowned the delicate, grounded flavors of shellfish and leeks, then ripped through the rich, buttery mouth feel one expects from a good mussel dish.
These errant moments cannot derail your dining experience, however. U Emy Destinnové resembles grandma’s living room, well-worn and full of memories. You’re almost instantly enveloped by a feeling of comfort as you settle in for dinner. Plunge into a couch for drinks, click on the table lamp (the one with the long-out-of-date fringed shade) and you’re at home.
This building was, in fact, the birthplace of Czech opera star Ema Destinnová. And the new tenants have managed to bring global cuisine into a gilded-age setting, with a menu ranging through risotto, fresh seafood, steak and regional creations.
Some work better than others. Cauliflower, carrots and other vegetables softened considerably in their semi-American-style chowder of chicken and corn. The meat also turned almost soggy in the pot. But all this character seeps into the broth itself, so each spoonful begins with a down-home vegetal sweetness and wraps up in a hint of pepper and herbs. In between, soothing, creamy, somewhat meaty flavors rise to the fore. Despite the flaws, it’s an honest bowl of soup.
Few kitchens shrug off mistakes as casually as U Emy Destinnové. Even when someone tips too much salt into one dish, another stands up to remind you that a solid chef is in charge.
It’s a good restaurant now. If and when the kitchen smoothes over those occasional glitches, it will be even better.

Dave Faries can be reached at dfaries@praguepost.com


Other articles in Night & Day (2/07/2008):

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