Čau Down

Special menus and parties usher in the new year

As anyone who’s spent a Christmas in Prague before may know, fish plays a big role in the mysticism of the season. Carp has an especially sacrificial part in Czech Christmas dinner, getting a deep-fried place of honor right next to the potato salad and fish soup. It’s this time of year when the streetside [...]

Newly opened restaurant has glitz and glamour

Happy St. Martin’s Day, the traditional feast day in the run-up to Advent. Yearly falling on Nov. 11, this is year is especially special, as it’s 11/11/11 (also known in some circles as The Day That Most Resembles Corduroy). On St. Martin’s Day, Czechs roast goose and drink the Czech version of Beaujolais nouveau, Svatomartinské [...]

Any friend of beer is a friend of mine, and the annual awards of the aptly named Friends of Beer Union (Sdružení přátel piva, or SPP) are an interesting gauge of trends in both consumer preference and technological innovation over the past year. The yearly list, which has been released since 1990, can also serve [...]

Many restaurants are making the most of the season, as described in this week’s rundown of fall menus and events around town. The Festival of Tastes, organized by Alakarte.cz, is also celebrating fall flavors, for the second year in a row. Starting yesterday and running through Nov. 20, restaurants in Prague, Brno, Liberec and Mariánské [...]

As if the town of Mělník, the beautiful, wine-producing regional capital for Central Bohemia, needed much more going for it. Just an hour north of Prague, the town is a great day trip, is the gateway to the stunningly beautiful Kokořin National Park, and now it has Buffalo American Restaurant, a friendly place just off [...]

This should be the last post about pizza for a while, as much as I love it. Although it’s also about pasta. After hearing about Pepe Nero’s pizza party, I thought I’d check it out for a review. And here are the pictures. In this week’s issue, I review the new Brevnov branch of Pepe [...]

People often joke about how difficult it is to be a vegetarian in Prague, but if that’s the case, it must seem even harder to be a vegan here in meat lover’s paradise. Thankfully, times are changing, dining and shopping options are expanding, and now, thanks to Prague-based writer Martina Čermáková, there’s a new cookbook [...]

As Drew Barrymore’s character in the film “Donnie Darko” explains to the titular character, the phrase “cellar door” is considered to be one of the most beautiful constructions in the English language, due to its lovely sound. Well, I would put forth another one that rings like magic to my ears: pizza party. I love [...]