Review: Host

As anyone who's toured up by the castle with visitors well knows, the options for decent dining around Hradčanské and Loretenské squares have long been dismal. With the exception of the high-end U Zlaté Hrušky, most restaurants in this tourist-trodden district are rip-offs, where the day-old goulash is slopped out at extortionate prices by grumbling staff. There are fine beers and pub snacks at the beloved U Černého vola, of course, but when it comes to eating a quality meal for a reasonable price, it's often advisable to pack sandwiches in case hunger strikes when venturing in that area.

So the discovery of Host, a new restaurant perched halfway on a tiny stairwell off of Loretánská, was accompanied with checked anticipation. Happily, Host is both a pretty spot with amazing views over Prague and home to some decidedly enjoyable dishes. It's not particularly cheap, but feels like good value, and is commensurate with what one would pay for such quality at a much less-enviable address.

The interior of Host feels like a tree-house. It only has about five tables, and the narrow space is dominated by wood-lined ceilings that slant toward the main draw: a long window covering almost an entire wall, with views across to Petřín Hill and down across Old Town. By day, natural light streams in, and by night, the glow of Petřín Tower and the twinkling cityscape lend a perfect backdrop.

On two recent visits, the majority of other diners were Czechs - a good sign in these parts. The waitress was friendly and helpful, and didn't bat an eye when we accidentally ordered the starter of tiger prawns, having meant the entrée, thus ordering another main only after the appetizers were served - and the entrées appeared together without undue delay.  

The cuisine is eclectic, with several main Czech specialties and a number of pork, beef and chicken steaks, as well as a few fish dishes and salads. Two of the three starters sampled were memorable. Spring rolls were crisp, golden-fried quarters stuffed with ground duck breast, cabbage, greens, carrot and spring onion, with a tangy chili sauce for dipping. They were tasty and satisfying. Another appetizer, Feta with garlic, chilis and pepper, was surprisingly adept; it was real Feta, and not Balkan cheese, as feared, and the crumbling cubes were mixed with a nice extra-virgin olive oil, slivers of hot red chilis and softened green peppercorns, making for a tart and pleasing result. The two pieces of toasted and buttered baguette that came with the plate were perfect for scooping.

The tiger-prawn skewers, however, were a step down. While nicely marinated in lemongrass, garlic and lime, they were measly little things, and although the shrimpy buggers were skewered onto spring onion stems - a nice touch - there was no "chili mint whip" as claimed on the menu, and overall it fell a bit flat.

Host's menu currently caters to wintery dishes, and coming in out of the cold on a recent evening to tuck into pork tenderloin in a creamy, mushroom sauce did just the trick. The meat was pink-centered, and eponymously tender, with a light crust of pepper and rosemary. The plate was nicely presented, with a drizzle of a stocky reduction around the edge to dabble in, and the sauce was thick, darkened to gold by the chunks of earthy forest mushrooms that paired well with the sweetness of the meat. A side dish of mashed potatoes needed a bit of salt and pepper for oomph, but was nicely chunky, with flecks of parsley: Pieces of skin added nutrients and flavor, and were a good vehicle for the extra cream sauce.

A mixed salad was another welcome side, a small portion of lettuce, tomato, cucumber and bell peppers available with a choice of several dressings. The mustard-dill one sampled was interesting but slightly odd, with a bit of conflict between sweet and musky.

One of the fish items, a salmon fillet, was tasty if simple for the price: a nicely turned steak with light char points on the exterior and supple, flaky skin. The slices of goat cheese on top added a good contrast, but overall it felt somewhat lacking for 290 Kč, not including a side.

One of the few "vegetarian" options, risotto, proved big enough to take half of it home for the next day's lunch. Dense and rich, there was a suspicious flavor of beef broth that took away from its vegetal aspirations, but was a comforting bowl nonetheless. Shards of zucchini were tumbled with a generous topping of shaved Parmesan, and the sun-dried tomatoes were soft, although their flavor increasingly infused the dish, verging on overwhelming.

The roast duck, at 320 Kč, is one of the pricier items on Host's menu, but it was a distinguished portion. A "quarter duck" can vary in size from place to place, but this must have been one huge duck, as there was ample meat that came away easily from the bone, tender without being fatty. The skin was crisp and well-seasoned; the dumplings were just standard, but serviceable. The only drawback to this dish was an overly creative rendition with cabbage: Cinnamon and nutmeg turned the savory side into what tasted like a Christmas candle.

House wine at Host is also reasonably priced, at 60 Kč for a 2 dl glass, meaning the cost of drinks don't have to wipe out a meal budget. Indeed, Host makes its guests feel pretty darn welcome, which is more than can be said for its neighboring tourist traps.

Fiona Gaze can be reached at
fgaze@praguepost.com