A Taste of the Old World Downtown

For over 30 years if you said let's go to 'the Bistro' downtown many knew you were talking Praha. Then in March of 2009 a fire broke out on Howard Rice Way. By the time the ashes cooled Bistro Praha and several other restaurants were gone. Come forward to 2011 and Praha has been back in business for six months, everything old is new and wonderful again. Saturday evening we managed to slip in for an early dinner without a reservation but that isn't recommended. It is hugely popular so seating is in high demand. With the first bite you will know why. I asked about white wine for dinner and our server said we have a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, you'll like it. Okay sure, why not, trust your server. Oh yes, he was definitely right. To the menu. A quick scan down the first page and I felt like I had stepped back in time to travels in Europe. Appetizers cover the spectrum from open face sandwiches to escargot. Then there is a fried cheese. Our choices, the escargot with chili and garlic, the smoked salmon plate and the previously mentioned fried cheese with fried potatoes. As two of our main courses came with salad, the tomato salad and the green salad were chosen. We started with those, sharing all round. Wow. I don't usually become enamoured with salad but these were great. The escargot came at the same time. Wonderful, not the least bit chewy which they can be and we loved the zest of chili adding to the traditional garlic. Immediately following those were the fried cheese plate and the smoked salmon. The salmon had a wonderful smokey flavour, served with traditonally with red onions, capers, creamed cheese and lemon. It was commented that there was a lot of 'mmmming' around our table. Right about that time it occurred to me that we may have ordered too much food. But everything was wonderful. The fried cheese was crisp, with a great sauce. I have had fried cheese in other places and they have been rubbery, greasy logs. Not so with these. I could have made a dinner of just the tomato salad and the fried cheese plate. Our main courses were the Bistro Beef Gulash Zhorelec with Dumplings, the Steak Tartare, and the Chicken Alcron. For full description of these menu items and the rest of the menu check out their website at www.bistropraha.com. I had asked our server for a description of the dumpling but beyond knowing that it was a light fluffy flour dumpling nothing could have prepared me for this delight. A plate of tender, cut it with your fork meat, a flavourful sauce and the huge sliced tender dumpling. One bite and I am telling everyone "you have to try this". The chicken Alcron was fabulous, crispy with a bit of skin on it, panfried potatoes and the most wonderful sauteed mushrooms. And what can be said about the Steak Tartare, Filet Mignon hand minced, perfected spiced, generous to a fault with crispy rye toast. Just when we thought we could not manage another bite our server came with the menu. "Dessert?" she asks. We had already looked ahead so I knew I would be having the Apple Strudel, a restaurant favourite. The others were salivating about the crepes. So the menu was reviewed once again. The crepe choices are extensive each one sounding more tempting than the last. My dinner companions selected the Crepe Henry Christian which is steamed kiwi with orange liquer and whipped cream and the Crepe Nadia with chocolate sauce, Grand Marnier and whipped cream. If the sound of those have you salivating as well, you would be right. I had my Apple Strudel to go but I did surcome to a tiny bite of each of the crepes. The final pleasant surprise, the bill. With beverages, appetizers, main courses and desserts for three, just under $140 before tip. That is amazing. If I had to award stars for the evening five out of five. Great food, wonderful service, great atmosphere. I highly recommend it.