The Eatery” was one of those dining experiences most Czech bloggers talk about in their videos.
“The Eatery,” on the other hand, was even more American in many ways, yet it surprised us with the service.
Chef’s Journey to The Eatery
Right after school, chef Pavel Býček went to England, where he spent, as he says, a beautiful 4 years of hell. He worked in several restaurants, including Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows and the restaurant of legendary French chef Pierre Koffmann.
After returning home to the Czech Republic, Pavel started working at Alcron restaurant as head chef. Led by Roman Paulus, he and his team retained a Michelin star for 5 years.
Starting The Eatery was the next logical step for this ambitious young chef.
The Eatery Atmosphere
The Eatery is a 10-minute tram ride from a historical touristy part of Prague, turning it into a destination restaurant for those “in-the-know” visitors and affluent locals.
It has a loft-like open floor design with a kitchen in the center. The minimalistic design, choice of materials, and the 1980s through the early 2000s American music in the background create a modern restaurant vibe we may encounter somewhere in a newly-built hipster suburban neighborhood back home. It’s airy, clean, and naturally well-lighted and allows you to watch how your food is made.
The Eatery Cuisine
While Oldřich, chef of La Degustation, draws his inspiration from Czech cuisine, Pavel does it full-throttle. He elevates Czech dishes to the next level by applying modern cooking techniques he learned from some of the world’s best chefs.
Appetizers
We started with locally sourced asparagus and ham with balanced, lightly acidic, and skillfully made Béchamel sauce. The asparagus stalks were pilled, making them firm yet tender. It’s a classic French technique that takes time and is rare even at the top restaurants.
The next appetizer was trout with traditional deal sauce (koprová omáčka) and a-la coleslaw seasoned with mustard and vinegar. We loved the sauce because it made the dish that otherwise might have been mediocre.
Interestingly, this delicious sauce is hated by nine kids out of ten but is still regularly served in Czech school canteens.
Main Course
For the main courses, we ordered duck and tongue because we love both, and they are among the staple dishes in Prague that all guides recommend trying.
The roasted duck breast rested on delicate cabbage and caramelized onion mash sprinkled with blackberry sauce. It came along with marinated beetroot, anise shoots, and blackberries.
While the combination of flavors worked well, the breast was chewy and hard to cut with a dinner knife. Surprisingly, when we asked for a steak knife, we learned they had none. Puzzled, we asked why not and were surprised again by the answer that nobody had asked for it before.
We have an idea why, but what do you think? Why doesn’t The Eatery have steak knives? Is it an American thing?
Our second main course was a pork tongue in a horseradish sauce (křenová omáčka), and it was probably the most authentic dish of the night. If you wonder where the meat is when you look at the picture of the dish, we’ll explain in the bit what’s going on on the plate.
The tongue was skillfully cooked and had just the right texture, firmness, and tenderness at the same time. Once again, piquant horseradish sauce made it sing with just enough spiciness that doesn’t overpower the delicate tongue flavor.
There’s a reason you can hardly see the meat on the plate: it looks more like a thick soup with meat. Sauces in Czech cuisine are not something you just pour over the meat. They are a central part of the meal and are always accompanied by a heap of bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky) swimming in a thick creamy sauce.
And bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky) are not really dumplings the way we think of them in the US. They are more like sliced steamed or boiled Chinese buns if you have ever had one. Just be ready to eat lots of bread while in the Czech Republic, and good luck if you’re gluten-free or avoid bread.
Desserts
Finally, we got to desserts. The first was lemon tart with anise-parsley sorbet, bizet, and thinly sliced fennel pieces. Amazingly, it all worked together, creating a refreshing dessert with the perfect balance of acidity.
We had a pannacotta with rhubarb, cherry jelly, and jam for the second dessert. The oatmeal cookie crumbles added a crunchy texture to a perfectly creamy pannacotta.
Both desserts were very satisfying as an exclamation mark for the dinner. We couldn’t help but compare rhubarb pannacotta to cream, rhubarb, and apricot dessert from La Degutasion a few nights earlier. Pavel’s dessert beats Oldřich’s hands down. If you wonder why, check our review.
Wineswinging at The Eatery
The Eatery has an extensive wine list with many Czech wines and positions itself as a destination restaurant for wine lovers. That is another reason why we picked it.
We like to believe that the staff is trained in wine. Yet, we were surprised by the response when we asked for Czech wine recommendations, exploring the wine country and its wine. Our waiter advised us to skip them for international wines. We insisted that we still would like to try Czech wines, and the waiter brought a couple of bottles to the table. We recognized the wine because we already tried it and asked him for something else.
And that’s when things went the way some Czech travel bloggers are warning Americans about they might. After the second trip to the table with another bottle we didn’t want, he threw a wine list on the table and said, “You pick the wine yourself!” Maybe it was too much work for the guy, or he had a bad day, or perhaps his English wasn’t as advanced as he was trying to show.
Ultimately, we picked the 2021 Kravak Sauvignon Blanc for our appetizers and the 2019 Frankovka and Zweigelt blend by Dobre Vinice for the main course.
With its grassy, green apricot and green cantaloupe, the Sauvignon Blanc paired well with our appetizer. Still, it’s just an average, and we wouldn’t buy it again.
Dobra Vinice (literally Good Wine) is produced by a winemaker who’s a part of the natural wine movement, and it shows. It reminded us of some funky Pet Nats (no bubbles) from Oregon and homemade wine from Moldova we tried many years ago. In our book, it belongs to the curiosity category.
The Eatery Service
When we dined at “La Degustation,” “La Bottega Finestro,” “Oste di Vino,” and a few other Prague restaurants, the service was just like we would expect from same-level American restaurants.
As you have gathered by now, our service experience was a memorable one and something we giggle about often when we say to each other, “No steak knife for you” or “Pick it yourself!”
At some point, we suspect the front manager realized that we were not jelling together with our waiter, and someone else took over the service.
Conclusion
We like the restaurant’s modern feel and vibe and Pavel’s cooking art level. Yet, from the ambiance perspective, we felt that The Eatery was trying too hard to be American, and it’s in dissonance because their cuisine is traditional Czech. However, we look at it from an American perspective, and it’s perfectly fine for locals and people from other parts of the world.
Overall, The Eatery presents an excellent option and a must-try for foodies, wine lovers, and those interested in more than-average traditional Czech cuisine.
So why do you think The Eatery has no steak knives?
What other restaurants would you recommend to try in Prague?
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