Mozaika

"I always thought of photography as a naughty thing to do. That was one of my favorite things about it. And when I first did it, I felt very perverse." Diane Arbus

Mozaika has long been one of our favorite restaurants.It's not perfect, but what is? It is certainly good enough for a spot in the regular rotation.

We went recently, but I'm also including some dishes from a visit many months ago.

The dining area is one long room below street level.Lighting is usually relatively low, and the sense of intimacy is enhanced by the deep red-colored walls.On our last visit, the chef started us out with an amuse bouche. It was a panko-crusted piece of fried chicken on a stick.A lollipop, if you will. Nice.

I started with a long-time favorite, what they call "tuna au roastbeef." (196 CZK). I've always thought the name was a bit silly -- it's actually seared tuna. But that doesn't take away from the taste.It was prepared perfectly, with a deep red center.

It came with a slightly sweet soy sauce on the side. It also came with maki rolls filled veggies. The rice in the rolls was delightfully creamy. Love it.

I must apologize about the bad lighting that perverted the quality of some of the photographs. Unfortunately, the LED flash on my mobile phone's camera died (a sentence I never imagined I'd write 10 years ago).

V ordered the soup from the pumpkin-themed specials menu for 59 CZK (they often do themed specials). It was thick and you could actually taste the pumpkin (unlike some other "pumpkin" dishes I've had in Prague restaurants).It was on the salty side, which V liked. I wished for a hint of sweetness, but that's just my personal taste.

During our long ago visit, I tried the Caesar salad (155 CZK).I didn't like it so much. It had spinach leaves in it, which didn't work on a number of levels. First, I wished it was just had Romaine lettuce in the classic style. Second, the spinach was past its prime and had lost all its crunch and become a bit rubbery. Third, there was too much dressing.

The boiled eggs were done perfectly, but they were also not what I'd expect on a Caesar. It's not that I'm against variation. I just didn't particularly like this version.

For a main course, V had wok stir fry with shrimp for 289 CZK (a particularly perverted photo).There were lots of veggies, lots of shrimp, and rice on the side. V liked it. I thought it was a bit too sweet, and I generally enjoy sweet dishes.

I got the lemon sole from the specials menu (318 CZK).The light, buttery fish was cooked in a lot of butter, and if you don't mind calories with your fish (and I don't), it was terrific. It came with some big pumpkin ravioli on the side. I wished for more.

There were also pickled beets on the plate. I didn't like these so much. They had a very earthy flavor that didn't please me.

Overall, a big thumbs up for this special. I've seen sole on other restaurant menus before, but rarely ordered it because the prices were so high. Mozaika's was a great deal.

On earlier visits, I've tried the restaurant's Angus beef burger (199 CZK). Some people rave about it.The hamburger was a hefty meal, even with the side salad instead of fries, but it's not among my favorites. The meat was very peppery, a little too much for me. It was served on a large spinach bread bun, which was OK.

I ordered it once with both bacon and cheese. When combined with the grilled onion, lettuce, and tomato, it turned into a gloppy mess and hit my stomach like a rock. Just too heavy for me.

In the past, I had a special dessert of a chocolate chili cake (99 CZK). It was a dense, death-by-chocolate style slice, accompanied by fresh orange wedges with all the skin removed.The chilies didn't assert themselves at first. The heat built up slowly. By the time I finished, there was considerable burn. I liked it.

The most recent dessert I tried was the chocolate souffle (109 CZK). It could have been great, but suffered from weak execution.First, there was way too much powdered sugar on top. Second, the center was mostly still liquid and only the outer edges had set. I understand some might like it this way, but to me, it was more like a fondant than a souffle. An unfinished work of art.

So, these dinners were a mixed bag -- some good, some not so good. Why, then, is Mozaika a favorite restaurant of ours?

The service is generally quite good and friendly, it is a nice looking place near our flat, and dishes like the sole and seared tuna and a few others put such big smiles on our faces for reasonable prices.

There are enough good deeds that a few naughty sins are overlooked or quickly forgotten.

Mozaika
Nitranská 13
Prague 3- Vinohrady
Tel. (+420) 224 253 011


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Bohemia Bagel Express - Closed

I heard the bad news earlier this week from a reader -- Bohemia Bagel Express at Tylovo náměstí is closing today.

I stopped by for a steak sandwich on Wednesday and the man behind the counter confirmed the news.

And an article in the Prague Daily Monitor today fills in the sad details.

It's a shame because they had good prices, a decent burger, steak sandwich, and chicken salad, and I could grab something on the way to work.

What they say about the importance of location is true. If the little food shack had only been on the other side of the park, next to the tram stops, it all might have turned out different.

Too bad I just wrote a long post about them so recently. And another one more than a year ago. Now, those posts get a "closing" tag, along with Bohemia Bagel at Újezd, Fuzion Cafe, Dinitz Cafe, Alexander's, Tiger Tiger, Valetta, and Picante.

Quite a list of casualties over the last 20 months or so. Tough times out there in restaurant land.

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Vermeer Restaurant (closed)

**April 12, 2009 Update: This restaurant near Jiřího z Poděbrad has closed down.

“If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it” Albert Einstein

A good Reuben sandwich in Prague?

Sounds absurd, but it's more than a hope. It's a reality.

I first heard about it from a few American foodies buzzing and raving about the sandwich at a brand new place called Vermeer.It's in Vinohrady, near the Jiřího z Poděbrad metro stop and Tram 10 and 16 stops. When I heard the Reuben news, I hustled over there as quick as I could.

I almost missed the sign with the name on one side of the outdoor seating.It was too cold to sit outside, so I headed down the stairs.There was a good looking space, with vaulted brick ceilings and lots of dark woodwork.There were three small dining rooms to chose from. The furniture was tasteful, comfortable, and good quality.There was another small space upstairs that they call "the bistro" with the same menu and light shining in the windows. But it was still under construction, so no pictures of that.

I got down to business and ordered my Reuben with steak fries. I grew up eating them, and still love them greatly. Perhaps more than any other sandwich. I've discovered a number of other Americans in Prague share my Reuben obsession.Vermeer's was made exactly as it should be -- corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Thousand Island (AKA Russian) dressing, on grilled rye bread. It was crunchy, salty, sweet, sour, buttery heaven.

I should note that when the restaurant first opened, the sandwich cost 185 CZK. Now, it is 235 CZK. But the last one I had did have more corned beef.

I met Vermeer's very friendly owner, George, and had a long discussion with him about Reubens and more. I asked where he found anything close to real corned beef in Prague. He told me he had a secret source who made it specially for him.

I said it wasn't exactly New York style, which are overstuffed with super tender meat. But I was just nitpicking. It's not like that anywhere else outside New York.

This Reuben was more than good enough to make me a regular. And for comparison, it was better than any Reuben I'd ever had in Atlanta, Georgia.

Three fellow Americans told me they loved it and that it was an authentic iteration. I also observed a Slovak woman trying one for the first time, and she said she really enjoyed it. Which was a good sign, because they are going to have to pull in more than just expats to make it.

George also told me they will be doing American style breakfast every morning from 7 a.m. He's Macedonian, but spent some years living and working in the USA and knows what should be on the menu.

I was impressed by what I saw: Eggs Benedict, pancakes, waffles, French toast, plus the usual variations of eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast. They'll even do an English breakfast.

Vermeer will have specially made bagels to go with their smoked salmon and Philly cream cheese. They won't come from Bohemia Bagel, which I tolerate but are too dense and chewy for me.

At the end of the meal, George gave me a complimentary piece of their homemade carrot cake (I didn't tell him who I was at that point).It wasn't Bakeshop Praha level, but hit the right basic notes, with a sweet and tangy cream cheese icing.

Someone else told me they struck up a conversation with George and also got a piece. He liked it so much, he ordered a whole one to take home.

I'd received a recommendation for the bacon cheeseburger with steak fries, so I ordered that on my second visit.I'd rank it near the top of all Prague burgers, with only a few small caveats.

First, let me say that this was a beautifully constructed burger. Construction means a lot.

It had perfect proportions of meat, grilled onions, sliced tomatoes, sliced pickles, bacon, and cheese. There was a little lettuce overhang, but nothing I couldn't deal with. They all sat on a large, fresh, toasted sesame seed bun.The ground beef had some seasoning. I'd say salt and pepper and at least one other spice I couldn't put my finger on. If I had to guess, I'd say cumin.

The patty was very juicy. Eventually, it did soak through part of the bun and was a bit messy to eat. This was a hard burger to put down, in more ways than one.

There was plenty of bacon, but it got a little lost in the mix of all the other toppings. I though the burger would benefit from a more assertive, smokier bacon. The small pickles were sliced the long way instead of in round slices. But again, I nitpick.

It was one of the largest burgers I've seen. A very filling meal, all by itself. It was 195 CZK when I first went, but now the price is north of 200 CZK.

On my third visit, I went for the club sandwich with steak fries (155 CZK).I've sampled a few around town, including at Cafe Louvre and Cafe Imperial. They were OK, but nothing special.

Vermeer's club sandwich was the real deal. The best I've had in Prague, without question. It was made with smoked turkey, bacon, lettuce (though not iceberg), tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and mayo. The ingredients were all good, especially the turkey, which is usually the downfall of club sandwiches in Prague.

It tasted just right.

But the construction and presentation were amazing. Again, everything was in the right proportion on double deccker white toast. I can't recall the last time I'd seen such stylized grill-marked toast.After the club sandwich, there were just so many other things I wanted to try.

Steaks? Quesadillas? Fried calamari? Caesar salad? Cobb salad? Savory and sweet crepes?

The scope and ambition of the menu had me concerned about the quality. But I'd already heard a rave about the chicken tikka masala. And the things I'd tried so far were all good.

Now, some people have accused me of being too American in my tastes. To them, I say, "Guilty as charged."

Which brings me to my fourth visit as I obsessively ate my way through the foods of my youth. I got the Monte Cristo sandwich with steak fries (175 CZK). Talk about a decadent meal.It was sliced turkey, bacon (instead of the more traditional ham), and cheddar cheese sandwiched between slices of bread dipped in egg (essentially French toast), which is then fried.

There was powdered sugar sprinkled on top and a strawberry compote on the side.

It was delicious, but let me warn you. I had one for lunch, had trouble finishing it, despite no breakfast, and I still wasn't hungry at dinner time.

I asked George why the restaurant is called Vermeer. To make a long story short, he fell in love with the Dutch painter's work and felt some creative inspiration from him. He even wants to add some Dutch cuisine to the menu.

Is Vermeer perfect? No, but the place just opened and a few small details needed to be ironed out.

The heat in one room hadn't kicked on so it was a bit chilly.The flowery font style on the menu was difficult to read in the low light. They played nice jazz music, but occasionally it got too loud.

The good news was that George was very open to all comments, feedback, and criticism and sounded like he aims to please.

And I was very pleased when he told me you can call ahead to order food to take out. I'm going to put the number in my phone.

What will I order most often from Vermeer? There were a lot of tempting choices, but you don't have to be an Einstein to answer that one.Vermeer Restaurant
U Vodárny 2
Prague 3 - Vinohrady
Tel. (+420) 222 516 992

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