Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Coffee Heaven at Muzeum (Closed)

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Hamlet" by William Shakespeare
Who would've dreamt you'd find sushi in Prague's Muzeum metro station?

Not me.

But it's true. You can now get raw fish at a new Coffee Heaven outlet at the top of Wenceslas Square.

This chain has been expanding in Prague, though this is one of the smallest ones I've seen. It's not much bigger than a closet. But it's hard to miss with their bright blue neon sign.There's just enough room inside for a refrigerator case and a service counter. Don't even think about sitting down somewhere.I saw the sushi on my first visit. There was very little to choose from.

The price tag of 198 CZK for a very small box gave me pause, but curiosity got the better of me.

It came with three pieces of salmon nigiri and four salmon avocado maki. It came with a little plastic, fish-shaped bottle of soy sauce, a package of wasabi, some pickled ginger, and chopsticks.The good news was that the fish was fresh. Also, the avocado in the maki was soft and ripe. On the downside, the rice had no real flavor, and I could hardly taste the soy sauce, despite squirting the whole tube on everything.

Not bad, but I still had a big hunger after spending the big money.

I also bought a fajita wrap for 89 CZK to eat later at work. Again, not cheap for what you get.

The bag said heat me, so I did.

The tortilla is filled with beef, refried beans, onions, and jalapenos.The beef was very tough and a bit too salty, but still tasted OK. The jalapenos lacked sourness and a spicy kick. But, I still kind of liked it and would get it again.

Why? Because I love refried beans.


One afternoon, there was a special -- two sandwiches for the price of one. I got a fajita wrap and also decided to try the toasted mozzarella and prosciutto panini. Big mistake.

It took a long time to toast, so I was standing around for quite a while. Even worse, I took one bite and realized the prosciutto was... aged. It tasted horrible. I threw it out after one bite.

I went back another time and picked up the turkey wrap for 79 CZK.

The microscopic writing on the package said it has turkey breast, mayo, sour cream, iceberg lettuce, rucola, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.


It was pretty boring. The turkey was bland, there was a miniscule amount of rucola, and I didn't see any tomato at all. It wasn't very filling, either.

I'm not a big coffee drinker, so I didn't have any. But V enjoys stopping there for a cup when she can, even though it is expensive by Prague standards.

So, Coffee Heaven doesn't win any awards on the value for money front. Most of their offerings don't add up to a complete lunch for someone like me.

But for those who have sworn off McDonald's and KFC, it is a convenient and slightly healthier choice (if you don't get an old panini).

I wish there were more quick, quality options in the area. But I guess I'll have to keep on dreaming.

Coffee Heaven
Muzeum Metro Station
Wenceslas Square
Prague 1

6 comments:

Ondra said...

always wanted to go there but...wait, I have no real reason why I've never been to Coffee Heaven :)
the price is still better than Cafe Emporio or Enzo...

Anonymous said...

here's some basic info.. anyone who regards himself/her as a decent sushi eater, WILL NOT, will not buy sushi in a box, unless is a fresh delivery sort of thing... when you refrigerate the rice the flavor is gone, is just not the same anymore ... and by the way i've been pondering about setting up a small sushi place for takeout only.. like you said on that area ...but..

Brewsta said...

Ahhh, don't be so absolutist. If the choice is McDonald's, KFC, or sushi in box, I'll go for the fish. Bad rice and all.

I'd love to see a small sushi place open up in the same area. Problem is almost every sushi place charges at least 70 CZK a piece and that's even too rich for my blood for a workday lunch.

Unknown said...

Hey Brewsta, love your blog, read it for the past couple of months, courtesy of Pan Cuketka, yet this is my first comment.

Why? Since I think you might have missed the sushi taketout place at Vodičkova tram station, inside the Světozor vestibule. It's really not that bad, priced accordingly, and the only downside I can think of is that the owner still doesn't offer a decent nigiri/maki combo that is not overpriced.

Anyways, worth a try! It is so bloody difficult to get good sushi in Prague without giving up a hefty percentage of your salary...

Brewsta said...

Thanks Pavel.

I've walked by and seen that place -- though I must admit I forgot about it. I think I glanced at the prices and wasn't thrilled, but that's the way it is in Prague.

I wish we had cheap boxed sushi like they have in Asian shops in Paris (whatever purists might say).

For me, it is just that I pass by the top of Vaclavak much more often than Vodickova.

Anonymous said...

It is still hard to get good fresh quick food in CZ. I come from Brno, there the best option is Giraffy but they do only food delivery.