NOTE: Kogo name has been removed from the signs on this restaurant. It is now just called Duplex (April 2011)
"I don't want to belong to any club that will accept people like me as a member." Groucho MarxNine years ago, Kogo in Slovanský dům was one of my favorite restaurants in Prague.

But that all changed years ago.
The prices went up, the quality was inconsistent, and the regular clientele of tourists, business people, and nouveau riche Czechs got on my nerves. I haven't been there in a long time.
But when Kogo opened a new location in the Duplex night club at the top of a building on Wenceslas Square, I was curious.

The entrance to the restaurant, which also leads to Duplex, might not be obvious to those not in the know.

It let us out near the coat check for the club. It's an area done up in black and white, with some funky decorative touches.



What I liked most was the terraces. One looked out over Wenceslas Square.


I felt like starting out with a beer. I was surprised that they only had .33 liter Pilsner Urquell bottles for a rather steep price of 69 CZK.

It's beyond me why they'd offer just those two options of the same beer. Who would order a more expensive bottle instead of a draft if was available? I can only speculate that it's often not available.
We received some bread.

For starters, I had the rucola salad with Gorgonzola and pear (210 CZK).

It was good, but small for the price. For this type of salad, I much prefer Osteria da Clara's scamorza, Parma ham, fresh pear, walnuts, rucola, and radicchio. And what a contrasting bargain at just 115 CZK.
Mr. Big had the mix of Italian meats and cheeses (180 CZK).

We decided to switch to wine and got a bottle of Vranac from Plantaže in Montenegro (545 CZK).

For a main course, I wanted the ravioli filled with seafood (230 CZK). But it was not available. Instead, I got the ravioli with spinach and ricotta (210 CZK).

I thought it was great. Inside the al dente pasta pouches was fresh, still leafy spinach with just a light amount of cheese. On top, the sauce was rich with the flavor of fresh tomato and basil. There was fresh mozzarella on top. It was one of the best raviolis I've had in a long time.
Mr. Big had the tagliatelle with shrimp, zucchini, and fresh tomato (230 CZK).

I'm a chocoholic, so I ordered what the waiter called a "chocolate fondant." (80 CZK).

It had a very uniform shape that looked a lot like the frozen kind I buy at Marks & Spencer. Which are reasonably good, but not what I'd expect at a restaurant like this. And unlike the M&S cakes, this one, though warm, had no chocolate melting out of it. The fresh cream on top was a nice touch, though.
I went back for a second visit by myself, arriving at 7:15pm on a Saturday. I was the only customer for the entire meal. For 30 minutes, three waiters circulated around me, wiping the spots off wine glasses with cloth napkins. I wondered why that couldn't be done earlier, but it did make me feel less alone.
I felt like sampling a cocktail, so I ordered a mojito (119 CZK).

It was well-mixed with no sugar at the bottom. It was not too sweet and had a good amount of lime. I'd only say there could have been more mint, and it was a little too jam-packed with ice. The second round had more mint and less lime, so they could work on consistency.
I wanted to order a grilled octopus starter, but it wasn't available. Instead, I got the tuna tartare (210 CZK).

My initial impression was that it smelled a little too fishy. It was also too salty, perhaps to cover its less than pristine character. I drenched it in lemon juice, and that rendered it much more acceptable.
For my main course, I got my old Kogo favorite, the risotto frutti di mare (250 CZK).

There was a good haul of seafood in there. Some of the many mussels were excellent, but a couple were slightly off. The whole, baby calamari were very fresh. There were some microscopic shrimp, but they did taste fine. The big tiger shrimp on top was the best -- cooked just right, with great flavor.
The rice itself had fresh parsley, but I wished for more. I also thought it could use a heavier shot of wine. The over all flavor was flatter and less complex than the best versions I've had of this dish. Still, I'd get it again.
Interestingly, I was served fresh, grated Parmesan cheese with the risotto.

The bill for this visit was 708 CZK, with the cocktails accounting for 238 CZK of that.
As I was leaving, three customers entered. There was a man with hair gel, white pants, tinted glasses, and a light, white cotton hoodie. With him were two women in heavy make-up, spandex, and clunky high-heels that made Chinese foot-binding look like a walk in the park.

On that level, I generally liked it. But the atmosphere was a different matter.
It felt cold and empty, even when dining at 10:30 p.m. And while the terrace looked inviting while empty, I had to consider the possibility of sharing it with the interesting assortment of humanity that night clubs tend to attract.
That's all well and good if you feel comfortable in that type of crowd. Just speaking for myself, I don't think it's my kind of club.
Kogo Duplex
Wenceslas Square 21
Prague 1
Tel: (+420) 732 221 111

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