Mood Restaurant

"The American mood, perhaps even the American character, has changed." Archibald MacLeish

If you're a native English speaker and you've lived in Prague for a long time, it can feel like a small village. If I don't know you, I bet I know someone you know.

This "One Degree of Separation" principle applies to expat American chef, Jeff Cohen. Our circles overlap slightly, and I've run into him a few times over the years.

Cohen was the opening chef and creator of the international menu at Artisan. It was well-regarded by many, including me. Then he worked in the kitchen at Kampa Group's Hergetova Cihelna. I had some very enjoyable meals there.

Now he's the head chef at the new Mood Restaurant. It's in the richly renovated boutique Hotel Voyage in Žižkov.

The good-looking building and brightly colored signage stand out on the otherwise rather dingy Koněvova street.

The interior has a pop art feel, with spare, modern furniture, more bright colors, and odd, eye-catching photos of toothy smiles on the walls.

I particularly liked wide-planked hard wood flooring. There is a rear dining area that is a little more woody when it comes to the chairs and tables than the front.

On the way there, you can take a look through a window into the brand new, ultra modern kitchen.

When the weather was warm, my favorite spot was the back terrace. You take in the greenery and watch the bikers, rollerbladers, and strollers gliding through the park under the Vitkov National Memorial.

On my first visit, I sat in front.

I drove my car since there is plenty of free, white line parking in front on weekends. Buses run near the restaurant, but it's a 10 minute walk to the nearest tram.

Because of the car, I was drinking water. They serve .25 liter bottles of Bonaqua (39 CZK). I wish they'd carry Mattoni instead.

I'd heard talk that burgers would be a specialty of this restaurant and I'd enjoyed Cohen's burger at Artisan. So, I ordered the Mood Classic Burger (215 CZK).

The thick patty, formed from a custom grind, sits on red and green lettuce, tomato, and red onion. On top rested two long, crispy slices of bacon.

There was no cheese, although this is available on the Jalapeno Cheddar Burger (235 CZK). I found out the toasted buns are custom-made for Mood at Bakeshop Praha.

I'll be frank, I think this is one of the top burgers in the Czech Republic. The top quality ground beef patty is hefty, wonderfully smoky from a lava grill, and just juicy enough, even though it was cooked almost well done (I asked for medium). The bun holds it all together like a champ.

The burger comes with little dishes of ketchup, mustard, and mayo. It always bugs me not to get a bottle of ketchup on the table. These small dishes never supply enough for both the burger and the fries. I wished the cool lettuce, tomato, and onion were on the top or the side, rather than under the hot meat.

These small details didn't put my love asunder. I have a very high opinion of the burger. For second point of view, I talked to a friend who also tried the Mood Classic Burger. He gave it a full on rave. He even went so far as to say that Mood's is better than the much-beloved burgers at The Tavern.

Do I agree? I'm going to wait until my end of the year burger ranking list to reveal my final decision on that.

On my second trip, I was on the terrace.

I began with a glass of homemade ice tea (60 CZK). It was lightly sweet and quite tart, with plenty of lime as well as fresh mint leaves. It was refreshing.

I tried a bowl of gazpacho (45 CZK). The tomato stood out, and there was a balance of salty and sour.

I wished for more flavor from other vegetables like cucumber. I also prefer a thicker texture like the gazpacho I had recently at La Terrassa.

I realize there are many ways to make this cold soup. This one was on the thin side. I'd point out that the gazpacho photo on Mood's website shows a soup that appears quite thicker.

Then I had the pineapple-soy marinated rib eye (365 CZK). This was a quality, very tender piece of beef.

Rib eyes are usually so tasty and easy to cut because they are also relatively fatty, so be prepared for that. I did ask for medium-rare, and it was cooked past that point.

Although I never met Cohen in Atlanta, I found out he was a chef at my favorite steak house, Houston's, at the same time I lived there. He told me this steak is modeled on their "Hawaiian," which I ordered regularly.

That one had a charred, sweet-salty, teriyaki-like crust on it from the marinade. The Mood version is saltier and dominated by the soy sauce, rather than pineapple juice. I assumed this was something of a concession to local tastes.

The green beans were fine -- hot but still crunchy and topped with chopped bacon. The mashed potatoes were creamy, buttery, and lovely. The lightly sweet and salty demi-glace sauce on the side was truly excellent. It was plate-licking good.

Although full, I felt it my duty to try a dessert. I ordered the bread pudding (110 CZK). This is one of the most decadent sweets you'll find around these parts.

The warm eggy bread was studded with pieces of chocolate. Then it was coated with quality caramel sauce, not the nasty, artificial kind.

If that were not enough, there was a homemade toasted marshmallow on the side. It was briefly flambéed and tasted like it just came off a stick over a campfire. Amazing.

On the third visit, I finally had a beer. They serve Pilsner Urquell on tap, but only in .33 liter glasses (39 CZK).

They also have tapped Krušovice Černé and non-alcoholic Bernard. My Italian companion had a fruity, dry .2 liter glass of Sauvignon (88 CZK).

I had the buffalo wings (95 CZK). They had a crispy skin, with tender, juicy meat underneath.

One can choose mild, medium, or hot. I chose medium, but they were so mild, I wished I went for maximum heat. There was a cheesy blue cheese sauce on the side with celery sticks. I wished for carrot sticks in there, too.

My date had the mussels (195 CZK).

We both thought the mollusks were not of the highest quality, some with a rubbery texture, some tasting less fresh than others. Hopefully that was a one-time problem or a sourcing issue.

I hope that gets fixed, because the sauce that went with these mussels was crazy good. It was one of the most buttery I can remember, so if you're on a diet, forget it. Also it had an almost lemon-like tartness that comes from reducing the serious amounts of white wine. I was soaking it up with bread, but had to stop because it was too rich for me.

For myself, I had the club sandwich (195 CZK).

It looks nice, but it didn't work for me. Double-decked white toast was layered with tomato, rucola, avocado, red onion, smoked turkey, and mayo.

You don't see it in the photo, but there was an overwhelming amount of very strong, raw, sliced onion. I picked a lot out, but since it mixed with the mayo, it was hard to get it all without a majorly messy operation. That said, I'm sure they'll make it without onions on request.

That wasn't the only issue. The smoked turkey breast, although quite smoky, tasted like the rubbery and insubstantial supermarket variety.

Although there is no law saying a club sandwich should have bacon, I'm one of those people who think there should be.

Good curly fries, though.

I had to go back one more time for no other reason than there were still several items on the menu that piqued my curiosity.

I started off with the tomato tartare (145 CZK). This I liked.

It had a healthy hit of basil and lime juice, which worked well to bring up the flavor of the tomato. There was a hint of shallot. On top were crunchy green beans mixed with cream and vinegar.

Last but not least, I went for the barbecued ribs (185 CZK). These were real baby backs and they were cooked just right.

The tender, silky pork peels off the little bones. No knife or fork required. You do get a water bowl with lemon on the table for washing up.

The ribs were coated with a thick, sweet sauce. It's an imported variety that Cohen jazzes up with molasses, brown sugar, and sambal chili sauce for a mild kick. Some might find the sauce too sweet or too generously applied. I didn't.

These small but satisfying racks come with coleslaw that, unlike some American versions, was on the savory side. That's a good thing, given the sweetness of the meat.

Since Cohen knows me, I did my best to sneak into the restaurant unnoticed. He often walks the floor of the dining rooms, so he usually found me half-way through the meals. I did take the opportunity to ask him detailed questions about what went into many dishes.

I had different waiters on two of the four visits. Service was always quite good. I leave it to others to judge whether I had a different experiences than regular guests.

Burgers, ribs, club sandwiches, wings, and rib eyes are available in many places around Prague. But a lot of the "American" food tastes decidedly un-American. Mood has an American-style menu designed by an American chef. And it tastes like it.

Of course, I wish every dish was a home run, especially with offerings that remind me of home. But more than enough of the food hit me in my strike zone -- especially that burger.

I'm sure I'm going to be in the mood for Mood again soon.

Mood Cafe - Bar - Restaurant
Koněvova 28/29
Prague 3 - Žižkov
Tel. (+420) 222 517 615

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James Dean

"I was just thinking of James Dean and Marilyn Monroe and how young they were when they died. I would like to be a pop icon who survives. I would like to be a living icon." John Travolta

In New York, I had a friend named Mike. He was a larger-than-life character with wildly improbable stories to tell.

Some of them were even true. One weekend, he spontaneously decided we should fire up his Honda Gold Wing and tour the diners of New England. So we did.

A required early stop on our way to Vermont was the Miss Worcester Diner in Massachusetts. This claustrophobic classic was built in 1948 by the Worcester Lunch Car Company and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

In other words, diner Mecca.

I love diner style and, more often than not, their generous portions of well-prepared American classics. So when I saw the diner-themed James Dean restaurant opened up earlier this month near Old Town Square, I was eager to try it out.

The central, high-traffic location has had lots of tenants over the years, most recently the Russian-oriented Fragola Project restaurant and club.

Like James Dean himself, the restaurant is eye-catching. The booths and big cushy chairs are wrapped in bright red and white vinyl.

The walls are decorated with air-brushed images and mosaics of both James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. They're a couple, it seems. Marilyn gets equal wall space if not equal billing.

In other words, diner Disneyland.

But it's not just for kids.

A cocktail bar serves drinks ranging from a Cosmopolitan (120 CZK) to a James Dean (170 CZK), which is Russian Standard vodka, Bols Peach Liqueur, lime juice,  banana juice, blueberry purée, and fresh orange juice. I'd rather have a Gimlet (105 CZK).

A motorcycle hangs from the ceiling.

There's a jukebox near the front door.

I didn't see it working, but the sound system plays 1950s classics like "Teen Angel," "Chantilly Lace" and, unfortunately, Alvin and the Chipmunks. I actually thought that most of the time, the music wasn't loud enough. It was often drowned out by the din of customers' voices.

On almost every visit, the place was full. That includes weekday and weekend nights. The seats at the bar were always taken, often by good-looking women. James Dean takes reservations, and many booths were booked ahead. It seemed like the place to be for the moment and they were turning people away.

Not only was it crowded, it was smoky. Smoking was allowed in most of the restaurant. There was a small non-smoking section, but it was not separated from the smoking section. It was not pleasant for this non-smoker.

On my first visit, I scored a small booth and ordered the bacon cheddar burger (195 CZK) along with a chocolate shake (80 CZK). The waitress looked at me like I was crazy.

"Those don't go together," she said, making a funny face.

"It's a pretty common combination in America," I replied.

"Oh, I see," she smiled, seeming like she had learned something. "OK!"

This burger could have been great.

The toasted bun was crispy and light, but sturdy. The bacon was perfectly cooked, smoky and really the best I've had on a burger in Prague. The real cheddar was nicely melted and top quality. The thin-cut red onion and tomato were fine. The red and green lettuce was not classic and not to my liking, but that was not the main problem for me.

By my standards, the meat was all wrong. The menu says "200 grams ground beef burger." This is not right. There was pork in there. There's a school of thought that says beef/pork mixes are OK. I say it's not OK. I'm a 100% ground beef person. Just add salt.

Whether it was the pork or a lower quality of beef, the texture of the patty was too dense and rubbery. It didn't necessarily taste bad, just wrong.

The James Dean bacon cheddar burger came with fries, but I was told later by a friend that fries would no longer be included. Either way, they were very greasy and not very many.

The chocolate shake was one of the worst I've had in Prague.

It was thin and milky, with not enough ice cream. The beverage was super-sweet, but there was almost no chocolate flavor at all.

Despite the caloric H-bomb I'd just consumed, I had room for one more thing: the blueberry waffle (95 CZK).

This is available for breakfast and doubles as a dessert.

The waffle, made with a relatively sweet batter, was hot, crisp and enjoyable. The blueberries from a jar and the whipped cream from a can were not so enjoyable.

The visit set me back 370 CZK.

James Dean does breakfast, which any self-respecting diner would do. It is served from 9 a.m. until noon. I got there right after opening and within an hour, the place was filling up.

I started with fresh-squeezed orange juice.

It was lightly sweet and tasted fine, but I prefer juice chilled. This was room temperature. On the menu, the price was listed as 33 CZK for .1 liter. They don't tell you that the juice is served in a .2 liter glass and you will be charged 66 CZK.

In other words, diners beware.

I had three scrambled eggs (85 CZK), bacon (35 CZK), and hash brown (20 CZK).

The eggs were cooked on the loose side and needed a shot of salt. I prefer them more firm, but that's just my personal taste. The disappointing hash brown was crispy but small and razor thin. The bacon was the highlight -- as lovely as it was on the burger.

I also got an order of sausage (35 CZK), which came out later.

They were meaty, mixed with herbs and spices, but they didn't taste particularly American or even British.

The breakfast came with free bread and a bottomless cup of American coffee.

This is certainly an eye-opener for Prague. I hate to look a gift mug in the mouth, but it was rather bitter and it came with a tiny pitcher of milk. I needed more.

This morning meal, which I did not find very substantial, cost me 241 CZK. It's a better deal to order the slightly smaller American breakfast for 160 CZK.

I went back for more evening fare. I sat at the bar and had a beer, a .4 liter glass of Krušovice (55 CZK).

Not a good brand and not a good price.

I had the 400 gram portion of pork ribs baked in black beer and chili sauce (185 CZK).

These were pretty good. There was very little fat. The meat was tender and pulled easily off the bones. There was some dryness around the edges. The sauce was good. It was homemade and not from a bottle.

I got a side order of coleslaw (40 CZK). I often think American-style slaw is too sweet. This version wasn't. Instead, I found it oddly salty.

I also had their onion rings (35 CZK).

The thick loops of onion had a tempura-like batter. They were super-greasy, under-fried, and bland.

Their chicken wings were offered either baked or fried. I asked for a fried order of eight (155 CZK).

They came with a light coating of barbecue sauce. Hot wing sauce was not offered. The meat was fresh, tasty and tender. But they didn't taste like classic fried wings to me. There was no crispness. They were almost too soft. Strangely, when I asked for some extra barbecue sauce, I was given a plastic squeeze bottle of run-of-the-mill bottled sauce.

The wings came with the requisite raw carrots, celery, and an extra thick, very blue cheesy dip.

Looking for something to love, I went again and tried their club sandwich (195 CZK). This was closer to what I was hoping for.

It's turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheddar, Swiss cheese, and mayo on white toast. I question the need for two cheeses, but it was a big meal with fries and it was my favorite item on the menu..

I also had a glass of the homemade mint iced tea (55 CZK).

I only tasted a little mint and little else. It was disappointing for the price.

Finally, I had a chocolate cake for dessert.

The slice was dense and fudgy, with a caramel-like filling between the layers. I don't know who made it, but I liked it.

One way to burn off all the calories is to hit the dance club downstairs. I thought they might go with a 1950s theme, but they went a different way completely.

The club, which plays a lot of later rock classics, is an almost exact faux grunge copy of Harley's Bar, which is just a few steps down the road.

There were a few differences. James Dean has $1 bills papering the wall and a scantily clad cage dancer.

It was too early to tell if the place will also have Harley's licentious bartenders and free-wheeling, drunken dancing on the tables ethos.

Overall, James Dean doesn't win any awards in my book. I've heard there is at least one American involved, but it seems to me that a decision was made to cater to Czech or non-American tastes.

Who am I to argue? The early heavy traffic indicates the style and perhaps the substance were pulling people in.

Maybe the short, electric blue and pink 1950s style dresses worn by the waitresses also help. I just hope the service improves after the many hiccups I experienced in their first weeks.

I went for five solo visits, but I'm not in a big hurry to go back. If I crave American-style burgers, ribs, and shakes, I'd rather go to the Hard Rock Cafe or even TGI Friday's. If I want a real American breakfast, I'll go to Bohemia Bagel in Holešovice. Like them or not, they all do a better job with the food.

Naming a restaurant after a Hollywood icon and plastering it with his photos immediately communicates what the place wants to be. I just think, given the quality of the food, it would more fitting if they called it John Travolta.

James Dean
V Kolkovně 1
Prague 1 - Old Town
Tel. (+420) 606 979 797

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Hard Rock Cafe - Prague

"Any problem you can't solve with a good guitar is either unsolvable or isn't a problem." Unknown

Perhaps it will hurt my expat street cred, but I confess my interest was immediately tweaked when I heard a Hard Rock Cafe was opening in Prague.After all, I am an American guitar player with a penchant for good hamburgers. I fall into a very specific demographic niche.

Just days after Prague's Hard Rock started doing business, I went to the restaurant on Malé náměstí, just off Old Town Square. They converted the old V.J.Rott building, with its neo-Renaissance façade, into the familiar, music-themed restaurant.Within the establishment's 1900 square meters are three levels and two bars. The platform behind the downstairs bar can be turned into a stage for live acts.This location is considered the largest Hard Rock Cafe in Europe.

When I arrived, I was directed up the stairs, past old wood paneling and a painting from the building's past life.V was not interested in joining me, so I was dining solo. Sometimes, when you eat by yourself, you get the feeling you aren't a valued customer.Unfortunately, this was one of those times. The place was barely half full, and they directed me to one of the worst tables in the house.

It was next to the swinging doors of the kitchen. So, I can report they have white-tiled walls in there. This area also turned out to be a rather hectic meeting spot for the many servers.

In the opposite direction, the table did have a good view of the five meter-long guitar-shaped chandelier and the bar on the floor below."Are you eating alone?" the smiling waitress asked.

"Yes, just me."

"Awww." She made a sad face. "Really?"

"Just me. You can join me if you want," I said. So, she did. Cute.

We talked for a minute about where I was from and whether I was enjoying Prague.

"So far, it's been pretty good," I said.

Her name was Tereza, and I was her first customer. She was very nice and not in a scripted, corporate way. Refreshing.

It's understandable she thought I was a visitor. After a good look at the prices, I realized tourists are probably the target customer rather than long-term expats. I'd also note that I couldn't find a Czech language version of the restaurant's website.

Our enjoyable tête-à-tête concluded after I ordered a bacon cheeseburger (280 CZK) and a chocolate shake (120 CZK).

Now, I've studied the burgers all over Prague. This one was excellent.I'd call it the second best in the city (I'll tell you my favorite in a moment).

The top-quality meat was flame-grilled. This is key in my book. There was American-style bacon and cheese, plus lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion. The bun was perfectly toasted.

The fries came with a little skin on them. But they were just barely warm.

For the record, I'd say the best bacon cheeseburger in Prague is at Bohemia Bagel in Holešovice. It is very large, flame-grilled, with more bacon and a slightly better bun. It edges out the win for my affections even before you add the fact that it is only 155 CZK, fries included.

Then, it's no contest.

The Hard Rock's chocolate shake, topped with whipped cream, was extremely thick.The generous amount of chocolate ice cream was nice, but it wasn't mixed well. It was too thick to drink.

You can quote me on this: I sucked really hard. The flimsy straw failed to maintain structural integrity and collapsed. I had to wait a while for the ice cream to melt before I could partake.

Over the loud music, Tereza told me that ice water was free. I like the bubbly stuff, so I ordered soda water, thinking for some reason that would be free, too.My mistake, but it cost 60 CZK. That's more than a half-liter of Staropramen, which is only 50 CZK.

So, the bill for this trip was 460 CZK. It was a good, classic American meal, with a fun and fast waitress. I was quite full. But I considered it a steep price to pay for a burger, shake, fries, and water.

My curiosity levels about other offerings was still high, so I went back the next night. By myself. And they tried to give me the exact same table again. Which I refused.

It felt like that scene from "Animal House," where the rich fraternity boys repeatedly direct the two misfit pledges, the hapless Larry Kroger and Kent Dorfman, to the room for social outcasts.

On this second visit, I ordered their famous Hickory-smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich (250 CZK).It came with fries, baked beans, and coleslaw.

I had a pretty young-looking guy as a waiter this time. He told me the pulled pork came with a choice of barbecue or a vinegar sauce. The latter sounded more unusual and intriguing. I asked for that.

When I took the first bite, two things happened.

First, half the pork fell out of the bun onto the plate. It was a huge amount of meat. Plan on using a knife and fork at some point.

Second, the super sour vinegar and slaw hit the back of my throat, and I had to stifle a serious cough.

Man, that was strong stuff. I made sure there was much less of it in each bite.

The pork itself was shredded and tender. I love smoked meat, but I couldn't detect much in the way of smoke flavor.

The beans were quite sweet. I ended up pouring them on top of the pork. Maybe I'd have been happier with the barbecue sauce.

The fries were properly cooked and delivered much hotter than those on the first visit. The little ramekin of coleslaw was nothing special.

The Hard Rock Cafe has a cocktail menu with lots of pretty pictures. I decided to try a couple.

First, I had a Golden Rita, AKA a margarita (180 CZK). It was made with Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila, Triple Sec, and Hard Rock Margarita mix.It came in a classic margarita glass and was strong. However, for the money, I was expecting something a little more... impressive. I wished the glass was filled a little higher.

I prefer my margaritas on the sour side. This one was too bland for my taste, even after I squeezed in all the juice from a thick lime slice. I suppose it could appeal to more middle of the road tastes.

I asked the waiter for extra ice. It never came. In fact, he disappeared for a long time. When I wanted a second cocktail, a waitress noticed my forlorn look and took my order.

I went for the Mojito (130 CZK).Bartenders tell me this is the most popular cocktail in Prague, by far. And I've had more than my share for comparison.

I thought this one was just bad. It was intensely sweet, almost syrup-like.

I usually find mojitos refreshing, but this candy-like cocktail really dragged me down. I'd urge them to change their recipe.

Suffice it to say, I was in no mood for dessert.

The bill for this second visit totaled 560 CZK. The majority of the tab was for the two drinks.

I felt I had to return one more time. There was one more thing I wanted to try. I went for an early lunch right after they opened at 11:30 AM.

This time, the greeter asked me if I'd like to sit at the downstairs bar. I said no, so he then told me to pick any table I wanted.

I had a very earnest and friendly waiter named Kevin from Sweden. Then, I saw my old friend, Tereza, and we had a good chat about life in the restaurant business. Since there were few other customers, they both kept me company and made sure I had everything I needed.

I ordered the Hickory-Smoked Bar-B-Que Ribs (390 CZK). They came with fries, baked beans, and coleslaw.The rack had a number of positives going for it. The meat had some char to it along with the smoky flavor I'd been looking for. It was also quite lean. I liked their sauce. It was not too sweet and had a nice tang.

However, there is a downside to lean ribs. They were not as tender as I expected. The menu says the meat falls off the bone, but I had to use a knife and pull pretty hard to get them apart.

I also thought they should have been hotter. Like many restaurant ribs, these had to be cooked mostly in advance. That's how they can come out 10 minutes after you put in your order. It was a lot to eat and the ribs lost a lot of their warmth by the end of the meal.

Now, there is a strain of thought that restaurants shouldn't be reviewed until they've been opened a while. But I reject that.

I know the realities of new operations, but my feeling is that I'm paying the same prices that people will pay six months from now. They should be firing on all cylinders from the start.In the end, I concluded I did not really belong in the Hard Rock Cafe's target demographic.

On my way out, I browsed past the restaurant's guitar collection. Instruments used by REO Speedwagon, Seether, and Asia didn't do too much for me.

But I must admit I was awed by what is probably the most prized item. On the stairway was Bob Dylan's well-worn Gibson acoustic/electric guitar, along with a hand-written set list written by the man himself.I stared into the display case and, for a long moment, I forgot about my problems with issues like the prices, the mojito, and the waiter who forgot about me.

It's amazing what a good guitar can do.

Hard Rock Cafe
Dům U Rotta
Malé náměstí 3
Prague 1
Tel. (+420) 224 229 529

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