Sami Grill

"I shall make that trip. I shall go to Korea." Dwight Eisenhower

I've never been to Korea. I've rarely even eaten Korean food. One of the few times was at Hanil in Prague, which we usually go to for sushi.

So I barely know kimchi from bibimbap.

Still, I was intrigued when I saw that Sami Grill opened up in the Vinohrady space formerly occupied by the Thai restaurant, Tiger Tiger.The interior was changed with new lighting and a white and light green color scheme. It was too bright for us.They have special tables with built-in gas grills imported from Korea.

There was another unique feature. The tables have buttons you can push to call the waitress. Push it and you hear an electronic "ding-dong" in the other room.We had two half-liters of Krušovice (40 CZK each) and a .33 liter bottle of Mattoni mineral water (40 CZK).The menu had no real appetizer section to speak of so we went straight to the main event.

We really wanted to try out the grill. I took a peek under the protective stainless steel cover.There were a few pieces of charcoal, with flames fueled by a built-in gas can with a control knob.

V asked for the duck, but was told it was not available. She didn't want the pork, so she ended up ordering the pricey grilled rib eye (390 CZK).

The unmarinated meat was well-marbled. The waitress cooked it on the grill along with mushrooms, onions, and garlic.It was a somewhat awkward procedure.

We were given side dishes. There was a dish with bean sprouts, kimchi, another kind of pickled cabbage, and a little seaweed salad.There was another little dish with sesame oil and a very salty soy sauce-flavored paste.And there was a salad with a lot of onions and what tasted like a rice vinegar dressing. The waitress said there was wasabi in it, but I didn't really taste it.The beef itself? I'd be hard-pressed to identify it as rib eye in a taste test. It wasn't tough, but it wasn't rib eye tender, either.

The flavor was pretty unremarkable. Disappointing. I dipped it in the salty soy sauce paste or the sesame oil to keep it interesting. The vegetables were only lightly fried and had nothing special going on.

When they said it was grilled over charcoal, I was really looking forward to that smoky taste. It wasn't there.

When the food was removed later, I saw that the charcoal under the grill had barely burned at all. The food was mostly cooked by the gas flame and the heated ceramic blocks.

I ordered the bulgogi (280 CZK), which a table next to us recommended. I had, in fact, heard of this dish before. I have a friend from L.A. who has spoken of his love for it.

It was brought to the table raw.There were onions, carrots, mushrooms, and sesame seeds mixed in with marinated beef.

The waitress/chef threw it all into the wok at the table and fried it up. The beef was not the highest quality, but it was pounded hard and shredded to the point that it achieved a certain tenderness.It tasted pretty good, but perhaps it was a little too sweet. As I was eating and thinking this, I realized it would have been much better with rice. It did not come with any, and none was suggested.

Halfway through. I ordered a side of rice (35 CZK), and it really helped. However, it brought the price of this course up to 315 CZK, which was really more than I thought it was worth.

Whether it was a good iteration of this dish, I don't know. I have nothing to compare it to. Perhaps a Korean foodie can say. It was nice, but didn't excite me enough that I'd dreaming of having it again.

The service was friendly, but chaotic. The waitress/chefs were moving in and out of the rooms, alternately stirring the food in a wok, clearing plates from another table, running out, coming back, taking an order, and then stirring some more.

The cooking was not getting the attention it deserved. I also had trouble getting clear descriptions of the food from the waitresses.

There was also a humorous moment.

A couple in the same small room as us didn't like the bright lighting, either. They realized they were sitting next to the dimmer switch and turned it down to a more romantic level.

They looked over at us, wondering if it was OK, and we encouraged them to leave it low.

We all had a little laugh.

A short while later, the waitress came in, took care of some things, and walking by the dimmer on her way out, pushed the lighting all the way back up again.

We all had a big laugh.

Our final bill was 825 CZK without tip.

They bring some complimentary pealed apple slices with it.

One could certainly eat more cheaply by avoiding the rib eye (which I would).

But it wasn't so cheap for basically two courses, a couple of beers, and a water.

There are several other places that combine Japanese and Korean cuisine. A real Korean food expert will have to tell you how Sami Grill compares.

The Prague Post critic brought one for a meal there, and the review had a more positive perspective on the place.

We were on our own. I can relate our experience as Korean food novices.

Sami Grill wasn't bad, but nothing special for us.

I shall probably not make that trip again.

Sami Grill
Anny Letenské 5
Prague 2
Tel. (+420) 222 524 666

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Mirellie in Dejvice

"Originality is nothing but judicious imitation. The most original writers borrowed one from another." Voltaire

Kogo in Slovanský dům was once one of our favorite restaurants. Eight years ago, we were there just about every week.

We still like it once in a while, but these days, it's just too expensive to be a regular habit. Our current favorite is Osteria da Clara.

Last week, a colleague told me about a new Mediterranean place in Dejvice, called Mirellie.The guy lived in Italy for many years. Now, he lives across the street from the restaurant. He's happy with his new neighbor.

As if this information wasn't enough to entice me, he added that former Kogo people were working there. And it was not expensive. We invited a couple of friends to join us -- Jersey Girl and J.

Mirellie took over the space vacated by Monsoon, an Asian restaurant I always wanted to try but never did. To be honest, the high prices put me off.

The style of Mirellie's two dining areas reminded me a little of Kogo's café in Slovanský dům and their other restaurant, L'Angolo by Kogo.The rooms are filled with browns and beiges, familiar cylindrical lamp shades, and dark wood floors.Some of the furniture was held over from Monsoon -- but it was nice stuff. Very comfortable chairs.A former Kogo waiter knew us as regulars from back in the day. We got a big smile. Or maybe V did. She asked him if there was a connection between the restaurants, but he said no. They were on their own.

We started with a few of beers. They don't have the greatest options.

We had .3 liter glasses of Krušovice Mušketýr (30 CZK).

The stemmed, gold-rimmed glasses were classy, but like Kogo, they don't have larger ones.

The only other beers offered are Heineken (40 CZK) and Claustahler (45 CZK).

We got a basket of focaccia -- actually pizza bread with olive oil, salt, and herbs -- fresh from the oven.It was nice. If you want really heavenly, warm focaccia before a meal, try Osteria's.

For a starter, I had the chef's tuna tartare (165 CZK). For the money, there was a serious mound of fish.It was cut into small cubes, which sat on rucola leaves. The tuna was very nicely marinated in olive oil and lemon, with cracked pepper and capers. The cherry tomatoes were bursting with flavor. Excellent.

V ordered the octopus salad with parsley potatoes (155 CZK). The sliced-up suckers were cold and fresh.The potatoes, mixed with raw onion, rucola, and tomatoes, had a light soaking in vinegar for added flavor. V thought the potatoes could have been cooked a little more.

Jersey Girl went for the rucola and artichoke salad (130 CZK).Pretty basic. Great if you are into artichokes. Not a lot more I can say.

J got a bowl of the fish soup (90 CZK).He called it "hearty" and "well-stocked with fish." There were also a few mussels thrown in. He said he liked it, but thought it could use a little more pepper.

The other soups were only 50-60 CZK. D, an Internet foodie friend wrote me to say that he really liked the Minestrone. He added that he thought they should use a better bread for the bruschetta. But overall, he was pleased with the place.

We decided to share some red wine and ordered a bottle of 2005 Rinaldone dell'Osa, a Morellino de Scansano, which comes from southern Tuscany (460 CZK).

Yes, we had red with seafood.

It was a dry, crisp little wine. Nothing to write home about, but we all enjoyed it.

For a main course, V got her Kogo favorite -- linguine with half a lobster, shrimp, mussels and zucchini (245 CZK).She liked it just as much as the Kogo version. The biggest difference? Kogo's costs 490 CZK.

The linguine was quite flavorful. On the other hand, I had a bite of the lobster's claw and thought it was over-cooked -- a problem often found in Kogo's lobster. V assured me the tail, which she did not share, was much better.

I did something similar to V -- ordering my Kogo favorite -- risotto ai frutti di mare (185 CZK).It was a big, filling portion. It looked very similar to the one from across town. But I have to say Kogo's (295 CZK) is usually much better.

Mirellie's didn't have the right, chewy consistency of proper risotto. Unfortunately, the bands of calamari were too chewy, and the shrimp were on the tough side. Overcooked.

The mussel shells were a reasonable size, but the meat within was microscopic. I wished for more fresh parsely. In summary, I'll try something else next time.

Jersey Girl had a Margherita pizza (99 CZK).She liked it, but said a recent trip to Naples lowered her opinion of every other pizza on the planet. She was dreaming of the thinner, crispier, more ethereal crusts.

I had a slice toward the end of the meal. For me, sauce is a key factor in pizza appreciation, and this one was good. And there was lots of it. Well-seasoned, if a bit salty.

Unfortunately, after sitting a while on the table, the slice had lost all crispness. JG assured me it was much better right after it arrived fresh from the oven.

J ordered the tagliatelle alla matriciana (145 CZK). He enjoyed it but was surprised by its spicy kick.The menu does say it has chili peppers. According to my research, black or chili pepper is not part of the classic recipe, but can be added according to personal taste.

We were all too full for dessert. The meal ended coffee and then complimentary glasses of limoncello came to our table.

A sweet enough finish.

Service was impeccable throughout. Very friendly. Very efficient.

It may well have been because the waiter knew us. It did feel like seeing an old friend. So, I can't say if others will have the same experience, service-wise.

The meal wasn't perfect, but on the value for money side, it's hard to beat.

J even said he's going to replace Aromi with Mirellie as his favorite Italian dining spot.

That's quite an endorsement, considering he lives walking distance to Aromi.

We'll be back, as well. V is in Prague 6 quite often, and it would be a great place to stop for lunch.

Yes, Mirellie appears to judiciously borrow quite a lot from Kogo in terms of modern style, and Mediterranean cooking. But Mirellie's prices are more like Kogo's circa 2001.

Imitating all that in 2009 makes this restaurant something of an original.

Mirellie Mediterranean Restaurant
V.P. Čkalova 14
Prague 6 - Dejvice
Tel. +420 222 959 999

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U bílé krávy - At the White Cow

"Cloquet hated reality but realized it was still the only place to get a good steak." Woody Allen

I really don't like Czech beef.

I find most cuts extremely tough and lacking flavor.

When we want quality in Prague, we usually go to El Barrio de Angel.

They serve tender Argentinian beef cooked over a flame grill.

Almost a year ago, I wrote about their great rib eye.

El Barrio is a little cheaper and a lot less pretentious and hectic than La Casa Argentina where I had a fine steak and bad service a long while back.

Anyway, I recently picked up a recommendation to try U bílé krávy.It's a modest little place with modest prices just behind the National Museum at the top of Wenceslas Square.

On my first visit, I walked down the stairs into the reasonably rustic restaurant. Just a couple of tables and a bar in the front room.There was a hallway and then another small room.I'd guesss there were around 10 or 12 tables altogether.

There was plenty of country kitsch decorating the dining area.The waiter brought fresh, sliced baguettes with butter mixed with red pepper.

Be aware that there is a 30 CZK cover charge per person.

The waiter was quite a character. He spoke very good English, but was somewhat abrupt.

Then, V showed up after a few minutes, and his gruff exterior melted away. For the rest of the meal, he was all charm and humor. Very efficient.

I started off with a beer. They have Krušovice Mušketýr on tap (38 CZK). Not my favorite, but this one was pretty good. The right temperature and carbonation.For an appetizer, I got the baked goat cheese with honey and walnuts (135 CZK).A little expensive, considering its simplicity and that it came on what I'd call Tesco toast.

This bothered me at first, but overall, I have to admit I did enjoy it. The combination of warm, tangy cheese with honey made me forget issues like presentation and cheap white bread. And hey, goat cheese ain't cheap these days.

V ordered the escargot on red wine (168 CZK). There was a generous portion of snails.V said they were not her favorite, with a strong garden-like, earthy flavor. She did enjoy the sauce, which she said reminded her of coq au vin.

At this point, I'll note that the Internet version of the menu, as of this writing, is out of date. Some of the prices were off by about 15 CZK.

Also, the Internet menu listed sauces like demi-glace, which I love. But I asked the waiter, and it was no longer available.

For a main course, I ordered the 200 gram Charolais filet (310 CZK) with a side of fries (45 CZK).I was hoping for real French-style frites, but they were just regular steak-fries like those you get at the supermarket.

I asked for medium-rare, but I'd say it came out straight-up rare.The quality of the meat was excellent. I was surprised how tender it was.

However, the flavor was lacking on a number of levels. I wished for more of a smokey taste from the grill. It needed salt. And it came with a one-dimensional, rather sour wine sauce.

I came away from the meal feeling that there was potential. I wanted to try something different, hopefully better.

So, I returned with two friends for another meal.The service the second time around was less efficient and less friendly. We had different, younger waiters. We had trouble getting their attention.

I couldn't help but think that it would be better if V was with us.

I ordered the Charolais entrecote with wine and shallots (270 CZK). On the side, I had the Lyonais onion cake 50 CZK).This steak was the opposite of my first. It had more flavor from the grill and the sauce was a little more subtle.

However, the meat was also relatively tough. One side was lean and dense and hard to cut. The other side had more fat and more tasty and tender. I was unhappy to find that it was barely warm.

The cheesy onion cake was dried out. It had a mealy texture. It had seen better days. And strangely, again, I still liked it. A freshly prepared one is probably even better.

One of my comrades, the G-man, had the faux filet, also known as sirloin, with a mushroom cream sauce (275 CZK) and potatoes au gratin (55 CZK).I had a taste of his beef. It looked and tasted almost exactly the same as my entrecote. The mushroom sauce would have been good, except most of it was cold.

Dan the Man got the Steak Classic with herb butter (260 CZK) and Brussel sprouts (38 CZK).I did not try his. I asked him if he liked it. He gave a half-shrug.

Dan is a man who, unlike me, doesn't get deeply expressive about food. But I've known him for years, and I understand his non-verbal communication fairly well.

Translation: "Whatever. Nothing special. Leave me alone."

I had high hopes for this restaurant.

I'd heard they had some of the best steaks in Prague.

To be fair, people have different expectations, as well as different experiences on any given night.

But my expectations had me dreaming of savoring this great hidden spot just a few step behind the National Museum with steaks for less than 300 CZK.

Alas, that was just a dream.

For me, U bílé krávy could have been so much better with more attention in the kitchen on preparation, presentation, and flavor.

It did not make the cut, so to speak, for a return visit.

If you want to get a good steak dinner there, I have a feeling that, like Cloquet, you are going to hate reality.

U bílé krávy
Rubešova 10
Prague 2 - Vinohrady
Tel. (+420) 224 239 570

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Restaurant Vikárka

"Thieves respect property. They merely wish the property to become their property that they may more perfectly respect it."

-G.K. Chesterton

You've survived a forced march over uneven, cobblestone roads. You've stormed the castle and viewed Prague from its ramparts.

Then, after a long day on thin rations, there's an attack.

The hunger.

You've heard the warnings from traveling troubadours: Danger lurks outside the historic walls of Hradčany.

Legions of rogue restaurants lie in wait. You face the very real possibility they will treat you like a serf, serve up glorified gruel, and levy charges for each crust of bread you eat. Or didn't eat.

Short of self-defenestration, how can you avoid this terrible fate?

It is a prime tourist zone I rarely visit myself, so even I struggle to answer this question.

But I recently visited a restaurant that had good food, a good atmosphere, a little bit of history, and very little highway robbery.

Best of all, it is within the walls of Prague Castle.

I'm talking about Restaurant Vikárka (The Vicarage).The buildings on this spot had many uses over the centuries, including as alchemist workshops and as stables.

But in recent decades, it's been a restaurant. It underwent a renovation in 2005.

The entrance is right next to St. Vitus's Cathedral and there is a lovely view from there.Inside the restaurant, there are a number of bigger and smaller dining areas. It was pretty busy.We were happy to walk in and find a table.

I ordered the hovězí svíčková (195 CZK), which is one of my favorite traditional Czech meals. It is roast beef (often overcooked) in a cream sauce with bread dumplings and some cranberry sauce.I really love the cream sauce, and this was a very good version. It is made with pureed root vegetables, beef stock, bacon, and cream (or sour cream).

There's more to it if you want to see a full recipe.

This version was a sweet, creamy, tangy and I couldn't get enough of it. I soaked up every last bit with my dumplings.

For some perspective, hovězí svíčková costs 169 CZK at the great Pilsner pub, U Pinkasů, near Wenceslas Square.

V had potato gnocchi in a mushroom cream sauce (180 CZK). The quality gnocchi themselves were nothing to write home about. The lighter, fluffier gnocchi at Kogo are certainly superior (and more expensive).But again, the sauce was great. The flavor of the mushrooms was strong and earthy. Overall, it was heavy, thick, satisfying comfort food that warmed me up nicely on a cold day.

I had a . 4 liter glass of Krušovice dark beer (60 CZK). That's very steep. Krušovice is OK, but not a great beer. The price elsewhere is less than half what Vikárka charges.

They did have Pilsner Urquell, but it was 80 CZK for a .33 liter serving. Crazy. At U Vejvodů in the center of Prague, a half-liter of Pilsner draft is only 30 CZK.

When I mentioned "highway robbery" earlier, the beer was what I was talking about.

As for the rest of the menu, soups were 50-60 CZK, and starters and salads were 85-180 CZK.

If you want to loosen the purse strings on the main courses, there was a steak for 425 CZK, lamb cutlets with marjoram sauce for 450 CZK, and grilled salmon for 320 CZK. I'd never eaten here before, so I can't vouch for the quality of the other offerings.

They had a small children's menu with a fried chicken cutlet, fish fingers, or spaghetti. We had no problem with the service.

One of the benefits of the location: There are very nice views of the castle walls from some windows. Cannons once stood in the same location a few hundred years ago.

The threat of Swedish invasion is long gone, but the international tourist invasion remains. As we sipped our drinks, we observed that they made up the majority of the diners.

V had a glass of red wine for 75 CZK, a .25 liter bottle of water for 35 CZK, and an espresso for 60 CZK.

The final bill was 605 CZK.

Yes, you could spend a lot here. But you could also get away with a pretty reasonable bill if you order selectively.

And believe me, you could do a lot worse.

More than a few restaurants around the castle would perfectly respect your hard-earned money.

Restaurant Vikárka
Vikářská 39
Prague 1
Tel. (+420) 233 311 962


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