Tapas Chorizo de la Cambusa

"I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse." Charles V

Every time I pick a restaurant to try out, I do so with the greatest of hopes. I'm always searching for something that will make me smile. I'd never knowingly pick a place to purposely have a poor experience.

I like eating at and writing about good places as much as people like reading about them. Almost always, I go to establishments that I've heard a few nice things about.

Recently, my most prolific tipster, Pivobud, wrote that he'd read a positive review on this site about Tapas Chorizo de la Cambusa. He said the menu looked pretty interesting. I then looked on Tripadvisor.com, where almost all the reviews were flat out raves.

It had been a long time since I'd had tapas, so I thought it would be fun to give it a try. The restaurant is a 5 minute walk from the Nový Smíchov mall, with many tram lines and a metro stop nearby.The interior is rather unappealing. The harsh light from the sconces accentuated the starkness of the white-walled room and its cheap-looking floor tiles.There is a non-smoking room that has the benefit of some wood paneling and beige brick work.For the narcissists out there, one wall is covered with mirrors.

Still, I remained optimistic. A Czech newspaper review summed up the restaurant by saying, "Great food, lousy atmosphere." And I do care far more about food than atmosphere.

First came the drinks. My Friend had a .2 liter glass of white wine (78 CZK), which was pleasantly dry. I had a glass of sangria (50 CZK).It had been a long time since I'd had a decent glass of the stuff, and this was excellent. It was just lightly sweet, but not too much so, with a lovely tang from the abundant lemon, lime, and apple slices. The wine itself was decent quality. Very refreshing.

We ordered many rounds of tapas. I started with the recommended "Landlord's famous octopus" with garlic and chili (105 CZK).Served warm, it came in a delicious, spicy broth. The chopped tentacles themselves were bit overcooked and rubbery.

Next came the Tortilla de Jamón Serrano (55 CZK).The warm slice of potatoes mixed with egg was rather dry and bland, with very little ham.

I got the two empanadas (55 CZK). Varying fillings for these warm, light, flaky pastries are available and change on a regular basis.I had one with dry, ground beef that had a pleasant grilled flavor. But I preferred the moister empanada with mushroom filling.I would note that they were one-third the price of the empanadas at La Casa Argentina.

We had the "very popular" (according to the menu) lamb skewers (85 CZK).They had only a light, lamby flavor and were on the dry side. They were dry on my second visit, as well.

I decided to go for something that was not tapas, so I ordered the "American style flank steak" also called the "Bavette Ambassador" on the menu (285 CZK). It comes with potatoes on the side, and I chose the baked potato.I've ordered and/or cooked many bavettes and flank steaks in my day. This didn't look like one to me.

The cut was thick and almost rectangular. The beef was grilled medium-rare as requested.But it was one of the toughest, hard-to-chew steaks I've had in a long time. I ate about half and gave up. I just ran out of jaw power and interest.

It came with a sauce on the side, and I took the Madeira. I could taste a hint of the wine, but otherwise, I found it quite indistinct. A shot of salt helped.

Our waiter was super-friendly and efficient, moving quickly around the room with a smile. When he asked me how the food was, I told him of my disappointment with the steak. He said he was sorry I didn't enjoy it.

I was really full, but decided to have dessert. We got the tarte tatin (55 CZK).Served warm, it was a delicious combination of tart apples, a buttery crust, and pecans. I only wished for more of the nuts in there.

During the meal, a Saudi man at the next table struck up a conversation with us. I asked him how he'd liked the pan of paella (265 CZK) he'd shared with a friend. He said he'd eaten this dish many times around the world, and he rated this one as very good.

At the end of the meal, the waiter asked me if I was driving, and I said no. Shortly after, he brought me a cocktail called a Bramble, which he said was on the house.I asked why, and he just smiled and walked away.

A Bramble consists of lemon juice, sugar, and blackberry liqueur. I'd never heard of one before, but I'm now a fan. It was very good.

Our bill, which included 3 glasses of wine, was 956 CZK before tip. That's not bad, considering how much food we'd had. But I felt the quality was quite mixed. I felt I had sampled enough to review, but not to satisfy my curiosity.

I returned again a week later with My Good FriendThe waitress could not find my reservation, and we spent some time discussing it. But it was a rather unnecessary conversation since there were several free tables.

On this visit, the lighting started out lower, but it didn't do much for the style or atmosphere. Later, the waitress, made it brighter.

I told My Good Friend about the sangria and got a .5 liter pitcher.She was also wary after some bad sangria experiences, but after one taste, she agreed it was very good.

We put in our tapas requests. MGF ordered the mushrooms stuffed with peppers, onion and ham with cheese au gratin (55 CZK).This was great. It looks like kind of a mess, but I assure you, it was delicious. In fact, we ordered a second plate of it.

Less successful was one of this night's empanada, which was filled with ham and cheese (55 CZK).We both thought it too salty. We also had the beef, which was fine.

Also very salty were the batter-fried olives stuffed with marinated anchovies (49 CZK).That is to be expected, though the flavor of the olives was so strong, I could barely taste the little fish. The exterior was nicely crispy and crunchy.

I tried out the baby octopus in white wine and sepia sauce (65 CZK).The four little octopuses were fresh and tender. But the sauce also had too much salinity, which overwhelmed the flavor of the seafood and any hint of wine.

I had the grilled scallops in saffron sauce (155 CZK). The two modest molluscs were good quality and just lightly seared to preserve their delicate texture.There was a hint of saffron in the creamy sauce, but I found it otherwise bland.

We were both happy with the salad of avocado, peppers, tomatoes, apple, onions and "Mediterranean sauce." (65 CZK)It was a little burst of flavors and textures.

We shared the oven-baked marinated pork ribs (65 CZK). We both decided we liked them a lot.The finger-sized babyback style ribs had crispy exteriors, and juicy interiors. I enjoyed the tangy sauce on them so much I wiped up the last drops on the plate with the bones.

Finally, I had to try the steak again. But this time, I went for the most expensive one on the menu -- the Argentinian entrecôte (360 CZK). I was both disappointed and surprised.This steak was virtually identical with the one I'd had the previous week, with the same thick, rectangular shape.

The tough, dense steak lacked the fatty marbling usually present in entrecôtes and rib eyes. I'd asked for it cooked medium rare, and this one was medium well.The menu said the steak was prepared on a lava grill. This one had a uniform brown crust that looked like it was cooked in a pan, rather than black stripes from a grill. There was no smoky flavor.

I had about a third of it, and called the waitress over for a mini Spanish inquisition. I told her I didn't think I received the correct steak and that it appeared identical to the flank steak I'd had before.

She went back, talked to the chef, and assured me he said that I had the entrecôte. She offered to bring the him out to talk to me, but I declined.

I didn't eat any more of the steak, the decent crushed potatoes, or the fairly boring pepper sauce on the side. I'd had enough.

I'd add at this point that the rave reviews on Tripadvisor.com seem odd to me. First, almost all are relentlessly hyper-enthusiastic and make the restaurant sound like the greatest in Prague, if not on the planet.

Second, two people wrote about how great the steak was, with one saying it was the "best steak ever." Of course, different people can have different experiences on different nights, but based on my experiences, those comments are not even close to reality.

The bill for the second meal came to 1246 CZK before tip. I felt that on both visits, there were a few very nice tapas plates, but also too many that I found just average or not appetizing. Both my guests felt the same way.

I think it's possible you could have an enjoyable meal if you order the more successful dishes I mentioned, the sangria if you enjoy that beverage, and perhaps the paella.

As for me, I doubt I'll be returning Tapas Chorizo de la Cambusa.

On balance, it just didn't speak my language.

Tapas Chorizo de la Cambusa
Stroupežnického 9
Prague 5 - Andĕl
Tel. (+420) 257 317 949

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Na Kopci

"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing." Camille Pissarro

I almost didn't write about Na Kopci (On the Hill).The reason I came around to doing it is an interesting one. But I will save that for a little later.

It started with The Czanadian raving about it to me. He passes me tips about what Czech business people and foodies are buzzing about. Every time I'd see him, he'd insist I had to try it, and that it is one of his personal favorites.

I was intrigued to see what he was all hot and bothered about. I refused to be daunted by the long trek to the hilltop restaurant overlooking Prague 5's Smichov neighborhood.I was, however daunted by the 300 CZK cab fare it cost me to get there from Prague 10. It's also possible to take bus 231 from Na Knížecí stop.

My Good Friend drove to meet me and got a little lost on the winding, one-way residential streets.

There were no tables available outside on the terrace, so I was waiting inside.The dining areas had a nice, warm feeling. The walls are covered with montages of family photographs.It's not a big place, and all the tables are often reserved. Booking is recommended.

They serve 12-degree Staropramen beer, which is not my favorite, but I ordered a half-liter (32 CZK).My Good friend had a .2 liter glass of merlot.It should have cost 80 CZK, but I just noticed it was left off the bill.

The waitress brought us an amuse bouche of chopped beets sandwiched between two pieces of hard salami.I hadn't seen this combination before, but it was a good mix of sweet, salty, and sour.

My Good Friend ordered the beef consommé with a Tyrolian dumpling (50 CZK).She really loved the broth and the bready, meaty dumpling. Even though it's not my favorite kind of soup, I thought it was very well-prepared.

I decided to try the chef's selection of starters (145 CZK). It was a mixed bag.My favorite was the beef tartare with shaved Parmesan sandwiched between two tiny pieces of toast. Then, there was the cured ham rolled around sun-dried tomato. The mini Caprese on a toothpick was a simple tasting, ordinary bite. The baked mussel was tasty, but overcooked.

I was less enthralled with the salmon and dill on a small blini. The fish was slightly dried out and tasted like the smoked stuff that comes from a plastic supermarket package.

More disappointing was the cheddar-stuffed and fried jalapeno. It doesn't taste bad. It's fine. It's just that I've seen the same Makro-sourced freezer bag product all over town. I was hoping for something more creative. It was served with the ubiquitous Thai chili sauce that almost every restaurant considers the universal condiment.

I was hungry so, as a second course, I ordered the goat cheese salad (125 CZK).Little cirles of the gooey, baked chevre were serve on top sweet gingerbread. Mixed in with the lightly dressed frisee and other green and red leaves were strawberry and pomegranate. The sweet-tart fruits contrasted well with the cheese.

My Good Friend decided to try the Caesar salad with grilled chicken (125 CZK). This was a dismal affair.The romaine lettuce was limp, the dressing almost flavorless, and the chicken overcooked and dry. I think the generous portion of shaved Parmesan was meant to cover up the crime. Neither of us wanted to finish it.

Finally, I had the beef "striploin" steak with almond croquettes, fava beans, and cognac sauce (285 CZK).It wasn't bad, but I wasn't terribly happy with it, either.

The meat was not tender and of very average flavor. The sauce was nice, but there wasn't enough of it to make the meat more appealing.

That's because I used a lot of the sauce to made the almond croquettes more edible. They tasted like potato, but they were dried out and stale. The best thing on the plate were the fresh, crunchy snow peas mixed in with the fava beans.

At the end of this meal, I didn't feel like writing about Na Kopci. I liked the atmosphere and the prices, but I had too many disappointing dishes. And I couldn't see recommending the complicated journey.

Instead, I decided to summarize my findings on the Czech Please Facebook page. I said it "was highly recommended by a friend, but I found it unimpressive."

And then all hell broke loose. Well, not really.

But there was a rather unprecedented response by readers in defense of the restaurant.

Five people, all Czech I believe, used superlatives to describe Na Kopci. They said it was "outstanding" and "the best restaurant in the price/value category." A well-known Czech restaurant critic, Martin Kuciel, also known as Pan Cuketka posted a link to a rave review in the new Czech website, Scuk.cz.

Given the reaction, which didn't match up well with my experience, I felt I had to go back.I got some tips from readers on what to order. For the second trip, I went alone and drove myself there. I only took one wrong turn.

Since I had my car, I got something called a "Bazén" or swimming pool (50 CZK).This was just a .2 liter bottle of orange juice mixed with a .33 liter bottle of Mattoni and nothing else. It wasn't cold, so I asked the waitress for a cup of ice.

The menu at Na Kopci changes from time to time. It was still the same for my next visit, but there was a new amuse bouche. It was canned tuna with mayo and red pepper.Nothing special.

I wanted to try as much as possible, so I had four courses altogether. The first was the foie gras (205 CZK).The cold liver was silky smooth, with a clean finish. It was quite sweet, owing to the dusting of brown sugar around the outside.

The caramelized, chopped apple, mixed with a little walnut, according to the waitress, was nice. But it added more sweetness and was a little one-dimensional.

It was very awkward to get the foie gras and apple to stay on the thin narrow toast without tumbling off before a bite. Also, there wasn't enough of it, so I also used sliced baguette from the basket.

Next, I ordered the homemade ravioli stuffed with oxtail meat (115 CZK). This was fantastic.The al dente pasta sat under a rich, beefy, slightly sweet and creamy shallot sauce. I tasted a hint of wine. I couldn't get enough of it.

Inside, there was tender, braised oxtail that added to the richness of the dish.Even the sage on top was a perfect addition. I wouldn't have minded two more little leaves.

This dish gave me some understanding of the strong devotion some have for Na Kopci. The ravioli was the highlight of my week and for an absolute bargain, at that. The next time I find myself at Na Kopci, I will get two orders of this dish, maybe even three.

Finally, I had the reader-recommended pork tenderloin with creamed spinach and pommes boulangére (205 CZK).I found the pork rather bland by itself. But the salty, meaty gravy, bursting with the essence of thyme, really came to the rescue.

The potatoes were buttery, but I didn't get a lot of flavor from them, either. The spinach was perfect. The leaves were freshly wilted and had just the right amount cream that didn't overwhelm.

After all this, I still had room for dessert. Or more specifically, I had room for their selection of Valrhona chocolate (125 CZK). And I was very, very glad I did.I first became acquainted with this high-grade French chocolate in 1993, and I've never missed an opportunity to order it when I see it.

There were five different presentations of the chocolate varied in thickness and shape. There was a mousse-like dollop, a thicker slab, a paper-thin but not insubtantial piece, and two cocoa-dusted balls. The small bursts of sour pomegranate contrasted well with all of them.

Each had a different, intense, almost mind-altering chocolate flavor. I loved them all, but I definitely enjoyed the balls the most. They had an incredibly, nutty, tangy flavor that I don't think I'd experienced before. Highly recommended.

The bill for the two visits were 794 CZK and 700 CZK before tip. There is no question: there is value for money at Na Kopci. There is a nice atmosphere. The service wasn't perfect, but not bad. I'd be very happy to have it in my neighborhood.

Is it worth the trip? For me, the ravioli and chocolate might be enough to get me to return. But too many dishes were just average or disappointments. My feeling is that you need manage your ordering and expectations carefully.

The Na Kopci experience was an interesting one, and not just because of the food. Where I initially saw nothing, some saw beauty in a humble building at the top of the hill.

I did like it much more on my second visit, but that only underlined for me the mercurial nature of restaurant perceptions. I still wouldn't rank Na Kopci as highly as some readers or my good friend.

But bless them for taking the time to kindly suggest I missed out on something good. I'm glad I went back.

Na Kopci
K Závěrce 20
Prague 5
Tel: (+420) 251 553 102

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Lokal Blok

"One who never fell, never climbed." Unknown

Back in the day, my friends and I used to scale the beautiful, sheer cliffs near New Paltz, New York.

I have fond memories moving up the Shawangunk Conglomerate, warmed by the summer morning sun, looking out upon the forest canopy below.

So when a reader recommended Lokal Blok on the Czech Please Facebook page, it got my attention.This place in Anděl-Smíchov is unusual. Not only is it a restaurant, but it also has rock climbing walls in the basement.If you want to work on your lean back, overhang moves before you eat, this is the place to go. I don't do that anymore, but I knew I had to check it out.

The restaurant upstairs is quite large.There are three different dining sections, plus a big garden deck in back. On one early evening, the place was jam-packed with an exclusively young crowd.

Throbbing rock music blasted over the sound system. I sat with a friend in the front smoking section near the bar.It was very smoky. Another Facebook reader told me the restaurant will be all non-smoking starting June 1st.

I started off drinking sparkling water. It was my least favorite, Bonaqua (28 CZK).One reason I don't like it is the small .25 liter bottle it comes in. I prefer quenching more of my thirst with a .33 liter bottle of Mattoni.

During the meal, I had a half-liter glass of Pilsner Urquell (36 CZK). At the end, I had a Jack Daniel's with a little ice (75 CZK).

I was having a hard day.

My friend wasn't too hungry and ordered the cheddar and jalapeno quesadilla (125 CZK).This was a decent snack, but it didn't reach any great heights. The salsa, with freshly chopped tomato, was bland. I also thought that plain white rice didn't partner well with a quesadilla.

I wanted to order a standard hamburger, but the menu caused me some confusion. On the first page under "Big Sandwiches," one came with grilled hamburger meat. So I ordered that one (105 CZK).It turned out to be an actual sandwich, with sausage-shaped ground meat served on a long, chewy roll.

Fancy lettuce, tomatoes, and a sweet mustard sauce were spilling out of the bread. The bigger, regular burger, served on a proper bun, was listed a couple of pages later in the "Meat" section (135 CZK).

The seasoned meat tasted a lot like meat loaf. I was told that this is because the ground beef is mixed with buckwheat. It wasn't bad, but you really have to get yourself in a meat loaf sandwich mood to enjoy it.

It tasted nothing like a classic burger patty. I didn't like the cold, chewy roll that was too small, or that it was slathered with such an intensely sweet mustard.

However, I was still in the mood for something sweet at the end of the meal. I ordered the ice cappuccino (48 CZK).It was the kind made with ice cream, which I usually like. But this version was mostly froth and was lacking in flavor. It wasn't even very cold. It needed much more ice cream.

To go with it, I got the Apple Crumble (45 CZK). This lifted me up a bit.The finely chopped apple, served warm, was topped with cake crumbs, and powdered sugar. It was very sweet, but here, I minded less. There was a barely detectable amount of rum. It was something like an apple strudel without all the dough.

I came back alone for another visit on a beautiful spring afternoon and headed straight for the garden in back. I was very lucky and got one of the last tables.It wasn't a forest, but I was surrounded by a lot of green. Several diners were turned away after I got there.

I sat near a window looking into their clean, large, well-organized kitchen.While checking out the drinks menu, I saw something I hadn't noticed before. Lokal Blok was serving unpasteurized Gambrinus from a tank. I've seen Pilsner Urquell served this way all over town, but never its weaker, 10 degree SABMiller brewery mate.

I ordered a half-liter (28 CZK).It was very good, maybe the best version of Gambrinus you'll find. But this beer just doesn't taste as good as Pilsner, which they also have on regular draft.

For a starter, I decided to try the roasted eggplant and pepper tartare (75 CZK).It was attractively, yet awkwardly presented, with bread stacked up on the plate. But the taste counts the most.

I liked it a lot. It was more salty than tart, but the flavors of the cooked red, yellow, and green peppers, mixed with the eggplant, balanced it out well. The bread also soaked up the good pesto and balsamic vinegar that swirled on the plate.

It was advertised as mildly spicy, but it was barely so. My only criticism was that the thick, cold bread could have been better or perhaps toasted.

For my main, I was in the mood for pork. I recently had a rather disastrous pork neck/shoulder at Kulaťák, and I thought it would be good to see how they compare. So I ordered the Krkovice (155 CZK).Lokal Blok's was better in every way. This pork steak was bigger (two pieces!), looked great, the seasonings were on the mark, the porcine flavor was just right, and it was 24 crowns cheaper than Kulaťák's.

It got dryer toward the less fatty parts in the middle, but that's about it. There was a big dollop of ajvar on top to help moisten it up.

Even better, the thinly sliced new potatoes underneath were plentiful and delicious. They were cooked with whole-grain mustard, and it was slightly sweet.

I still liked the pesto and balsamic on the plate, even though it was rather repetitive after having it with the starter.

I have to say, my first visit to this restaurant left me feeling disappointed. I thought it fell flat.But my second visit was so much better in almost every way. In fact, on a warm summer day, Lokal Blok has climbed to the top of my list of places to go in Smíchov.

Especially if I can get a spot in the garden.

Lokal Blok
Náměstí 14. října 10,
Prague 5 - Smíchov
Tel. (+420) 251 511 490

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