Potrefená Husa on Vinohradská

The other day, I went for a hamburger at the Potrefená Husa (The Wounded Goose) location on Vinohradská.

It's a very popular place. They had decent lunch crowd for a weekday in the non-smoking section.
The bar and smoking sections were pretty empty. In the evenings, that is not usually the case. It's often packed and almost impossible to find a table or a bar stool.
I got to thinking about who has the best hamburgers in Prague. Fraktal? Mozaika? TGI Friday's?

I don't know. I haven't tried them all. But I've heard good things.

As for me, I really love the Potrefená Husa Burger. But, as the old song goes, "Love hurts." Allow me to explain.

First the good part.

It comes with freshly fried American-style bacon and nicely melted cheese. The sandwich is very nicely constructed, top to bottom. The sesame bun is large, toasted, and holds together all the way through to the end. 

The lettuce, red onion, and tomato placed on one side of the bun come in a perfect-sized portion -- no overhang. They fit perfectly on top of the meat and under the bun. 

The patty itself is not very big in diameter, but it is thick, and they give the high-quality ground beef a great char from the grill. This is what it is all about.

The fries are excellent -- long, fairly thick cut, and well-salted. They put a large quantity of mayonnaise on the side of the plate. On request, the waiter will bring over a selection of Heinz ketchups -- Regular, Hot, and Mexican (which is spicier than the Hot).

I spied some of the other dishes arriving near me. One man had an absolutely massive koleno (pork knee). 

A woman got a seafood risotto, which was also a very large portion, but looked a bit dry to me. I think it was a special. 

Another person had ribs (199 CZK). The ribs are pretty good here, but they suffer because they come with a very generic barbecue sauce.

Now for some bad news.

I asked for the hamburger to be cooked medium. It came well done. This has happened before. They like to burn it a bit. Still tastes good, but not as good as it could.

Potrefená Husa doesn't have Coke, only Pepsi. It costs 37 CZK for a small .25 liter bottle. They have Staropramen, not Pilsner Urquell. The Staropramen brewery owns the restaurant chain. They also serve Hoegaarden, Stella Artois, Leffe, and Kelt.

Now for some ugly news.

I remember from previous visits thinking the burger was expensive, but didn't remember exactly how much. I have to confess, I didn't look closely at the bill when I paid it. I was thinking about other things. 

I'm looking at it now. In black and white, it says the hamburger is 297 CZK. That is just an astounding price for a hamburger in Prague.

Let's put it in perspective.

The large, Fraktal Burger with bacon and cheese is 195 CZK. The burger at Mozaika, a more upscale restaurant, is 199 CZK. 

I've tried TGI Friday's burger. It is very good (and they have amazing milk shakes). Most people think the Na Příkopě location in the center of Prague charges tourist rip-off prices. The bacon cheeseburger there is 290 CZK -- seven crowns less than Potrefená Husa's. Interestingly, the TGI Friday's location at Anděl only charges 230 CZK for the same burger. All the food there is much cheaper than the central outlet.

The Potrefená Husa Burger is good, but I didn't want to believe the price on the receipt was correct. I actually went back to the restaurant and checked the menu. And that's what it cost: 297 CZK.

Unfortunately, I think it might cost them my regular burger business. They are usually so busy, I don't think they'll notice.

On another visit, I tried the steak tartare. Unlike a number of places, they do all the seasoning for you. And I'll say they do a pretty good job of it.There is plenty of sharp garlic, a good balance of salt and, of course, a raw egg on top. They use very good quality beef tenderloin.

There is also garlic on the side for rubbing on the toast, which is Czech bread fried in oil. I got the large, 150 gram portion for 249 CZK. It's not so cheap, but I enjoyed it. There is also a 100 gram portion for 189 CZK.

If you have a craving for beef, it is a good alternative to the burger. I'd even say healthier -- I've eaten a lot of steak tartare in Prague and never once felt any ill effects. 

Knock on wood.

Potrefená Husa

Vinohradská 104
Prague 3, near Flora Mall
Tel. (+420) 267 310 360

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Rocky O'Reilly's

Let's say you feel like going to an Irish pub, having a decent dinner, and watching Premier League football. So, you get on a plane with 17 of your best friends and fly to Prague.

Happens every day.

Let's say you then go to Rocky O'Reilly's, billed as Prague's biggest Irish pub. If you do, odds are you won't run into me. I'm not there when football is on. Too crowded. But if there are no major sporting events going down, there's a chance you just might see me with a steak sandwich in my hand.G and I went the other day for dinner. The restaurant is divided in two. On one side, there is a smaller, separate bar and dining area. Next door, there is a space with a much larger room in the back. We scored a table in the small front room by the wood fire, which is not so easy during the winter.
As Prague pub food goes, Rocky's is on the pricey side, but pretty good. Then again, I haven't tried a lot of the menu. That's because I almost always get the steak sandwich. It costs 245 CZK, but the online menu is way out of date and says it is only 175 CZK.

If I feel like a big change, like getting a bit wild, I get the Fillet Steak. It's not that I don't like variety. Obviously, I eat all kinds of different food. It's just that I like Rocky's steak and steak sandwich so much.

The waitress came by. Male customers seem to like their uniforms -- micro-miniskirts, and tight white T-shirts with silk-screened hand prints over the breasts. Prague's version of Hooters. I haven't taken a survey, but some female customers may have a less enthusiastic response.

We ordered. G went for the steak sandwich. I got the Fillet Steak. When the food came, I waxed fanatic on the virtues of the sandwich sitting on G's plate.
"This is one of my favorite steak sandwiches of all time. First, the bread is great. I've never seen bread like this for sale anywhere else in Prague -- a long roll with a crunchy crust and a soft interior. Notice all the melted garlic butter on the inside."

"I noticed," G said.

"The slices of steak are thick and tender. Easy to take a bite out of without it pulling out of the bread. And the sautéed red onion and mushrooms. Simple and perfect. But you know what else I like?"

"What?"

"No cheese."

"I like cheese on a steak sandwich."

"Most people do. But I think most steak sandwiches drown in cheese. It covers up the other flavors and generally makes a mess. For me, this is just right. Maybe I'll throw a little Heinz Soja on the top, teriyaki style."

I wrap up my riff on the steak sandwich. G is a good friend. He lets me talk it out.

The Fillet Steak is good, but you might consider it expensive at 395 CZK, considering the surroundings. The out-of-date online menu currently says it is 375 CZK.

The first time I had it, I remember being very impressed. The next couple of times, it was still very nice, but not as good as my first memory. It is very tender and comes in a buttery brown pool of gravy, I think from the pan. I will go back to the steak sandwich next time.

We shared an order of onion rings. These are good -- big, thick crunchy rings. G said he'd had better in the USA. Prague is not a big onion ring town in the first place. If you want some, Rocky's has the best.

They have two 10-degree beers, Gambrinus (28 CZK/.5l) and Budvar (45 CZK/.5l). I suppose I can understand why they don't sell the stronger Pilsner Urquell. They might have more of a crowd control problem on football nights. There is also Guinness (85 CZK/.4l), Strongbow Cider (85 CZK/.4). And there is Heineken (85 CZK/.5l), but I'm having a hard time imagining who would come to Prague and order that.

The menu includes dishes like Irish Stew, Cottage Pie, Fish and Chips, Chili con Carne, and a Beef Burrito. Rocky's also serve a few Irish-style breakfast dishes until noon. The prices may be aimed at tourists, but they do get quite a few Czechs in there, too.

If you go, there is also a good chance you'll see the barrel-chested proprietor of Rocky's, Robbie Norton, standing out front. I've never met him, but it is obvious he knows that taking care of his customers, many of whom are tourists, is a good business move.

On the wall, there is a list of 10 warnings to be heeded by visitors to Prague. They include such useful advice as don't change money on the street, watch out for dodgy taxi drivers, beware of pickpockets, and buy and stamp your tickets on public transportation. Seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people would have benefited from reading this list right after their arrival in town. You can find the list of warnings in full on Rocky's website.

This list is only missing one important warning: If you don't order the steak sandwich, you'll be sorry.

Rocky O'Reilly's
Štěpánská 32
Prague 1

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Mariánské Lázně - Part II

Renault: What in heaven's name brought you to Casablanca?
Rick: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.
Renault: The waters? What waters? We're in the desert.
Rick: I was misinformed.

If you come to Mariánské Lázně for the waters, you are in the right place. If you come for the food, you were misinformed.

The spa town is definitely worth a visit if you enjoy looking at restored grand hotels or nature walk in the nearby woods. And, of course, there are the spa treatments if you like that sort of things. There may be some good places to eat that are hidden away in the hotels. We didn't see them. Granted, we didn't look very hard.

The Colonnade near Hlavní třída

The town's main street, Hlavní třída, is full of shops selling tourist kitsch and the large, round sugar wafers that the city guide calls "spa waffles" (Lázeňské oplatky). The streets and restaurants are pretty deserted in the winter.

We were in a bit of a hurry, so we thought we'd just find into a decent place for lunch while walking down this central street. We were wrong.

One hotel restaurant looked decent from the outside and very depressing on the inside. We walked out. Then, we saw the Churchill Pub and Restaurant in the Hotel Excelsior.

Inside it looked very clubby, with wood paneled walls, big, stuffed leather booths, and a picture of Sir Winston on the wall. A little more inviting than the other place.

V got chicken with tomato sauce (180 CZK). The chicken was chopped into small granules of meat. The sauce itself had a ketchup and water base. A coulis, if you will. V also had a small salad of lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and cucumbers (30 CZK). No dressing. Oil and vinegar available on request.

I had penne with four slivers of sun-dried tomato, four slivers of sautéed onion, olive oil, flecks of tasteless basil, and Parmesan cheese (105 CZK). Not bad, actually. I like minimalism.

For drinks, we had a couple of bottles of Mattoni mineral water (30 CZK each). V had the house red at 60 CZK a glass (20 cl).

Shortly after we came in, I noticed the music. It was the Muzak version of "Feelings." As the next song began, I realized it was the Muzak version of "Feelings."

"They're playing the same song over and over again," I said.

Luckily for V, she had never heard this tune before, so the full effect was somewhat lost on her. As for me, at the beginning of the meal I was laughing. By the end, I was crying. Lunch was an emotional roller coaster. I needed to get off.

Before we left, I had a shot of Becherovka to calm my nerves. Then, I had a shot of Fernet Citrus. To help me forget.

Churchill Pub and Restaurant
Orea Hotel Excelsior
Hlavni 121
Mariánské Lázně
Czech Republic
Tel. 354 697 111

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