Boulevard Bageterie

“There's nothing better than good sex. But bad sex? A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is better than bad sex.”
-Billy Joel

What's better than a good sandwich, then?

Wait. Don't answer that.

I'm sure the list is long. Besides, there's no great need to waste time thinking about it. Prague is still not a good sandwich town.

Unfortunately, I'm a good sandwich kinda guy. So, I do have my own short list of places I go, like Yessi Cafe at V Celnici or Culinaria.

When I'm in the middle of Wenceslas Square, which is often, and need a sandwich, I usually wander up Vodičkova street to Boulevard Bageterie.What's so great about the place?

Not so much.

There really is only one reason I keep going back.

It's all about the baguette.

The meats and toppings, usually nothing too special, rest inside nice, long, warm, crunchy baguettes.

It really makes everything else taste better.

On my most recent visit, I had the Bruselská baguette (89 CZK).

It came with chunks of chicken, blue cheese dressing, and grilled onion.The chicken was actually pretty good here. It had a peppery flavor, but you don't get a whole lot. Or perhaps it looks like you don't because it was quite a long piece of bread. Loading it up with meat would be quite costly.

The onion spread was tasty, but there wasn't so much. I'm not a big blue cheese fan, and this dressing was very salty.

For a drink, I had the ice tea. I liked it a lot. It is made with lightly pre-sweetened real-brewed tea with real lime in it. Lemon would be better, but it was still just fine.

They used a somewhat non-standard, aromatic tea. It is served with ice or without, but if you get it with, they don't give you too many cubes. I like lots of ice in my tea.

They only charged 15 CZK for the drink when ordered with a sandwich. By itself, it was 29 CZK.

For dessert, they offered cakes, cookies, and brownies. But I decided to get a hot chocolate (39 CZK) to go on this cold and blustery day.

It was served in a small cup, with corrugated sides so you can hold it. It was super hot. I burned my tongue with the first sip. The hot chocolate was topped with a little whipped cream.

Underneath the cream, was a very thick variety of hot chocolate. Pudding-like. A skin will form on the top if you let it sit for a while.

I really do like the thick stuff -- my favorite is at Cafe Louvre.

But Boulevard Bageterie's really doesn't compare. It was on the bland side -- the chocolate flavor doesn't stand out.

It was not bad, but it is not exactly cheap, and there was no love there.

The shop itself was not bad to look at, with bright colors and graphics, and fairly comfortable seating. You can sit on a stool by the window and watch the people go by while a heater blows warm air up from the floor.Above the counter where you order, there were great pictures of the different types of sandwiches and their ingredients, which help you with your choices -- especially for non-Czechs. The menus were not in English.There was a refrigerator where this is a good variety of meal-sized salads (79-99 CZK). They had chicken Caesar salads, Caprese salads, and a Salade niçoise.

V really liked the niçoise (89 CZK) -- it came with sliced potatoes, boiled egg, baby spinach, baby tomatoes, and tuna.

She said she had to get two dressing packages with it though, because one was not enough. But her colleagues were impressed with it when she brought it back to the office and put it in a bowl.

V said the yogurt with müsli and fresh fruit (32 CZK) was delicious. They also have some bottled fruit juices in the case.

On another visit, I had the Brooklyńska baguette (89 CZK). It had sliced turkey, bacon, tomato, grilled onion, and mustard dressing. I guess this was my favorite one -- and not because I grew up near Brooklyn.I have a weakness for bacon. But the turkey was the weak spot here. It usually tastes a bit off to me, and again, there's not a lot of it. Maybe that's good.

Of course, I had to try the Americká baguette (89 CZK). This came with meatballs, Emmental cheese, grilled onions, barbecue sauces and something like mayonnaise.Not even considering the odd combination of toppings, this was certainly the worst sandwich I tried.

Perhaps meatballs was not an appropriate name. "Bread balls" would be more accurate.

I wanted to try their onion rings -- a 29 CZK additional charge with the sandwich.

Same problem. Call them bread rings. Stale ones, at that. They came with a strong blue cheese dip. Bleh.

They sell a few other warm sandwiches: The Frankfurtska (70 CZK) had grilled hot dog, cheese, bacon, peppers, grilled onion and "devil" sauce.

I had it a long time ago and remember not liking it much.

The Pařížská (79 CZK) had regular ham, Prague ham, cheese, and tomato.

They had a fried fish baguette (79 CZK) and they offer a special baguette sandwich that changes from time to time.

There were also cold baguette sandwiches, but I've never tried them. There was the Lososová (79 CZK) which came with smoked salmon, lettuce and cheese.

I saw one with prosciutto that looked decent with mascarpone cheese, and a Caprese (69 CZK) with mozzarella and tomatoes.

I've listed a lot of the other sandwiches here because the menu was not available online. And having surveyed the menu in the shop, I can also tell you one thing they did not have:

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

They have a few things that are better than that.

Boulevard Bageterie
Vodičková 21
Prague 1
Tel. (+420) 222 514 559


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Half & Half Update

"An optimist will tell you the glass is half-full. A pessimist will tell you it is half-empty. An engineer will tell you the glass is twice the size it needs to be."

My struggle last year to find decent fast food around Wenceslas Square is neverending.

Last year, I wrote about Half & Half a few times. It's time for an update because it changed its offerings significantly and for the better since it first opened.Now, the focus is on Italian and Greek cuisine, along with their previous dessert offerings. And they do a decent job, at least compared with everything else out there.

The first change that caught my attention was the pizzas under heat lamps in the front window. They usuall have a wide variety of pies prepared, with many interesting toppings like fried zucchini and eggplant, peppers, pepperoni, rucola, and more.On one visit, I ordered a slice with mushroom. Most are around 45 CZK.

The slices were not nearly as large as those from Pizza Grosso, behind the National Museum, which go for 30 CZK. The sauce isn't as nicely seasoned. But Half & Half's was still not bad.It usually has a good, crunchy crust, unless it has been under a lamp for too long.On another visit, I tried the Hawaiian pizza. I once read a real Neapolitan restaurateur said a Hawaiian isn't a pizza, it's a cake. Let them eat cake, I say.I also went for some white pizza. I wished it had more garlic and ricotta. But it was a nice change from the usual pizzas and not one you'll see at too many other places around town.One day, I decided to try something new after I saw these fried balls behind the counter.

It was pretty unusual.

Basically, it tasted like breaded and fried rice pudding, with a square of mozarrella in the center.

It needs to be heated at the shop or in the microwave at work. It's not good cold.

It cost 25 CZK. There were a few varieties available -- I also saw one with tomato and mozarrella inside.

They are cheap and filling, but they sit pretty heavily on the stomach.

In a display case, there were other offerings like chicken legs, stuffed peppers, lasagne, and moussaka.I got the moussaka (89 CZK) one afternoon. It had a light, creamy cheese on top. It was very heavy on the potatoes, which were cut into long, thick slices. The meat was on the bland side.My all-time favorite lunch at Half & Half is the chicken gyros pita (59 CZK). It is one of the best sandwich-type meals you'll find in the area.They use real Greek pita bread, brush it with oil, and heat it in the pizza oven. When it comes out, Greek yogurt is spread on the pita. It tastes better than it looks.A very generous portion of chicken is freshly carved off from the rotisserie. There is so much meat, it is pretty messy to eat.

I spread it out on a plate, if I can. They chicken is very well-seasoned and also moist, with some crisp pieces. It has never been dry or overcooked.I always get it with raw red onions and tomatoes. And I tell them to leave off the only other option: cold sour cabbage. No thank you.

Half & Half is actually two shops next two each other. You have to walk outside to go into the half that serves desserts. There is good quality gelato in the window.They also sell a variety of fancy cakes, cookies, and Greek honey desserts like baklava.I tried the chocolate cake (75 CZK). It was very fudgey but I didn't fall in love with it.They also often have my favorite Greek dessert, which goes by the unwieldy name galaktoboureko (69 CZK). It is custard, baked in phyllo, coated with honey.A nice version (although more expensive than the gyros pita!).

On a visit last year, I became a fan of their chocolate milkshakes, which are made with top quality gelato. They charged 65 CZK for a .4 liter shake.The shake was good, with a very strong chocolate flavor. T.G.I. Friday's shake is better only because they use more ice cream. Half & Half's uses more milk.

For some perspective, they charged 45 CZK for a single serving cone of gelato, but you get less gelato than in the milkshake. I think they have a .3 liter shake for 55 CZK.

Service is not always great and can break down if a crowd comes in. Some of the women who work there don't speak great English, which is not great in a tourist zone. Sometimes their Czech is a little challenged, too.

I do wish Prague had more quality quick lunch choices like Britain's Pret a Manger sandwich and salad chain. There is still nothing as good as that.

But things are getting better.

I feel optimistic when I think that, years ago, there were half as many places to get a decent, fast lunch around Wenceslas Square.

I feel pessimistic when I think there are half as many as there need to be.

For now, Half & Half will have to do.

Half & Half
Wenceslas Square 51
Prague 1
Tel. 222 240 696


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Chez Marcel

"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times."
-Charles Dickens

This is a tale of two dinners. One was the best of dinners.

One was... I won't say the worst. But it was not good.

Both took place at Chez Marcel in Old Town.I had been several times before, but not for a few years. I remembered it as a decent French bistro, but nothing too special.

The very French looking interior was perhaps the most memorable aspect. They call it Prague's most authentic Parisian-style brasserie. The first, more recent dinner was a happy gathering of friends and a visitor from London. The Divine Miss C, The English Patient, and the VIP were all in a good mood. Carafes of house wine (235 CZK for a half-liter) helped in this respect.

TEP ordered the duck breast with mashed potatoes, drizzled with balsamic syrup (250 CZK). I thought it was the best duck I'd tasted in several years. I also thought the price was delicious.It was served rare. It was tender. The layer of fat and skin along the top had absorbed a wonderful smokiness. The balsamic added its tart sweetness.

TEP wasn't too hungry, so I ended up eating half of his dish. The mashed potatoes were just OK.

DMC and VIP both got what the menu called tuna sashimi (290 CZK). It was actually very lightly seared, with a black and white sesame crust. The fresh fish was served in six big chunks.I thought it was a generous amount of tuna for the price. As a main course, you might want to consider ordering an extra side dish.

There was a strong soy sauce in the middle of the plate for dipping. The plate also came with pieces of fresh pineapple.

I had steak tartare with frites (320 CZK). It was a good version. The chopped raw beef had a smooth texture, studded with chopped onions.It was well-seasoned by the kitchen, with just the right tang and a good balance of salt.No extra input required.

The frites were such a hit with my fellow diners that we got an extra order.

They were very hot, right out of the fryer, with a bit of salt. They all disappeared fast.

VIP and I decided we wanted dessert. He ordered the tiramisu (90 CZK).It was a cake-like version, the layers well-soaked in espresso. He's a veteran consumer of tiramisu, and he declared it very good. I agreed.

I ordered the fondant au chocolat (150 CZK). I find these hard to resist when I see them on a menu.This one disappointed me. One reason was that the outer shell of the cake itself had a rubbery texture. I'd never experienced one like that before.

The second reason was that the liquid chocolate interior didn't have a strong enough chocolate flavor. It was bland.

At the end of the meal, TEP and VIP were in such a good mood, they each declared that they would pay for the whole dinner tab. Neither would yield in their insistence.

VIP cleverly whispered to a waiter, and the bill for 2510 CZK was delivered to him.

Suddenly, a drama errupted. TEP demanded the bill. VIP refused. A foot chase around the restaurant ensued. I kid you not.

TEP threatened VIP with bodily harm. VIP laughed and dared him to try.

To make a long story short, when VIP was momentarily distracted, DMC stole the bill and handed it over to TEP.

VIP gave up the fight. And that was the end.

But I enjoyed the dinner so much, I decided I wanted to go back with V a few weeks later.

On this night, I avoided wine and drank Velkopopovický Kozel dark beer. I had one while I waited for V to meet me at the restaurant. When she arrived, she thought it was a good idea and ordered one, too.

We decided to share some appetizers and got the Assiette "Marcel" (210 CZK). This plate includes baked goat cheese, Parma ham, and red, yellow, and green marinated peppers.By themselves, the goat cheese with pesto and the ham were very salty. But when put on the fork with a piece of soft, sweet pepper, the flavors balanced out.

For a main course, V ordered one of the specials, the mussels. They came in a thick cream sauce. The mussels themselves were top quality, with firm but tender flesh. The sauce, however, was incredibly salty. The mussels were fine after the sauce had run off of them. But we tried dipping bread into the sauce, and it really was inedible.

I got the duck again, but it was not the same as my first visit. This time, it was cooked to at least medium, which gave it a drier texture and a less pleasant taste.The fowl still had the nice smokey flavor in the fat and skin, but was so much better rare.

For dessert, I ordered the profiteroles (130 CZK). V walked away for a while to make a call. She missed the arrival of the three pastry shells filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce.It was not good. There was something seriously wrong with the chocolate sauce. It was very sour.

I didn't see the waiter or V for a while. I got bored, so I ended up pulling the tops of the profiteroles and eating the bottoms.

V finally came back. She tried the chocolate sauce and agreed there was a problem. The waiter came by, and we told him about it. He went to the kitchen and came back.

Something, indeed, was wrong. He said they usually use port wine in the sauce, but they had run out and tried using sherry instead. And they had used way too much.

He had tasted it in the kitchen and agreed it was bad. He offered us a different dessert, but we were full and didn't want more food.

When the bill came, it still had the profiteroles on it. It would have been nice if he had taken it off. But I had eaten about two-thirds of the dessert, so I didn't feel on solid ground to argue about it.

Looking back at these two meals, I'm amazed at how different they were. One was the most enjoyable I'd had in a while. Good atmosphere, good service, good prices, and almost all good food.

The other was a great disappointment.

Perhaps there was a revolution in the kitchen between visits. Whatever happened, I think some heads should roll.

Chez Marcel
Haštalská 12
Prague 1
Tel. (+420) 222 315 676


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Starbucks Coffee - Prague

"Starbucks says they are going to start putting religious quotes on cups. The very first one will say, 'Jesus! This cup is expensive!'" Conan O'Brien

It's been talked about for a long time, but Starbucks™ has finally arrived in Prague™ . Two mega-brands, together at last.

Using its own particular brand of black coffee magic, the international chain's first store appeared almost overnight in the Czech capital. Not long ago, the restaurant, Square, occupied the same space. That fancy food spot had taken over what had been a history and memory-laden coffee house in the Palác Grömlingovský at Malostranské náměstí.

I went to the Starbucks™ grand opening party. The place was packed when I got to the door. But that's as far as I got."I'm sorry, sir," said the man with the posh British accent. "This is a VIP only party. We would love to have you come by and visit us tomorrow."

I didn't know it was going to be a gala event, but I'm not the type to go to watch the invited press suck down freebies, anyway.

I am the type to press my nose against windows. Or my camera. So, I took some photos and observed omnisciently.

There was a particularly rich scene out in front. I witnessed an old Czech woman ripping angrily into the clipboard-wielding PR guy.

She was basically saying "There used to be a Czech coffeehouse here. This fancy new Starbucks™ doesn't belong here! Take it away!"

Clipboard man was saying coffee was being served again as it was in the past. Isn't that great?

This did nothing to appease the woman. She kept up her one-woman battle to rid historic Prague of this incursion by modern messiahs of the macchiato.

"I'm sorry. There's really nothing I can do," the man said.

He threw up his hands and walked away. But she wouldn't give up and kept at him. Again, he walked away. She zealously went after him again.

Finally, after sensing the clock could not be turned back, and the man kept turning his back, she gave up hoping that the old coffee house could be resurrected.

Inside, there was a mad scene of a different sort at the ordering counter.

VIP guests looked like commodities traders, signaling furiously to the baristas for their coffee futures. Perhaps it was because they didn't have pay to serious cash for immediate delivery of their grande caramel cappuccinos.

There was some music to keep the hopped up guests entertained as they consumed their half-caf, no foam, cinnamon-dusted lattes. And muffins.I'm sure this place will pull in tons of tourists, given their lack of familiarity with the value of the local currency and the store's prime location.

It might also attract some local eye candy looking for a place to pause and pose.Now, if you follow the expat discussion boards on the arrival of Starbucks™, the sentiment is heavily on the negative side.

As for me, I have enjoyed a Starbucks™ plain iced coffee on occasion on a hot day in New York. I won't deny it.

However, I have never enjoyed long lines. These are a regular feature at U.S. Starbucks™, and I have never stood in one.

Even more, it was hard for me to enjoy a coffee drink when it cost around $5 in New York. A 100 CZK cup in Prague™ isn't going to do a lot for my penny-pinching soul.

But because I care about you, the reader, so much, I dipped into my hard-earned savings for an exploratory visit. After deciding to compromise my wallet, I had to compromise on another long-standing principle, as well.

There was a decent-sized line when I got there. Yes, I stood in it.Perhaps there were ten people ahead of me at around 6 pm.

The average price for coffee drinks was around 100 CZK. The price for many of the desserts and sandwiches was also around 100 CZK.

Ordering a coffee here is no simple matter. Here are some instructions.I got to the counter in about ten minutes and ordered a grande Iced Caffè Americano(70 CZK) and a chicken pesto ciabatta (109 CZK). It took another 10 minutes or so to get my drink and sandwich.An investment of 20 minutes and 179 CZK, altogether.

Starbucks™ describes the Iced Caffè Americano this way: "Rich, full-bodied Starbucks® espresso is combined with cold filtered water and ice for a crisp and refreshing drink."

Cold filtered water? I watched the barista throw the espresso into the cup of ice and then hold it under a tap in the sink to top it off.

The result? Watery. Plus, I forgot to ask for milk, so I sucked down several gulps and filled the space with milk from a jug at the other counter.

The sandwich was served warm. The ciabatta seemed to have come from a factory. It was more spongy than crunchy.The fresh basil leaves were a nice touch, and the pesto was good. But the sliced, roast chicken had a bit of a musty, aged taste that was accentuated by the reheating process.

If I really need a sandwich, I'd rather go a block down the street to Subway.

There are a couple of different rooms upstairs with some big, very comfortable chairs. But because they take up so much space, there aren't a lot of them.There is also a pretty big space downstairs with a mix of big chairs and smaller wooden ones. There were more open tables down there.Of course, you can buy bags of Starbucks™ coffee to make at home, if you like. There are also expensive souvenir Prague™ Starbucks™ coffee mugs.

I happen to walk by the store again later in evening, around 8:30 pm. There was no line.

In the future, I may venture again into a Prague™ Starbucks™ under certain conditions.

Like if I'm in the area, it's hot outside, I'm in the mood for iced coffee, there's no line, I just hit the bank machine, and I'm feeling flush with cash.

Otherwise, not.

They do charge an ungodly amount of money.

Starbucks Coffee
Palác Grömlingovský
Malostranské náměstí 28
Prague™ 1


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