North Vietnamese Cuisine (and a Little Taste of Italy) in Prague

A fragrant bowl of pho at the Sapa market complex in Prague ...

... and a garlicky bowl of al dente pasta with shrimp at Una Bella Canzone in a quiet residential section of the city

Prague is city that is filled with surprises - at least if you go expecting to find only sausages, ham,  and beer, though there is plenty of that to be had. Many residents we spoke with, for example, were unaware that some of the best Vietnamese food you'll ever find anywhere was just a short metro and bus ride away from the touristy center of town. 

Chef's Table at La Degustation Boheme Bourgeoise in Prague: A Tale of Seven Courses (with wine pairings), Seven Amuses Bouches, and Two Very Full Bellies

The view into the kitchen from the Chef's Table (Poppa sneaked this photo of me as I intently watched the chefs at work)

All dressed up and ready to eat. and eat ... and eat ... and eat

So far in my tales of Prague, I've talked about the traditional Czech cuisine I sampled (lots of sausages and ham!) and my adventures consuming copious amounts of beer and raw meat at a U Zlateho Tygra, (At The Golden Tiger). But now it's time for something completely different: an incredible multiple course feast of haute cuisine at La Degustation Boheme Bourgeoise.

Those of you who watch Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations may already be familiar with this place. Here, each night Chef Oldřich Sahajdak presents a seven-course gourmet tasting menu based on Czech recipes from an 1880s cookbook, proving wrong anyone who says that Czech food and gourmet are incompatible terms. In addition, an alternate chef's  tasting menu, inspired by more modern international cuisine, is also on offer. Nearly every course comes with its own amuse bouche, making for a long, leisurely, and absolutely unforgettable experience.  Did I mention the menu changes daily?

Beer & Adventure at an Old Scool Prague Pub: U Zlatého Tygra (At the Golden Tiger)

The Real Deal:

There are countless reasons to visit U Zlatého Tygra (the Golden Tiger) in Prague's Old Town. For beer lovers, there's the unpasteurized Pilsner Urquell, which connoisseurs consider  to be among the best in the world. Literati love the fact that Czech novelist Bohumil Hrabel,  one of the great writers of the 20th century, was a regular here until his death in 1997. History buffs can imagine that they are sitting at the same table occupied by then-president Bill Clinton and former Czech leader Vaclav Havel when Havel brought Clinton here  to show him what life in Prague was all about.

And for those (like me) who eschew tour groups and live to explore and discover things on their own, it is nice to know that a few authentic, history-soaked Czech drinking establishments like this still exist, just off of one of the most touristy thoroughfares in Europe. This is not to say that tourists don't eat and drink at the Golden Tiger; they do, but no concessions are made for them. There is no gift shop. The experience is not pre-packaged.  The staff is not all smiles and condescension - in fact, they can be more than a bit cranky. Seating preference is in this order: regulars, Czechs, and everyone else. If you fall into the category of "everyone else" and you want to get a seat at night (rather than in the afternoon) you may wait for a very long time - if you even get to sit.

Eating Prague, Part 1: Traditional Czech Cuisine (and the Cookbook Giveaway Winner!)

Hanging out in a tower in the Old City Hall in Prague's Old Town Square ... and thinking about all the good food down there. The smells of smoky cooked pork were actually wafting up from below. For real.

While Prague is undoubtedly a top tier sightseeing, cultural, and historical destination for many travelers,  it is not generally mentioned along with the other great culinary meccas of Europe. I think that's a shame. Many people assume that traditional Czech cuisine is an unvarying parade of hearty and heavy variations on the same theme of big piles of meat.  But the traditional Czech cuisine I had in Prague was anything but monotonous, as its unfounded reputation would seem to imply.  Is the food hearty? Sure. Meaty? Often! Heavy? Sometimes. But unvarying or boring? Not at all, as you'll see here. (Of course, Poppa and I didn't only eat traditional Czech food. We had some very surprising meals, as you'll see in future posts.)

Gourmet Grilling Tips for Labor Day, a Philadelphia Hoagie-Eating Marathon, the Best Fish on the Planet Earth ... and More

Veggie banh mi from Ba Le Bakery in Philly

Crab Ravioli at Brewers Art in Baltimore

The "Best Fish on Planet Earth" at the downtown Baltimore Farmers Market

Welcome to another recap all of the crazy things I've been eating, doing, and writing about as online food editor for the Urbanite.  Looking back at all the writing I've been doing over the past 5 weeks or so makes me wonder how I've even managed to find the time to post here once a week, which is my self-imposed absolute, guilt-inducing minimum. Really! I think it's time to stop beating myself up about being a bad blogger.  And did I mention that culinary classes started again? I love my class this semester - more on that in future posts - but whew, it's all a lot of work.

Speaking of work ... people, eating as much food as I've been shoveling into my face, all in the name of doing my job, is not for amateurs or the faint of heart.  It really takes a lot of stamina, dedication, and sheer will power to maintain this level of gluttony. Thank goodness for my discount treadmill.

Paging Dr. Falafel! World Cuisine in Vienna; Plus, I Get Interviewed on Egyptian-European TV

Take two falafel and call me in the morning:

You might not think that a trip to Vienna would include dim sum, dhal, stuffed grape leaves, and lots and lots of delectable falafel, but mine sure did. And then some. (Of course, along with my adventures in international cuisine, I also had more than my fair share of knodel, knockerl, spaetzle, dumplings,  and cheese, which I'll talk about in a future post!)

Heurigen Hopping: An Austrian Dispatch with Plenty of Food, Fantastic Views, and Lots and Lots (and lots) of Wine

Mmmm, liters and liters of Wieninger wine:

 

 Heurigen are uniquely Austrian establishments.  At these cozy neighborhood wine taverns on the outskirts of Vienna, wine-growers serve patrons their newest vintages - the "neue wein."  And,  thanks to a decree issued by Emporer Franz Josef II in 1784, which stated that proprietors may, along with wines they've produced,  sell "other food," there's usually a substantial selection of homemade goodies - things like cheese, bread, dumplings, salads, sweets -  on offer as well. 

And in keeping with the unhurried Austrian approach to all things pleasurable,  a heuriger is a place to while away as many hours as you please, to sip and snack and unabashedly relax and enjoy life.  I definitely approve.

Hungarian Detour: Two Frantic Food-Filled Days in Glorious Budapest

 Stealing a peaceful moment in bustling Budapest:

Where Vienna is order, Budapest is frenzy. If the Viennese tend to be slightly undemonstrative and reserved, in Budapest emotions seem to bubble to the surface, where they spill over. While German (at least to this Western eye and ear) seems logical and somewhat decipherable, Hungarian Magyar is nearly impenetrable. It's closest linguistic relative is, after all, Finnish.

All this is to say that in my too-brief two-day stay, I fell completely in love with this strange, hectic,  and beautiful city.

Vienna Dispatch: A Tale of Tiny Sandwiches (A Love Story)

Leave it to the Viennese to take the sometimes unweildy and occasionally messy sandwich and turn it into something logical, neat, and elegant. Behold the tiny topless sandwich:

Austrian Dispatch: Classic Viennese Fare, with a Twist

Viennese cafe culture in action at the Cafe West End in the Mariahilf district:

Grüß Gott from Osterreiche! After three-and-a-half days of eating, drinking, taking in the beautiful architecture, gawking at the incredible Egon Shiele paintings at the Leopold Museum, strolling around the grounds of the Hofburg Palace and trying - with some  modest success, if I do say so myself  - to communicate in monosyllabic German, I have finally found some time to sit back, relax, and share a tiny slice of Vienna as I've experienced it so far. (And of course I am sipping some Austrian wine as I type this!)

A Guest Post by Poppa Trix: New York I Love You, But You're Making Me Fat

In which Poppa Trix goes to New York and eats and eats and eats while I have to stay home and work and work and work. 

 

When I told Trix that I had to go to New York for a few days of family business she went through a brief period of jealousy before settling on the kind of statement that gets made all the time around here: "You know you're going to have to write a blog post about this, right?" She had a point. I already had a list of old favorite food joints I wanted to check in on and her challenge gave me the perfect opportunity to try some new places as well, meticulously documenting every dish in photos and notes along the way. If she wasn't going to get to join in on any of the actual eating at least she was gonna get a nice trip report out of it. And in an effort to keep things cheap I decided to hold all meals to $10 or less (not including alcohol, of course!)