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| Prague -
Czech Republic |
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Extraordinary
March - 2009 |
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5 Stars
& 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| While glancing at the frescoed walls adorning the
inside of the Aquarius Restaurant depicting scenes of 17th century life along
the Vlatava River, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of the artistic
gipsy inside of me, unconsciously waiting to secede from the conventionality of
life. It is as if you are being transported to a different time; a different
era of baroque style and setting. After all, just look at the drama and
grandeur of the inner city itself, in which the Aquarius Restaurant sits
virtually in the middle. We have been welcomed back to Aquarius and its
fairytale setting just 5 minutes from the Charles Bridge, to sample the cuisine
of
Executive
Chef Tomáš Sysel. |
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| Style and romance aside, we
eagerly anticipated Chef Thomas’s eclectic interpretations of
Mediterranean fare, pure and instinctive yet designed to enliven your senses.
To begin with an amuse bouche of bite sized Hors d'œuvres arrived at the
table while we perused an incredible 19 selections on the water menu, which
included several local waters from Czech Republic. It felt a little like
ordering off an extensive wine list, but we were guided along the way to our
selection of Ty Nant from the deep aquifers of Wales. House made focaccia,
ciabatta, baguettes and black bread offered ample choices besides tasting warm
and fresh. |
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| A Terrine of Duck Foie Gras with fresh figs was
a delightful treat, which through caramelization sweetened the fruit
sufficiently to underscore the appetizer. A bottle of Chateau Carmes de
Rieussece Sauternes 2002, produced a blizzard of golden nectar over the
palate further drawing attention to the foie gras. Next was a Tepid Lobster
Salad with grilled vegetables, although artfully arranged proved moderately
chewy. Hoping to rescue the moment, we resorted to a locally produced
Grüner Veltliner, Mikrosvin Mikulov, Dolni Dunajovice, Late Harvest
2006, smoothing the rough edges. We moved to a very tasty John Dory with
Fresh Spinach, Asparagus and Sauce of Mussels. The prized white firm meat
of the John Dory sat amidst sprinkles of little red Salmon caviar, asparagus
and the sautéed spinach that had a ‘just picked’ flavor.
Sommelier Jakub suggested a Chardonnay Clos Mathilde, Domaine J. Prieur,
2005, contributing a restrained character of crisp citrus with a touch of
minerality. |
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| After a palate-cleansing intermezzo of Mango Sorbet
with Vodka, the next course consisted of Lamb Saddle with Spinach in
Pancetta Basket. Somewhere between beetroot red and garnet is how I would
describe the delectable color of the lamb, cooked to perfection. Along side the
crispy cubes of polenta flavored with Parmesan cheese sat a basket formed with
a strip of pancetta, mouth-watering unsmoked Italian ham produced from pork
bellies. I marveled at the incredible tenderness of the lamb and savored each
bite along with a glass of Pinot Noir Premier Cru, Saint-Georges Les Cailles
2004. This wine had an elegant personality wrapped in chocolate with hints
of maraschino cherry buried within. |
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| 2009 - Award
Aquarius Restaurant |
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Service during the tasting event proved
adequate. Chef Thomas’s grand finale started with a house original,
Alchymist Orange Chocolate Terrine spiked with a romantically fragrant
orange liqueur in a rich dark chocolate texture. Sommelier Jakob felt it
important to end the entire meal with a traditional Czech favorite,
Slivovice R. Jelinek, a silky smooth spirit distilled from local plums.
A soft warm glow worked its way down paving the way for a robust double
espresso and an early evening to sleep. |
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“Chef Thomas’s eclectic interpretations of Mediterranean
fare are pure
and instinctive yet designed to enliven your senses.” ~
TB |
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by
Simone & Thorsten Buehrmann
Editor: Ingrid
Lemme
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola |
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| © 2009 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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