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| Le Grill
Restaurant |
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| Prague - Czech Republic |
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Extraordinary
January - 2011 |
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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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| An intriguing bust of Mercury, the Roman god and
patron of travelers, stands high above Hybernska Street on a windowless
façade of the Kempinski Hybernska Hotel. Its gaze is downward toward the
street as if beckoning passersby into the cultural and historical wonderland of
what is now “the pearl of Kempinski”. Inside the huge wooden doors of
this former 17th century Baroque palace and next to an inner garden stands one
of Prague’s finest culinary gems, Le Grill Restaurant. After decades of
emotion deadening domination simply by being behind the Iron Curtain, Prague
has emerged on everyone’s ‘top ten’ bucket list of new places to
visit and Le Grill Restaurant is certainly worthy of inclusion on anyone’s
‘top ten’ new culinary escapes. In the tradition of the Franciscan
Monks (Hyberns) who grew potatoes in their own garden on this very street, Le
Grill uses local sources for many of its fresh ingredients, which in turn
become delicious components on
Executive
Chef Marek Fichtner’s (CLICK HERE) artfully conceived menu.
What we know about Chef Marek is impressive, starting in Czech Republic when
just out of Culinary School, gaining valuable experience on several large
cruise ships including Celebrity Constellation and then on to Saudi Arabia and
Switzerland before returning in triumph to his homeland and taking over as
Executive Chef and F&B Director at Kempinski Hotel Hybernska. |
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| Le Grill Restaurant,
Chef Marek’s workplace, is a beautiful world of blissful contrasts through
architectural divergences. A rather large red Baroque style chandelier hangs
low off the ceiling, calling to mind rich, hot, passionate romance, as any Feng
Shui practitioner would know. It’s a powerful focal point for a romantic
interlude and combined with the audacious use of indirect lighting and wood
accentuated flooring provides a warm and fuzzy canvas from which Chef Marek can
paint his masterful cuisine. |
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| Our dining experience at Le Grill started with
Creamy
White Tomato Soup with Confit Tomberry Tomatoes (CLICK HERE),
which we eagerly tasted while sipping a locally produced Czech Sauvignon
Blanc, Pozdni sber 2008, Reisten. Our servers Hana, Julie and Ilja provided
us with a relaxed, unhurried but professional service experience that was
greatly appreciated as they effortlessly moved us from course to course. Chef
Marek’s tasting menu now brought us to
Grilled
Pike Perch in Lardo on Grilled Polenta and Green Asparagus (CLICK
HERE), a delicious fish with light, firm but tender meat, yielding a
delicate flavor. A delightful late-harvest Czech Riesling Ryzlink vlassky,
Mikrosvin Mikulov 2009 brought a harmonious and pleasant acidity wrapped in
a light green color. |
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| 2011 Le
Grill Restaurant - Seven Stars And Stripes - Award-Hand-Out |
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| Our main course of Duo of Pepper Crusted Pork
Fillet and confit belly, parsnip puree, beetroot mouse and morel sauce
called to mind a take off on an authentic Bohemian specialty served with root
vegetables and earthy morels. Zweigelt, a not so common bottle of red wine
produced in the region Zweigeltrebe Jakostni, 2006 Coteaux Peluic
displayed tangy fruit with a soft silky texture. Finally, dessert of
Marzipan
Dumplings with Apples and Mascarpone Sabayon (CLICK HERE) worked
its magic with three delightful dumplings sitting in light, foaming rich
custard topped with a sprig of red currants. We finished the evening with a
snifter filled with Gold Slivovitz Private Reserve, a Damson plum spirit
with soft aromatics reminiscent of raisins, and violets, as well as other dried
fruits, a perfect bedtime beverage. Congratulations to Executive Chef Marek
Fichtner, a bright star in the heart of Europe. |
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by Edmund & Thorsten Buehrmann
Editor: John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2011 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes,
Inc. |
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