It's been a quiet March at AH, and for that I apologize. People are starting to complain now so I promise I'll get my ass in gear. Our first proper meal in Prague was at V Zatisi. I found it recommended on Chowhound for consistently good fare, and the place has actually won a few Best Central European restaurant awards. The place is a short walk from Old Town Square, and is pretty easy to spot thanks to a very nicely-lit sign. The inside is very serene, comfortable and professional, and there appeared to be a number of tourists around. I saw one table speaking English and another speaking French. The food is supposed to be a mix of International (which I guess means French and continental European) with some Bohemian touches.
amuse of pastry and brie
It's always pleasant to get an amuse bouche when you're ordering a la carte, and this was a bit of a surprise. I'm blanking on this dish, but the pastry was stuffed with something very unusual. I want to say monkfish, but the combo of monkfish and brie just sounds so weird that I'm doubting myself. It tasted good, but fairly normal considering the description the waiter gave us.
trio of pan-seared seafood - diver scallop, jumbo shrimp, and fillet of red mullet, garden greens and haricots verts tossed with sherry vinaigrette and lobster oil - Kč 495
At first I didn't know if I should order seafood at all in a country that is completely removed from the ocean (a fact that seems to be reflected in a lot of the seafood options), but I figured whatever. This dish turned out quite good - the shrimp and the scallop in particular had a nice sear to them, though the mullet was slightly overcooked. The pile of haricots verts underneath was delicious.
tender bites of herb roasted quails served on arborio risotto with porcini mushrooms and truffle oil - Kč 595
This dish was great, though it got a little heavy towards the end. The quail was very tender and nicely-spiced, and also had a nice char flavor to it. The risotto well-cooked and quite fragrant of porcini.
chocolate mousse with fresh fruits and homemade vanilla sauce - Kč 295
This dessert was phenomenal. The chocolate was silky smooth and not too sweet. We were sharing dessert but I kinda wish I got this on my own...
freebie tiramisu cups
So after getting an amuse before the meal, they also gave us a freebie dessert. These little tiramisu cups were I think a smaller version of a tiramisu on the menu. And it was more of a tiramisu cream than an actualy tiramisu, but very light and tasty.
This ended up being one of the more expensive meals of the trip - it cost easily what you might spend at a US restaurant - but the service was excellent and the food very solid. V Zatisi is definitely a safe spot to go if you're looking for a nice meal in Prague.