Writes of Passage

Haštalská 18, 110 00 Staré Město
Prague, Czechia

… more pix on Google Maps, Yelp, TA, YT

For non English speaker like me, Dégustation is French word that means 品尝 taste various foods.

Will return.

When I googled Michelin star restaurants in Prague, this one and Field showed up. They close for lunch earlier than Field, which why we went to Field first; … I left review for my bad experience at Field two days ago.

I enjoyed their simply and elegant decor, the friendly staff, the food and the ease to make a reservation.

They do 30 lunches and 50 dinners daily, walk ins are fine as long as a space is available. Today there are two walk ins.

Visitors accounts 70% of their customers and today English was the language. Two tables round us are Americans.

We’re 35 minutes early but they seat us anyway. Our table is by the kitchen, and I get to watch them in action.

One staff brings a low stool for backpacks 🎒 or large handbag, placing it under the table.

More serving staff than necessary. I didn’t see the excessiveness in New York.

Bathroom uses hand towels; lotion is provided. But the door could use the switch to show if it’s being occupied?

As with many similar restaurants, each table needs to have either tasting menu or regular. We opt regular. And the food is plentiful.

One thing I picked up is, the chef (I assumed) uses a little alcohol/water spray to clean the plates / bowls before he puts anything into it, making sure no dishwasher residue.

Years ago, at 11 Madison, a New York CFO commented that running a restaurant smoothly “isn’t easy”. I think I’ve a better understanding today 😉, and a bit of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times – assembly line.

The open kitchen we see, cooks little – either they done all cooking prior or they’ve a secondary kitchen that does real cooking.

The food … all are delicious…

In the end, they offered us sweet surprise, which is better than the dessert that came with the regular menu. The only complain is, they should use a light color interior bowl to serve, showing off their dessert creation.

Dlouhá 33, 110 00 Staré Město, Prague Czechia

… more pix on Google Maps, TA

Will return: comfort food and great service. They all speak better English than me.

Wondering if hunting is more difficult than finding a place to fill your belly.

1. Field – I left a review
2. La Degustation
3. U Cerveneho Kola

Although unsuccessful differently, we weren’t able to dine at the above three establishments. (I wrote review for #1.) The #3 isn’t open, with a lock on the door. So I asked two passer by if it is closed down. They said they didn’t even notice that there is a restaurant. Then they ask if we’re looking for a place to eat and suggested this one.

Local is opposites from La Degustation. Long hall, casual, quick to service, good wine glass, hand washed beer mugs , large portion, and large utensils, especially the spoon.

The soup is delicious; beef neck is tender but the white sauce is bit too sweet, so is the mustard. I must be sick or something, why do I find so many restaurants’ food sweet? Need a doc or two 😂

U Milosrdných 12, 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia
Prague

… more pix on Google Maps, TA

This review is only for the front desk – Maitre D’ and their reservation system.

Freshly off the plane , I googled restaurants in Prague. Field and La Degastation showed up. The later is being more prestigious but we chose Field because they open an extra hour for lunch than La Degastation, which we could make.

The chance to dine at a Michelin star restaurant without a reservation might be slim. But Cafe China New York seats you no master what, for example. And it was a little pasted lunch time. We might have a good chance. Worst of all, we can just have a drink there. So we went.

The deco is simple. Window decor is silly. The noise level is low, or might be they’re listening to our conversation. There are empty tables.

The smiling Maitre D’ asked for reservation upon seeing us.
“Oh we don’t have.”
Oh I can’t seat you. We’re fully booked.
“How about other time?”
She looked at her book briefly, “we’re fully booked tomorrow and Sunday.”

Note: I didn’t give her a time frame.

She went on to say “can’t put you on the waiting list because it’s already so long.”

“Can we sit at the bar have a drink?”

“No you can’t.”

“That’s fully booked too?” I asked. The bar is totally empty.

For some reason, I thought about another New York restaurant Da Dong, which made its name in Beijing and elsewhere in China for serving decent Beijing Ducks. They opened to a much anticipation but folded within a year or two. I wrote a long review … It was three months out for reservation but when I went, the entire 2nd floor had only two tables with total four dinners that included us. Their bars were always first come first serve, and lively. …

Ultimately, the meal we’ve at a peasant eatery Lokal literally one step away from La Degustation, two blocks away was satisfying.

Ultimately, this sour grape made a reservation easily at La Degustation for Sunday without any effort.

Ultimately, we’ve a great lunch at La Degustation that Sunday – check out my review there.

… Ultimately … we also dined at Mikla @ Istanbul, watching the sunset and savoring a great meal with wonderful wines – as walk ins.

La Degastation said 70% costumers are foreigners – my gut feeling: the % is higher.

Thanks Field for the experience!

The capital of Czech, but then it was still Czechoslovakia. It was my favorite city in the eastern block.

Prague 1984 布拉格 [玫瑰][爱心] 惊艳的小城

虽然那时还是捷克斯洛伐克 是贼眉鼠眼东部集团的一员 但是小城特别可爱魅力十足. 人们的依着 体态到小首饰店都没太多的主义味. 也是后来🇺🇸第一个女国务卿 奥尔布赖特Madeleine Albright 的出生地 不会差. 暇意的查尔斯桥: 近几年看到的照片和王府井差不多 人山人海 6⃣️ 橱窗设计 1984! 🐂 教堂里的🎼 🎵 简直了 [强]