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Aquarius Restaurant
Aquarius - Restaurant
Prague - Czech Republic
5 Stars & 5 Stripes
Extraordinary
March - 2009
5 Stars & 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service'
The Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and Stripes®
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.
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. Cuisine - Aquarius
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.
Cuisine - Aquarius
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.
Award Aquarius 2009
2009 - Award Aquarius Restaurant
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.
“Chef Thomas’s eclectic interpretations of Mediterranean fare are pure
and instinctive yet designed to enliven your senses.” ~ TB
by Simone & Thorsten Buehrmann

Editor: Ingrid Lemme

Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola
© 2009 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc.


 
 
 
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Disclaimer:

Although the above information was accurate at the time of publication, it can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all pertinent information with the companies in question before planning your trip.


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