Czech wine

You are currently browsing articles tagged Czech wine.

 

image

image

image

Literally. Our stay at the lovely Iron Gate Hotel in Prague not only came with a beautiful apartment, but it also included transportation to and from the airport and a three course dinner for two at the hotel’s subterranean restaurant.  We arrived in time for our reservation which, looking back, was kind of funny considering we were the only people in the restaurant for the entire 3 hours of our dinner! We first had a drink at the bar, pictured above. It was really beautiful and well stocked. I had a glass of Philipponnat Royale Réserve Brut and the hubs had an Iron Gate cocktail which was a mix of vodka, absinthe, orange juice, pineapple juice, and Triple Sec. It was strong and yummy!

image

The hubs’ absinthe cocktail, isn’t it pretty?! Plus fresh bread, olive oil, and sea salt. A simple combination that I could pretty much live on!

image

Local ham with salad and fresh grated horseradish with apple. I tried the horseradish, and it was amazing! I loved the spiciness of the horseradish mixed with the sweet, crunchy apple.

image

Mushroom and vegetable soup, yet another delicious Czech soup dish. Perfect for warming up after lots of walking in the beautiful but freezing cold and slushy city streets

image

The hubs’ steak special

image

For dessert, Eric ordered pancakes topped with blueberries with a side of fresh whipped cream.

image

For my dessert, I decided to be adventurous and ordered the poppy seed noodles with a honey sauce, topped with strawberries and kumquats. It was an interesting dish, not very sweet at all, but something I am glad that I tried.

We each had a glass of Czech wine with dinner. I love trying and learning about wine regions of the world, especially those that are not very well known. We both opted for red, me a Lobkowicz Pinot Noir and the hubs a 2005 Tanzberg Zweigeltrebe. Both were very good. Mine was a pretty stanard Pinot which I always enjoy, and the Zweigeltrebe was amazing. It was very full bodied with a slight oakiness and a blend of dark berries. It went REALLY well with his dessert! Hehe the poor thing, I usually end up eating half of his food and drinking half of his wine!

After dinner, we decided to wander around Prague which is absolutely stunning after dark.

image

Nothing prettier than Prague’s Old Town under falling snow, with cups of hot gluwein.

Tags: absinthe, cocktails, Czech wine, Dining out, Food, Prague, Travel, wine

We arrived in Prague after dark, and our drive from the airport into the city brought us through some not so lovely places. The architecture was more concrete block than castle, and we were a little nervous as we were expecting a magical European city.

It wasn’t long until we were pulling in front of our hotel, the Iron Gate Hotel in the old town section of the city. With extremely narrow, cobblestone streets, we were glad that we had hired a driver to bring us into town.

We were lead immediately to our room, a deluxe suite and the largest room in the hotel. It was really more of an apartment with a bedroom, two bathrooms, one of which had a Jacuzzi, an entryway/study a kitchen area and a sitting room.

The ceiling was painted in a funky, Bohemian pattern, and our apartment was reached by a cool spiral staircase.

image

image

image

Our Jacuzzi with a bottle of Bohemia Sekt sparkling wine, a light, crisp, slightly dry bubbly. I was pleasantly surprised by Czech wine!

 

image

The lovely courtyard outside our regal room

Even though it was late when we arrived, we were eager to explore, so we walked the short block to the old town and were completely taken away with its enchanting beauty.

image

We were hungry after the short flight from Dublin, and we quickly decided on a traditional Czech restaurant. Warm and cozy, Staroměstská restaurace gave us a glimpse into the deliciousness of Czech cuisine with incredibly friendly service.

image

We shared a few dishes including smoked salmon with a dill cream sauce and herb cheese.

image

Red and white cabbage salad that offered a tangy crunch

image

Goulash with bread dumplings in a rich, spicy sauce laden with paprika, topped with spicy sausage and a chili pepper

image

All washed down with Pilsner Urquell, the Czech Republic’s most beloved beer.

image

Our server was fantastically warm and accommodating, making sure we enjoyed everything. Note that tipping is acceptable and appreciated in Prague, especially for good service. Personally, although I know that tipping isn’t expected in many countries, I always like to give a little extra for someone’s hard work.

After a warm and comforting dinner it was nearly midnight, and we returned to the Iron Gate where I enjoyed the Jacuzzi and some bubbly to kick off a lovely Prague holiday.

Tags: beer, Czech cuisine, Czech wine, Food, Prague, Travel, wine

new restaurant
WordPress SEO fine-tune by Meta SEO Pack from Poradnik Webmastera