Description: The Kampa Park, part of the Kampa group of restaurants in Prague is one of the premier fine dining restaurant experiences in this fine city. The restaurant is situated in the lesser quarter, on the bank of the river and within a couple of minutes walk from the magnificent Charles Bridge.
We hadn’t planned our visit in advance, in fact we had set out a little aimlessly, trying to find somewhere to eat – sometimes too much choice is harder than too little! However the lights of the Kampa Park, together with the restaurants on either side tempted us across the Bridge one final time – and I am so glad that they did.
We arrived fairly late, well after 8pm without a dinner reservation on a Friday night. We were advised that we could not be seated outdoors for at least 30 minutes. We decided we would wait, at which point we were told that we could be seated inside immediately. As the view of the river and the city from the terrace is such an integral part of the dining experience we decided to hedge our bets and wait 30 minutes, at which point we could eat inside and so we made our way to the bar area.
There was a comprehensive range of beers, wines, and particularly cocktails that would appeal to all tastes and nothing was more than about £4 equivalent, even the cocktails. Not being a particularly adventurous drinker, I opted for a glass of Chilean Sauvignon which was on promotion.
The Bar area was very contemporary with dark woods and chrome, and was very low lighting. The kitchen exit was close by, and we quickly knew from the quality of the plates going out that we were in for a special treat here. Sure enough within 30 minutes we were offered a choice of tables outdoors, including one directly on the edge of the water, which we snapped up.
Despite it being spring, the terrace was well heated with patio heaters and so it didn’t feel that cold. Each chair has a blanket so should you get cold later on, you can wrap up a little and continue to enjoy the food, the ambience, and watch life on the river below. This was a really nice touch and one which I did find myself using as it got later (and cooler).
Onto the menus, and the choice was mouth watering. I opted for Peking Duck Spring rolls and hubby chose Dim sum. Presentation was perfect, with my four spring rolls being presented on a bed of leaves on a long narrow oblong plate. Presentation means everything where food is concerned and these were simply heavenly as was the Dim Sum. Starters averaged around 500-600 CZK (approx 40 CZK to £1).
We were given two wine lists – the regular one and the uber expensive one. Wine by the bottle, particularly imported wine does tend to be expensive in Prague. For comparison, a bottle of Jacobs Creek, which is a cheap wine in the UK, averaged around £29 in a Prague restaurant which seems crazy. I was struggling to pick a wine but as I had enjoyed the glass in the bar we asked for a bottle of that and I was relieved to see that the bill was a mere 700 CZK which is affordable for restaurant prices. I would need to sell my house or work for quite a while to afford some of the others on the menu…!
On to the mains, and I opted for a Chicken Breast surf and turf, which consisted of chicken breast with a king prawn through the middle on a bed of Spinach and with gnocchi. It was extremely enjoyable and the home made oversized gnocchi was simply devine. Hubby opted for a Tuna dish which was served on a bed of wasabe mash potato, and again was extremely well prepared, well presented and delicious. In contrast to the starters, the main courses were not much more expensive, and both our mains were less than 600 CZK, however some of the more expensive meat options are over 800 CZK.
Service was attentive but not intrusive throughout dinner, and the food, the restaurant ambience and the location truly made this one of the nicest restaurant meals I can ever remember.
We looked at the pudding menu, as it would be rude not to, but we were feeling comfortably full and decided we would not indulge. We both had regular coffees and we did find room to stay and enjoy a couple of champagne cocktails each before we head back over the bridge to home.
Our final bill was approximately 3500 CZK or around £80. We had settled our initial drink bill separately as we were required to do so but for a two course meal for two, a bottle of wine, coffee and two rounds of drink and one of the best views in the city, I think that represents exceptional value for money.
If I ever go back to Prague I will be visiting Kampa Park for sure!
http://www.kampagroup.com/en/
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