Restaurant Review: Bistro Praha

BISTRO PRAHA 10117 101st Street ~ bistropraha.com Instagram: @bistro_praha ~ Twitter: @Bistro_Praha Co-Diner: Tim Golem

Without a doubt, one of Edmonton's undisputed institutions when it comes to restaurants is Bistro Praha. Open since 1977, this is a place where you will find culinary fare from the European country of Czechia. Avenue Magazine named Bistro Praha the Best Tried & True Restaurant 2020 and I think that this award sums things up pretty well. Located Downtown, the restaurant was opened by Frantisek Cikanek (who has since passed on). His goal was to open a place where one could eat familiar Czech delicacies and hear classical music. And let me just say that his legacy lives on and the restaurant continues to keep his vision alive. I visited on a Saturday evening and excitedly entered the comfortable yet stylish space. I loved the modern ceiling which makes the dining room feel fresh and current. Meanwhile, there are still plenty of touches that will take you back to the "old country." They have impressive chandeliers, lots of landscape art on the walls (including one giant piece on the back wall), and plenty of greenery. The space feels simple and easy, yet elegant all at the same time. I absolutely noted the classical music that was playing and it truly elevated the experience. Our server was lovely and happy to assist in guiding us through the menu. As someone with an Eastern European background myself, much of the menu felt very familiar to me. In fact, Poland (one of the countries of my heritage) and Czechia share a border. So the fact that I was getting vibes that reminded me of my grandmother's cooking made a lot of sense. The menu covers a lot of ground and you'll be able to find dishes inspired by not only Czechia, but other nearby European countries as well. While I wanted to try just about everything, I did my best to select a range of dishes from various parts of the menu. Once ordered, the food was delivered to our table lightening quick. I'm not sure if this is the norm but it was pretty impressive. The Starters section included Pickled Rolled Herring ($7.95) which I had to have because it's a dish that I grew up with and feel quite emotional about. However, the fried breaded cheese did not go unnoticed and I will most certainly order it on my next visit.

Served with sour cream.

My two favourite flavours: salty and fishy. That's straight-up what pickled herring delivers. I will say that this dish takes a certain kind of person. It's somewhat of an acquired taste but if you're like me and have been eating this stuff since you were a kid, this is some of the best. The herring was intensely flavourful, powerfully pickled, and wrapped around a pickle... Because this is NOT a "less is more" situation. I loved the big heap of sour cream, which I don't actually think I've used as a condiment with these before. This version was perfection and each bite took me away to a happy place. (My mouth is watering just thinking about it!) There's a Soups & Stews section and that's where I found the Bistro Beef Goulash ($13.75). Again, I noticed the Prague sauerkraut soup and plan to try that next time.

Slavic peasants created this stew using three basic ingredients: beef, onions and a healthy dose of paprika.

Originating in Hungary, this stew was served with rye bread (Eastern Europeans = rye bread with everything) and was warm and comforting. The deep rust colour celebrated the copious amounts of paprika used and the tender beef was plentiful. This dish felt simple and reminded me of home. For the main course I had to go straight for one of the main items that Bistro Praha is famous for: Wiener Schnitzel ($24.95 for a full order). All of the main courses include a small "Jeremy" Salad which arrived first.

Romaine lettuce, marinated tomatoes and onions in white vinaigrette, cheese and house herb dressing.

At first I barely registered this salad, considering it a bit of a "brush off" item. But then I tasted it. This had to have been one of the best "included" salads that I have ever received. Bright and fresh, the tomatoes were like some kind of magic. They were so juicy! Was this simply because of being marinated?? Because this is a game changer. I loved the deliciously acidic dressing and the cheese on top totally worked for me.

Selected cut, prepared according to a famous recipe from old Vienna, lightly breaded. Served with potato salad & lemon.

Wiener Schnitzel originates from Austria, another country that borders Czechia. Now, I've had schnitzel before... But not like this. I added the Homemade Sauerkraut ($4.95) to the order because it felt like the right thing to do for maximum enjoyment. Made of a thin, breaded, pan-fried veal cutlet, the breading must stay dry so that it can be "souffléd." I cannot imagine Bistro Praha doing a better job of this - and they give you three giant pieces. I squeezed some lemon over top and was blown away by the impossibly light breading, ultra-tender veal, and overall delicate yet flavourful experience. Where has this been my whole life? I liked the creamy potato salad a lot and was definitely glad to have added the sauerkraut which was some kind of next-level version. I loved adding the 'kraut to bites of schnitzel, just taking the whole thing over the top. This dish is truly special and must be experienced. I also noted the steak à la tartare and the roasted duck on the menu - two dishes that I just didn't have space for on this visit but would love to try in the future. The tartare, especially, has a huge following. I was not done yet. There's another section called Cold Specialties and the items on this part of the menu really felt familiar to me. Eastern Europeans loves them some assorted cold cuts. As mush as I wanted the sardines, I had to try the Prague Egg ($14.95) because I could sense something wonderfully unique about it.

With caviar.

I mean, put caviar on anything and I'm going to be interested. I'm not entirely clear on the preparation of this dish but from what I could gather, it's a hard boiled (possibly pickled) egg on top of potato salad, smothered in a mayonnaise based sauce, and topped with caviar. Plus ham and pickles and mustard. I loved it! Again, this felt incredibly familiar to me somehow. I loved the rich, creamy pile, accented by acid from the pickling and salt from the caviar. I mean, it was all a bit strange but in exactly the best ways. I could eat this for lunch every day. Lastly, I wasn't about to leave without having dessert. The Butter Crêpe a' la Frantisek ($8.50) had to be the thing to get - it is named after the man who started the restaurant, after all.

With apricot jam and whipped cream.

Incredibly light, ultra-thin and buttery with gorgeously crispy edges, I loved the slightly tart fruit on the inside and the fresh whipped cream on the outside. This dessert is wonderful because it isn't too heavy and it's something that you'll always have room for - no matter how much schnitzel you've eaten. Needless to say, I loved my entire meal at Bistro Praha. The food is delicious. There's just no better way to put it. Every single dish was executed to perfection and felt like a wonderful European version of comfort food. There are so many more items on the menu that I cannot wait to taste. I can't believe that I'm only just trying this restaurant now. What a jewel in Edmonton's culinary crown.