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Work in progress

Bukowski's strange prologue and other notes from the city

By Dave Faries
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
March 14th, 2007 issue

Will Tizard/The Prague Post
Wine, vodka and beer flowed — the beer across the street — at this "opening."
Food and nightlife writers receive a steady stream of invites. Most of these are tiresome events — same faces, same spiel. After a few years in the business, you get in the habit of tossing or deleting every suspect piece of mail.
Once in a while, however, something truly odd or compelling catches your attention. Years ago in the States, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to hang out with unsolved-murder icon and former delivery boy Kato Kaelin. No reason, really. It just seemed like “Had a few with O. J.’s pal” would trump other answers to the “What did you do last night?” question.
A couple of weeks ago, I succumbed to another such event: Glen Emery’s contrived “soft opening” of his partially completed Bukowski’s. Last fall, the longtime expat and founder of Jo’s Bar promised to open this new Žižkov lounge by Dec. 15. Nearly three months later, with one wall finished, a quarter of the bar surface in place, a working (though doorless) bathroom and no beer taps, he decided it was high time for a gala. Besides, deadlines for submitting photos to next year’s guidebooks are fast approaching.
You really had to be there. Emery opened a tab at Nad Viktorkou across the street. His invitees traipsed across Bořivojova with empties, waited for the rather dismayed bartender Martin Šašek to pour another round, then returned to the party. Šašek seemed none too pleased by the steady stream of noncustomers, but it didn’t hurt Nad Viktorků’s bottom line. Meanwhile, comely women at the unfinished Bukowski’s uncorked bottles of wine and posed for guidebook pics. American students whooped it up in one corner. And a group of Ukrainian guys improvised a home-country custom with bottles of hangover-inducing Czech vodka, plastic cups and packets of crisps.
As for the place itself, the wall looked sharp and the carpet sample very old school. Emery now hopes to open Bukowski’s sometime in April.
New deli
The constant hunt for decent Indian cuisine (or its British equivalent) usually ends on the same old grounds: Himalaya, Rasoi, Tandoor, Taj Mahal, etc. Recently, however, Culinaria decided to enter the fray by hiring Narinder Singh to whip up samosas, aloo tikki, rogan josh, kebabs and lentils in many, many forms. Dishes include vegetarian options and desserts. Call the shop (775 314 955) for a full menu or further information. Dishes are available for take-away, or call in advance to place an order.
Strange brew
Sooner or later, I.M. Pei or Santiago Calatrava will bump into the winner of this year’s Coffee Luxury award and drop its head in shame. Philippe Starck and Tom Ford may spy the champ at some party and slink off into a corner. How could the former greats not respect someone who captured a prize based, according to a hastily translated press release, on one’s ability to deal “with luxury as if it were a state of mind, a life attitude, a permanent search for exceptionality” and so on? Especially if it involves coffee.
Nespresso is asking design students from “the best international schools” to submit ideas for luxury products inspired by coffee, coffee machines and coffee accessories. Just guessing here, but color schemes will be rather limited.
Things began percolating (sorry) last week. For more information, check www.nespresso.com/design.
Identity crisis
Reminders of its past iteration as Dinitz were still, at last glance, emblazoned on the windows and set in the outside menu box. But the Bílkova restaurant is actually operating under new ownership and a new name: Bissli.
Drinking wine
spo-dee-oh-dee
The folks at Atelier in Vršovice would like to teach the world to sing of wine and food, in perfect harmony. At least, they are calling a series of dinners paired with a guided tasting of French vintages “Harmony of Food and Wine.” The next session takes place Thursday, March 15, and opens with mussels in white wine and saffron, followed by two main courses and a dessert.  Wines: Muscadet de Sevre et Maine “Sur Lie” 2005, Chateau Thibaut-Ducasse 2004, Pouilly-Vinzelles “Les Longeays” Domaine Thibert 2005 and a little flourish of Veuve Fourney Cuvee Rose to finish. Seating begins at 7 p.m. The cost is 800 Kč ($37.30). Call 271 721 866 for reservations or further information. If you can’t make it, the next excursion through wine country takes place April 19.
Final (slurred) words
When you get a spare moment online, take a look at Czech Please, a worthy new blog at czechoutchannel.blogspot.com. The proprietor, hiding behind the pseudonym “Brewsta,” makes it clear he’s not a professional. But his entries are fun reading and much more exegetic than the usual blog-stopper stuff out there.
I use the word “exegetic” just for Brewsta’s benefit. He took me to task for using “breviloquent” in print. Seven years of food writing, and the first time I trot out a word from grad school days …

Dave Faries can be reached at dfaries@praguepost.com


Other articles in Night & Day (14/03/2007):

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