Calm cafes in the Parisian style from the beginning of last century are vanishing. Glace gloves worn by ladies and starched shirtfronts of the gentlemen have not been seen for a long time. They were exchanged for tops with decolletage for the girls while the men show off the popular labels and trousers with fake patches. The informality took over the former oasis of Saturday peace and, let’s face it, even the somewhat boring afternoons.
What are the current cafes like? We will try to find out in Cafe-Cafe in Rytířská street. The place is usuallz buzzing throughout the day until late evening.
Environment
Spacious, high, modern interior even seems too multifarious. Brick with large-print photos, mirrors and frilled curtains. Single lights, visible air-conditioning shafts. Inevitable plasma screens and exciting rhythmical music. Large bar filled with a surprising number of elite liqueurs.
Somewhat antique-looking furniture creates an atmosphere of the past. Armchairs are more comfortable than the chairs while the tables – wooden cubes are more spacious than the round marble ones. Tables and umbrellas on the sidewalk look nice but the passing cars soon cover you in exhaust fumes.
The environment is all in all pleasant, though I thought the lilac shade of the walls and the bar did not fit in too well. Cuffs the gentlemen used to write notes on have been exchanged for laptops and the mood-colouring music is often interrupted by mobile phone crazing.
Service
Only male waiters and that disappointed me slightly. Moreover, the men in shorts and striped jerseys look like training rugby players between the tables. They are nice, contagiously relaxed and professionally skilled.
They are well-familiar with the menu, they answer the questions concerning food or drinks fast and with obvious knowledge. However, it would be better if the customer would not overhear words that belong to a football pitch coming from the waiters taking short breaks at the bar. Another thing was that the waiters seem to believe that once the customer finished his meal he no longer needs a clean table.
Menu
Rich drinks menu, even with a large wine section is likely to satisfy everyone. Large offer of liqueur.
Food menu offers a wide and tempting selection of salads and a decent page of pasta. Main meals seem somewhat poor with the only meat available being chicken. Cafe menu includes cakes in the window that look fresh and inviting even in the late afternoon and are asking to be tasted. Risotto with Italian sausage, eggplant, black olives and tomatoes that I ordered was elegantly well-balanced, maybe just very slightly dry. The melted cheese added a pleasant consistency. The portion was enormous, the red heap on the plate resembled Czech sacred hill Říp. Piece of recommeded apple pie did not disappoint either. Not too sweet but fresh even spicy thanks to the apples, nicely refreshing.
And coffee? Strong and aromatic as it should be. Only the foam fell too early, already during the serving.
