After lunch we walked the beautiful cobblestone streets of Prague. We did a little shopping. Enjoyed some street performers. Had some delicious, cheap ($1.50 for .5 liter), street beer. Wandered some more. Found a shop selling one of my favorite desserts- cotton candy, guilt-free, sweet clouds of youth. Wandered some more… You get it 🙂

We always trust Michelin guide recommendations even for Asian fusion in Prague! We ventured to a kind of run-down area of Prague to visit SaSaZu- a 2014 Michelin Bib Gourmand pick.

The atmosphere and service were great. The food was good, but both Adam and I agreed that every dish was missing an acid component- they seemed sweet, salty, fatty. One note. We wanted some Southeast Asian kick- lime, chilies, vinegar, something. Despite our food snobbery, we really enjoyed our meal- a series of five small plates.

First we had the Yam Yam Soup- shrimp, mushrooms, udon, and cilantro in a kombu broth. It was a little on the sweet side, but it still managed to satisfy our umami cravings.

Then we had the SaSa crispy roll- a blend of tuna and salmon wrapped in lightly fried nori and served atop black sesame and wasabi sauce. An excellent dish! We loved the blend of textures and the sweet- spicy sauce.

Next we had Tamarind Duck. It was our least favorite dish- sickly sweet. It would be an interesting dessert.

Next we had Red Curry beef and shrimps. Yum! The curry was smooth and creamy with thin slices of beef, green beans, shrimp, and sweet snow peas. Although I would have loved the dish with a few squeezes of fresh lime and some bird chilies, we really liked the dish. The rice was perfectly cooked -the crispy fried shallots on top made it extra special.

Finally, we had the Chinese Shawarma. Braised beef short ribs and a grilled slice of foie gras in a fresh pita with mint yogurt sauce and a radish relish. The foie gras was superb. The pita was hot and fresh. The short ribs were tender and oh so unctuous… If only there had been more radish, mint, and sour yogurt to balance the dish. It was so heavy and rich. I had only a couple bites with the mint and yogurt- they were perfect! Sigh

Whenever we dine at “real” restaurants, I look forward to being surprised by a dish, flavor combo, unique plating or service. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen often. Today SaSaZu delivered- in overtime- but I’ll accept. My favorite dish came as a last minute desire for caffeine. I ordered the basil coffee. I’ve never had that pairing so I thought I would give it a shot. O. M. G. Amazing! It was served super-cold and creamy. The whipped coconut cream is a revelation. Basil + coffee a new favorite. Wow!

I had crispy herbed pretzels and Adam had spicy chips. We shared some delicious Belgian chocolates!

We had some leftovers, so why not? 🙂

We enjoyed a late lunch/ early dinner at Cafe Lounge. It’s such a sweet cafe, we couldn’t resist going back.

Adam tried the coffee cherry drink. It tasted like coffee-tea, if that makes any sense. I had sweet vermouth with lemon.

We shared the cold cherry smoked rabbit terrine with crispy bread and cranberries. Wow! It was so good. Smoke escaped when we lifted the lid over the terrine- fun and delicious.

For the entree Adam had pan-fried duck breast with spinach, red bell peppers, and herbed polenta in a wine reduction. It was good, but he preferred my dish. I had the veal Saltimbocca with dried lemon, fried sage, and ultra creamy mashed potatoes. It was excellent. I especially loved the dried lemon slices. They were crunchy yet super fresh and zingy- the perfect compliment to the rich veal. I plan to experiment with dried lemon at home 🙂

After the Jewish quarter, we took a tram up to St. Vitus, because Mucha designed one of the stained glass windows. It was truly amazing! The most beautiful stained glass we’ve ever seen. I was moved to tears. Wish the pictures revealed its true light and color.

We picked up a snack on the walk down. Fresh raspberries and chips on a stick. Both were a little disappointing 🙂

As we’ve walked through Prague, I kept smelling the delicious scent if burning sugar- roasted marshmallow, creme brûlée goodness! I finally figured out what the sumptuous scent belongs to- Trdelnik. Thin dough cooked on a rolling spit over hot coals then rolled in sugar and cinnamon. Whoa baby! After our tasty snack we wondered through the Jewish quarter. Very interesting.