Anthea Gerrie joins the posh boys tucking into gourmet beef at buzzy Červený Jelen Prague
While the delights of Prague can be marred on occasion by loud stag groups marching from bar to bar, the world’s beer tourists have not yet discovered Cerveny Jelen, despite the fact this buzzy local favourite serves up a very fine brew along with some of the best meat available in the Czech capital.
The name translates as “red deer”, but it was beef rather than venison which delighted my palate on a recent visit to the art nouveau building which suggests a more august institution than this turns out to be.
They’re no longer partying like it was 1899 inside Cerveny Jelen, where art nouveau has given way to an airy, high-ceilinged, spare but elegant interior with a deliberate feel of the American west.
For this is a different kind of boys’ club – the men dining with each other appear to be well-heeled professionals young and old who have come to indulge their inner carnivore in a huge grill room which knows exactly what its customers are after.
I was not the only female diner – local women are said to enjoy this place as much as men – but doubtless the only one tucking solo into the “degustation” starter intended for two, as I really wanted all 100 grams of the superbly-seasoned beef tartare which was the centrepiece of this hugely appealing plate.
And the entire little preserving jar of duck pate which came with it, not to mention radishes and several slices of excellent grilled sourdough toast. At around £14.50 this would make a great cold supper for one, while two going on to a main course will be satisfied at this generous tastebud-tickler.
It was a good thing the 12-hour-smoked brisket I fancied came in two sizes, as the smaller(£13.85) was more than enough meat, thanks to the rich barbecue sauce in which the slices were slathered and the potatoes which are a ubiquitous accompaniment to meat in the Czech Republic – in the case along with half a fashionably charred pak choi and a grilled cherry tomato.
Groups of lawyer and architect types at nearby tables were not messing around, though, choosing £100-ish Tomahawks designed to feed three, and £110 South American steak selections with pots of chimichurri, green peppercorn and chipotle sauce. For the truly deep-pocketed, there are sharing platters of wagyu beef from both Australia and Japan at £220 for four.
You don’t need a side in the Czech Republic, but I was intrigued to try Cerveny Jelen’s take on the classic American baked potato with sour cream. Here, the potatoes were tiny, but stuffed with cheddar melted into them, with a generous pot of sour cream and chives on the side – delicious.
I just about found room for Bohemia’s answer to France’s famous Paris-Brest – Vëtrník, a choux bun dessert stuffed with egg custard and caramel whipped cream with a wicked iced topping. Even the coffee was special – seems the way in Prague is to serve it with a tiny glass of sparkling water as an extra digestif.
It’s worth noting that this is a modern, forward-looking restaurant which acknowledges the rise in veganism and caters for it with a cauliflower steak with cauliflower croquet, baked pepper and an almond dip(£10.60) and a generous dish of chanterelles and zucchini in season (£13).
While good beer really is the pride of Prague, and Cerveny Jelen lists a near half-litre of Pilsner Urquell, the best in town, for a very fair £2.60, they also have a decent wine selection for around £4 per glass, of which a primitive from Puglia was too delicious to deviate from in the name of research.
But their seal of approval suggests Czech wines are worth exploring – they list four whites, two reds, one rose and a sparkling from the home team as well as an impressive list of single malts and Speyside alongside the blended whisky, not to mention decent bourbon and the inevitable Jack Daniels in the meat palace where Prague meets Tennessee!
Tell Me More About Dining At Cerveny Jelen
Cerveny Jelen Hybernská 1034/5 Prague
T:. +420 735 123 647
