The Alcron Restaurant, Prague

Finding Restaurant Alcron is a bit of a challenge. You push through a revolving door in the meticulously restored Art Deco Alcron hotel and find yourself in a long, finely appointed lobby. Striding past reception you spot a bar. Is that it? Through glass doors, you spy a stunning 1930’s Jazz Age mural that you’ve heard about. Alcron’s tiny 24-seat dining room enfolds and a lone table amidst the splendor of refined elegance becomes the nexus for a memorable meal.

 

Intriguing History and Michelin Star Dining

Hotel dining has long been equated with luxury in Europe and Alcron, as one of the finest restaurants in Prague and a Michelin star holder since 2012, delivers the expected sophistication. The purple and gold chairs embrace you like mini-thrones. The room hums with the hush of anticipation. Service is polished and unobtrusive. A cart overflows with French cheeses. Every detail is precisely calculated.

The restaurant’s history dates back to the hotel opening in 1932. Over the years, the reality of war and politics encroached on the Czech Republic and the property fell into disrepair. It was revitalized in 2000 and Alcron restaurant took its current shape in 2008, with the goal of being a fine dining destination among the world’s best. Thoughts of the past and lost worlds linger, though, as you peruse the menus while being enveloped by an original Tamara de Lempicka mural of dancing couples in 1930s New York. You can’t help but be transported back to the Jazz Age when men wore tails and women gowns, drifting in glamor above it all.

Heading the kitchen is Roman Paulus, who has traveled extensively as a chef, from Austria to London’s famous Savoy Hotel to a stint on the Queen Elizabeth II. His cooking is modern and refined, reflecting a global cupboard of ingredients and flavors.

 

The menu divides into cold and hot sections, with a build it yourself approach to the meal. You can opt for three or four courses or linger over five, six or even seven. The freedom means you and your partner can have very different experiences at the same table, though we decided on a progression of 8 dishes balanced between the two categories.

Paulus excels with his modern fish and seafood preparations, often employing Asian touches to elevate his dishes. We loved the signature salad of squid and cauliflower with radish, truffle and dashi. The combination of ingredients played wonderfully off one another, perfectly tender cauliflower and squid, a bit of zing from the radish, a hint of salt from the dashi. A Carpaccio of silky organic beef surprised, coming wrapped around smoked eel. We enjoyed seared Norwegian langoustine’s appearance in two separate dishes – a cold starter with a ripe tomato terrine and a tail in a Japanese bouillabaisse. In both, the langoustine was sweet and full of flavor though the starter struck a discordant note, the acidity of the tomato throwing off the balance.

The kitchen turns out a fine bisque, something we nearly did not order until the server suggested it. When we visited, it was lobster bisque with lobster tortellini, grilled artichokes and tarragon. The dish had a richness and sweetness that comforted rather than cloyed. Soup is generally not my thing but my notes call the dish oddly addictive. Our two final dishes, pan fried duck foie gras and confit of rabbit both delighted. The foie gras peeked out from a cloud of hibiscus foam and promptly melted away on our forks. Joining it on the plate was an ethereal miniature layered baumkuchen and two perfectly roasted plums. The rabbit came as lightly fried cubes bristling with flavor, resting atop an earthy chanterelle mushroom puree. An accompanying green pea ravioli burst with brightness.

The exquisite meal was capped with a lengthy discussion of Czech wines, several of which we had enjoyed at Alcron. The country may not produce many wines, and they are generally not exported, but we found the quality to be impressive. Alcron’s extensive wine list and wine pairing options provide the perfect opportunity to explore.