Lemon Leaf: Myslíkova 14, Prague, Czech Republic
This scruffy looking restaurant from the outside with its small collection of rickety chairs and tables perched on the edge of the pavement may fool you into thinking it will be dark and drab inside, the food just a cut above thick gloopy stew or what apparently is Czech soul food: low on flavour, high on fat. I’ll pass, thank you. Which is why Lemon Leaf caught my eye serving Thai and Continental cuisine.
The room inside was hot and stuffy considering it had been 25 degrees all day and you would have thought that by 7.30pm they’d be prepared. However, fans were brought out and the waitresses were quick to help and serve us. A little too quick, admittedly. It seems in Prague that you should be able to make up your mind before reading the menu, though the staff are always happy to give you two minutes if you ask. The steady stream of different waitresses was a little off-putting but the efficiency wasn’t affected.
So, some time to admire the room then. White walls contrasted well with very dark wooden furniture, orange and brown prints subtly warming the atmosphere from their various places around the room. Bamboo place mats unfurled from under our cutlery and mirrors tilted from high on the walls gave us some fun spotting areas of the restaurant that we couldn’t see from our table.
The menu is what it says: thai and continental. The Thai generally delight in complex flavourings with layers of ingredients, spices and colour and this restaurant is no different. A free amuse-bouche of a tender prawn in rice vinegar warmed us up before Tom Ka Kai scorched my throat with its fiery flavouring; chunks of tomato, mushroom and chicken bobbed about near the bottom, while slivers of onion and a squeeze of lime ensured I was trapped in the web of tastes. My only complaint would be that it was served too hot (temperature wise) to enjoy while my dining partners enjoyed their starters. Koong Thot Almond was prawns deep fried in batter and rolled in almonds. The garlic and chilli dip was fairly sour and a lovely accompanient though the almonds alone with the prawns overpowered the meat a little.
There are a wide variety of Thai mains from curries and noodle soups to more continental dishes such as beef steak and grilled vegetable couscous. Neua Phad Phrik was another hot winner. Beef strips marinated in red curry sauce swam in a piquant sauce of garlic and galangal – a popular Thai ingredient related to ginger. A side of roasted spinach leaves was a choice accompanient. The special of Phad Neua Namman Hoi was described as wok fried beef with oyster and soy sauce, ginger, chilli, straw and shiitake mushrooms, served with Thai jasmine rice. The jasmine rice, served in a wicker pot, wasn’t that fragrant for this type of rice though a good sticky consistency. The rest of the dish was well-balanced and aromatic, the variety of spices and sauces distinctive. Finally was Kai Phed Het Hom. This was flavoured with basil and a yellow curry sauce, the chicken served with shiitake mushrooms and a side of vegetable noodles. Again, a wonderful array of flavours that were easy to identify and pick out; the noodles were defined, not too oily or mushy, and the curry sauce was of a good consistency.
I’m afraid that, since we didn’t have dessert, I can’t tell you what they taste like. However, judging by the chunky daily cakes in the cabinet; moist sponges with layers of cream slapped between them and a silky icing decorating the top, I don’t think you can go far wrong. Similary, for a more Thai end to the evening, a baked coconut rice pudding looked beautifully sculptured on the plate, topped with an elegant scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dip of mango by its side. Tempting, I grant you.
And it only cost us £50. Yes, for 3 people, 2 courses, a bottle of wine and one soft drink. Not bad eh? Ok, so the exchange rate helps a little, but you really can’t go wrong here. The service is efficient and professional, the restaurant calm and stylish, though our main gripe was how hot it was, ruining the evening a little. After all, who needs to sweat anymore when their soup is like a personal furnace? When I am in Prague again, I will cheerfully return to the Lemon Leaf for great ambience and food.
For a more lively, casual experience, check out my review of La Bodeguita del Medio – cuban cusine in the heart of Prague.
scotch pancakes 