Prague's Kampa Park Along the River For That Romantic Night Out

Ahhh yes, Prague. Breathe it all in as the sun shines on your face on a lazy sunny afternoon. Feel her energy as a romantic flare oozes from the artists and couples strolling along Charles Bridge. After spending a few hours making your way through old town, where it feels almost Disney-like, you begin to gaze at things as if you’re lost on a cloud, the way parts of Paris can make you feel, especially if you’re new to the city. Sure, there’s too many tourists, especially during prime travel months, but you can easily find an alley and get lost for an hour or so, or grab a seat in a cafe and stare out at the chaos of the crowds while taking in all the beauty that Prague has to offer.

There’s no better way to really process the Charles River than from a quiet venue that overlooks it. It’s even better than a boat unless you’ve privately chartered one and have your own captain. Prague’s Kampa Park, albeit on the ‘dear’ side for the value compared to some of my favorites in the city like Valoria, is all about romance and that’s why you’re there. This is not to suggest that the food isn’t good, but when you have a front row seat to the river and there’s serenity around you, suddenly you ‘get’ why Kampa Park gets its applause.

This elegant restaurant that touts gourmet French-style dishes has three summer terraces and a winter garden — I dined here in early September and sat out on the terrace that overlooks Charles River. The best thing about this establishment is the breathtaking views of the river, and experiencing it at least once while you’re in Prague should be on your list. Outside, its mostly two tops, so incredibly romantic to boot with an extensive wine list to choose from as well.

I started with a Prosecco and then moved onto red wine since the veal was calling my name. For red wine pairing, I started with Czech wine since I was in Prague after all — the Moravino Valtice, Frankovka Barrique, pozdni sber and before the evening ended, the waiter encouraged me to try the Palacios Remondo La Montessa from Rioja Spain. In fact, they’re proud of the fact that they offer 150 types of wines.

For starters, I went with the Veal Tartar (below) which they served with black truffle oil, quail egg, green apple and brioche croutons (oh so delish)! Other choices included a Shaved torchon of foie gras with rhubarb compote, Brasil nuts and brioche, Halibut marinated in apple brine with garlic chive oil and grapes, Seared scallops with cauliflower, nuts, raisins, and dill beurre blanc with capers, King crab ravioli with kaffir lime aioli, tarragon and orange dust, Baked langoustine tail with Beluga lentils, shiitake and passion fruit sauce, Quail with potatoes and black truffle puree, with grapes and vanilla jus, or the Salmon with pickled cucumber, mango, soy-ginger sauce and coconut sorbet.

While I didn’t have a salad, the baked beet root with fresh goat cheese, tangerines, pistachio nuts and a raspberry dressing was calling out to me as was the Burrata cheese with strawberries, fig balsamic, rocket salad (American translation: Arugula) and Brasil nuts. They had a couple of vegetarian options to choose from as well, such as an oyster mushroom tart and an Artichoke risotto with Burrata cheese. I went for Veal again for my main course — it was a veal tenderloin with ragout of green asparagus and fava beans, with a potato rosti, rhubarb and morel jus.

They brought out a ‘tater’ ball which given my limited carb diet, I was going to ignore, but in the end, decided to taste a little — it was my first few days in Prague after all and I hadn’t built up the discipline yet.

Tempting entrees included a Rack of lamb with eggplant puree, artichokes, chorizo, beluga lentils and mustard seed sauce, a Wagyu strip loin steak (I’m a big Wagyu fan), a Chicken ballotine with ricotta gnocchi with black truffles, a Canadian lobster with gem lettuce and mango, a grilled turbot with crispy artichokes, chanterelles, gnocchi and cream fraiche sauce with lojrom caviar, steamed salmon with cauliflower flan and a poached halibut with black truffles, crispy bacon, potato mash and vegetable foam. If you haven’t noticed, these guys love cauliflower and black truffles and include a lot of it in their dishes. The entrees are equally delicious and beautifully presented. The below is the a veal tenderloin with ragout of green asparagus and fava beans, with a potato rosti, rhubarb and morel jus.

Lastly, I ended the evening with a cheese plate that included Roquefort, Beafort, Epoisses, and Pico Boite — a perfect ending with a perfect view. There was also a strawberry cappuccino with vanilla ice cream, walnuts, meringue and forest berries, a Rhubarb compote with raspberries and almond croquant and a Manjari chocolate fondant with ice cream and passion fruit sauce.

It may not be a Michelin star and certainly there are better value restaurants in Prague (vis a vis price for the volume of ‘aha’ palette moments), but it’s a lovely romantic choice if you want to woo that someone or frankly, even woo yourself. Dining solo with a view like this is incredibly rewarding. As for other times of year, they’re are other great ambiance options.

Below, the covered Riverside Terrace

The Venetian Balcony

The winter garden

The main dining room

Above indoor shots, courtesy/credit of Kampa Park

The executive chef here is Marek Raditsch and the Chef de Cuisine is Milan Sedlak.

Details:

Kampa Park Restaurant

Na Kampě 8b

118 00 Prague

Czech Republic

Renee Blodgett

Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.

She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.

Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.

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