Arzenal, cross culture junction. Rated ○○○

www.arzenal.cz
Valentinska 11
Prague 1

Individual Ratings:
Atmosphere, esthetics, comfort:	**●
La carte:	○○○
Serving:	*●●
Service:	●●●
Food quality:	*●●
Carte de vin:	●●●

When I ask people about Thai cuisine in Prague, vast majority will recommend Lemon Leaf. Thus I deduce, that not that many people have been to Arzenal yet, otherwise such incomparable recommendations would have long been forgotten. Just few minutes walk from the Rudolfinum is an entrance to what you would probably suspect - and correctly - to be an art gallery, as Arzenal is owned by a famous designer and a great fan of Thai cuisine Borek Sikpek, the art gallery is an overture to the stylish restaurant that hinds behind the many glass statues.

Through a narrow entrance behind the gallery, you will enter into a stunning world combining oriental works with unique design creations of Borek Sipek. Everything from the light works to table decorations and even cutlery and plates are unique design pieces amazingly well combined to create exclusive and somewhat mystical atmosphere. The only reason why I cannot give a three star rating in this category is, that the tables are not initially set up, which significantly reduces the exclusive visage of the restaurant.

The food menu is extensive and elaborate, with sufficient explanations for individual items and photographs of the main specialties in each category. Unfortunately, the paper design and generally limited choice of words in explanations again impair the overall image. Also the desert list seems rather insufficient, given the many exotic sweet plates Thai cuisine offers.
For a little insight into the individual courses, shrimp or prawns are the traditional ingredients of that cuisine as is chili, cilantro, garlic and galagal (Thai ginger). Any kind of deep fried prawns, especially with bamboo shoots is a good choice for an appetizer. I generally judge all Thai restaurants by the preparation of the three most famous Thai courses, that is the Tom Yum Kung (or Tom Kha Kung) shrimp soup with chopped mushrooms and baby tomatoes, extremely spicy and with fresh cilantro (sometimes Kha prepared also with coconut milk is usually milder with the spice and thicker with the taste), the Kaeng Phed Khai (or Kaeng Khiao Whan) red or green Thai curry, with chopped meat (either chicken, beef, pork or assorted) prepared from curry paste with the distinctive color provided either by red chili peppers or by kaphir lime and cilantro root. Garlic and galagal, as reffered to above are also a major part of any curry paste. Either curry is served with rice, which is either dipped into the sauce or eaten separately (perhaps to wash down the burn). And last, the Phad Thai rice noodles with fried tofu, egg, bamboo shoots and meat. At Arzenal, I was well satisfied with all the items named above, but the course I will always come back for is a butterfish vestured in fine egg batter with sweet and hot apple sauce.

With all the superlatives I have used above it is true shame, that the restaurant does not pay nearly enough attention to service, which seems barely literate or coherent and virtually unable to provide any advice whatsoever. When even a simple order becomes a communication problem the rating goes down the drain and I have absolutely no choice but to award zero points in this respect. Also the wine list was absolutely insufficient with no regional specialties and choices limited to a few not particularly impressive wines.

I have spent quite some time thinking about, whether or not to award a star to Arzenal, and finally I have decided that a ○○○ rating would represent it more correctly as it is not only the quality and selection of food and the atmosphere, which is of very high standard, but the overall impression that can be severely damaged by even the most banal flaws that distinguish the ordinary restaurants from the extraordinary. Nevertheless, Arzenal is a very good option if you want to try something new and exotic.