A great disappointment.

After observing the glowing reviews about the traditional great quality food, I have to say that it is not true.

First, the service. We were treated very well by the waiters, nothing to complain there, but expect to receive a typical show and exaggerated and unnecessary small talk from waiters trying too hard to create a lively atmosphere. Given how the place is trying to serve high-end food, I would have appreciated a bit more decorum and restraint. But this is mostly personal.

The food. The tasting is 890 koruna. A decent price for five course. But first, one course is an out of place lemon sorbet that should not be properly called a course, more an amuse-bouche, between the two meats.

The first starter was a venison paté, quite delicious, with a fresh flavorful salad (rare).

Second course was a seared foie gras served on gingerbread. Foie gras was ok, but I have had better. Gingerbread was slightly stale and not quite full of flavors of spices like it should be, plus a bit too sweet.

The duck was good but nothing to write home about for a restaurant that prizes itself on its duck. Was expecting some more unique combination of flavors. It simply did not pack a punch. The coriander potato purée was, however, good and fresh.

The next meat dish was a venison saddle with rose hip sauce. The venison was perfectly cooked, the carlsbad dumplings were airy, flavorful with herbs, some of the best I have had. But the sauce, once again, did not really surprise. Tasted similar to a svickova sauce, did not really detect the subtlety of rosehip. In sum, the dish was good, but one would expect to discover something slightly more out of the ordinary, something that you remember as you fall asleep in the evening. Not the case here.

The chocolate cake dessert was the least interesting and worst dish of the evening. It was dry, too rich, a plain cake that tastes like the ones you can buy industrially. The plating of it looks cheap too. It is overdone in an effort to make something bad look good.

The wine pairings for 590 koruna or so were OK. Sparkling czech wine to start (OK), sweet czech wine for the foie gras (great), white for duck (ok), red for venison (ok), port for the cake (meh - nice spiciness but an intensity that is overwhelming and lacking in balance). Overall, not worth the money.

I had very high expectations going into this place, almost certain to be pleased, and I turned out to be wrong. I am saddened to say that I would not recommend this historic restaurant.