"Capo di tutti capi.” "Da boss.” “The interrogator.” These are only a few things people say about Zuzi. When she’s not in the room. The truth is that Zuzi runs a very tight ship and likes to be in control of things. Because she cares. She’s not that type of person with a “whatever” attitude. Only the best will do, especially when it comes to the guests of the Taste of Prague tours. And she’s a leader with a strong - and usually the right - opinion. And she’s not afraid to voice it. You know what Zuzi thinks. As Karolina put it during one of our Taste of Prague outings: “Zuzi, you’re tough, but I have never, ever, ever thought you were a b*tch.” Wow, thank you for the compliment! (We were all tipsy.)
Zuzi is also a loving foodie with a discerning palate. Heck, she even quit her good lawyer's position in big law to pursue her passion for food. She’s known for one thing: she will not finish a dish or a cup of coffee she does not like. (Unlike Jan, who can gobble things that are less then perfect because, you know, food.) Which can mean long dry coffee spells during vacations. Or the relative lack of fruits in the winter because, hey, they "don’t taste the way they should”. Yes, Zuzi demands perfection not only from people but also from fruit.
But Zuzi also has one of the biggest hearts you will ever see, and if you’re a friend - or a guest - she will do whatever it takes to help you or make sure you’re happy, and she is genuinely excited for your success. She is the girl behind our “will not write about bad dining experiences” policy because she understands perfection takes time and effort. And that's what makes Zuzi so great: she is the perfect combination of demanding - which is great for what we do - and loving, which is great for everything.
Five Prague Favourites
Pekarna Praktika
One food I could never get enough of? Bread and butter. And Pekarna Praktika bakes my favorite bread in Prague. Crispy on the outside and beautifully moist on the inside, I always eat about one half more than I should. You can buy it to go or eat it straight in the bakery with a house-made marmalade or paté. Tomas, the owner and baker who lived abroad for some time is a total nerd and could speak about bread and flour for hours. Perhaps that’s why Praktika is a very simple room where the main star is his fantastic bread.
Maso a Kobliha
There isn’t any other place in Prague that could turn pork belly, blood sausage and marinated hermelin cheese into a sexy (and delicious) dish other than Maso a kobliha. Their donut is my absolute guilty pleasure, and whenever I feel down or just plain naughty, their pub classics made from his happy pigs and cows will always hit the spot.
Bokovka
Great wines, friendly and warm people, and the perfect atmosphere. This was love at first visit, and it’s not going anywhere. When we started writing our Prague favorites, it was difficult to reach an agreement in our household about who’s going to write about Bokovka. And you see, Jan didn’t ask and wrote about it, too. So that’s that. And if you ever want to meet us, just head over to Bokovka on a Saturday night. We’ll probably be there.
onesip coffee
Since onesip coffee opened in the summer of 2016, I have been there literally every single day. Is it because we start our tours there? Maybe. But I like to think that I would be there all the time even’t if it weren’t so conveniently located. Sure, it’s tiny and I won’t get as much work done there as in other coffee shops I like, like Misto, Muj salek kavy, EMA Espresso Bar or Eska, but the coffee is delicious to the point I literally crave it whenever we travel. And the two guys who run it are so nice and helpful: one is a joy to talk with, and the other is a joy to be silent with. 😉
Prague’s farmers markets
Visiting Prague’s farmers markets is always a good idea. We get coffee, something to eat, something sweet, walk around the stalls and see what’s new and what’s in season. What makes the visit even better is that we usually meet our food-loving friends there and just gossip over a cup of coffee, and then usually move on to some restaurant from there. A great way to start the day in my book.
FIVE FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
Cuketka
Cuketka’s blog was the first food blog I ever started following, and it only inspired me to get more into food. He’s a food nerd in the best possible sense of the word: when he writes something on the blog, you know he’s researched it extensively, which is sadly not that common these days. I also like that when he advertises something, he clearly shows: this separation of paid and independent writing is something to look up to. Oh, and I always learn something new.
Lucky Peach
Lucky Peach is always a fun read: when they cover a topic, they cover everything about it. Their writing is almost scientific at times but also very subjective. They are above hip trends - a whole issue can be about places that are cool but not cool, if you know what I mean. And when they write a guide for a city, they really go for the spirit and the grit of the city, the places that have come to embody the town, and not for the glitzy and superficial. And I like the illustrations, too.
The Infatuation
I love how these guys write restaurant reviews: they are clearly well-informed and deep, yet with a sense of confidence, humour and wit that is hard to resist. You simply have fun reading them. Because food can be fun, too. They can also cover a city very well and unlike many other sites, their recommendations tend to be spot on. Oh, and the way they work with social media is a big inspiration to me.
Man Repeller
This is basically like The Infatuation but for fashion. Many fashion blogs tend to take themselves very seriously and keep stressing you out about what’s a must-wear and what’s out. (It’s usually what you have in your closet.) The girls of Man Repeller can make fun of themselves and their styles and there’s a sense of fun about the whole fashion thing, because fashion should be fun, and you can wear whatever the hell you want to wear. And I like that.
My friends on Instagram stories
It’s so hard to catch up with your friends as often as you would like to nowadays, no matter where they live. That’s why I like to watch what they do, cook or bake (I’m talking about Maskrtnica, Bjukitchen, Martina and Tomas Pavlik, copywriterka, or our own Anna, Karolina and Martin, and so many others), and I like to see them doing well and being happy.