Beer Program at Mandarin Oriental, Prague
16.09.2008Company: Amcham
Starting in June 2008, Essensia restaurant at Mandarin Oriental, Prague offers a new experience that combines the phenomenon of Czech beer with high-class gastronomy.
The restaurant’s new beer programme comprises four components: a series of specialised seminars titled “Czech Beer Academy”, a special tasting menu matching authentic Asian cuisine with Czech beer, an extensive menu of distinctive regional Czech beers served in Essensia restaurant and Barego bar, and finally weekly beer tasting sessions complimentary for hotel guests.
The new programme presents beer not only as the national Czech beverage but also as a cultural and culinary phenomenon whose unique attributes perfectly complement Czech as well as Asian cuisine. The programme highlights the range of Czech beer types reflecting various regional and historical conditions. In line with the latest gastronomy trends, the programme emphasises beer’s complex sensory qualities, all of which have made it increasingly popular amongst gourmets on a par with wine.
The Czech Beer Academy presents the subject of Czech beer in a broader international context. The seminars, held in the vaulted mediaeval cellar beneath Essensia restaurant, are led by Evan Rail, Prague-based beer expert and author of the celebrated volume The Good Beer Guide to Prague and the Czech Republic, published in London by
CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) in 2007. The seminars, which include guided tastings of up to ten different beers, last approximately three hours; in addition to the beer samples, food is provided in the form of select Czech and Asian specialties.
Even more culinary delights await. Selected Czech brews – perfectly suited to Essensia’s authentic Asian cuisine – have been matched to each course of the restaurant’s new tasting menu, while a representative selection of regional Czech beers have been added to the restaurant and bar beverage menus. Moreover, interested guests can receive a crash course in Czech beer culture during informal complimentary beer tastings held at Barego each Friday.
