Virtuoso Life - July/August 2008 - (Page 56) DESIGN TOUR financed by silver miners and dedicated to their patron saint, is unusual in that it was founded without a specific ecclesiastic purpose. Beneath its curved slate roof and forest of flying buttresses is a long and lofty nave with exuberant late-Gothic ribs snaking like the whiplash lines of art nouveau, as well as a baroque organ with an entire orchestra modeled in gold leaf in front of the pipes. Kutná Hora is about an hour from Prague by bus or car. PRAGUE On A PlAtE Allegro Chef Andrea Accordi boasts two Michelin stars – including the first in central Europe – for his elaborate confections, which include red mullet salad with sweet-andsour artichokes, and turbot fillet on fennel compote. They are served with great style in a room looking over the river to Prague Castle. Four Seasons Hotel, Veleslavínova 2A/1098, Old Town, 420/221-427-000 David This small, family-run haven near the American Embassy has received wide acclaim from notable patrons. Roast duck and venison with wild mushrooms are regularly featured; soft lighting and classical music provide a serene background. Tržište 21, Little ˇ Quarter, 420/257-533-109 Hergetova Cihelna An old brick factory transformed into a romantic riverside retreat, this popular restaurant comes with a view of the Charles Bridge. The eclectic menu includes such Bohemian favorites as potato soup with forest mushrooms and beef cheeks with root vegetables. Cihelná 2B, Little Quarter, 420/296826-103 U Zlaté Hrušky The kitchen in this restored old Gothic house offers such local staples as roast duck with a honey crust and venison with herb dumplings. The restaurant’s name, “The Golden Pear,” is wonderfully represented by a cream of pear soup with star anise, pear brandy, and cinnamon gnocchi. Nový svet 3, Castle ˇ Quarter, 420/220-514-778 V Zátiší Specialties that include crispy duckling, roast rabbit, and apple strudel with crème anglaise are served with a light touch, amid a decor that’s inspired by an artist’s studio and adorned with original still life paintings. Liliová 1, Old Town, 420/222-221-155 Kostnice, Kutná Hora Within the ossuary of the Gothic All Saints Chapel, human bones are festooned across the walls, piled into pyramids, and arranged as a chandelier. The local woodcarver who created this macabre yet whimsical collage to accommodate the overflow from a muchvenerated cemetery even signed his name and the date (1870) in bones. In the suburb of Sedlec, a five-minute taxi ride from the Cathedral of Saint Barbara. Gothic grandeur: The Cathedral of Saint Barbara in Kutná Hora. 56 V I RT U O S O L I F E Profimedia international s.r.o./alamy
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