Čili Bar (Chili Bar)Celebrating a new arrival, Brewsta enjoys booze and cigars at an unpretentious Old Town cocktail lounge
|
||||||
"If there is anything we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves."There are healthier ways to welcome a new child into the world. But tradition is a stubborn thing. And so it was that Captain Canuck invited his friends to an Old Town bar for booze and cigars. I'd never heard of the venue before that night -- a cocktail lounge called Čili Bar.  It's on Kožná, just off Old Town Square. Some people got confused and ended up on Kozí street, which is not far away. You can see the gold-tipped spires of the Týn church from the bar's doorway if you step outside for some air.  I have to confess that in all my years in Prague, I'd never walked on this street. I'd looked down it and seen the shop selling suits of armor and swords. I thought it was a street for tourists and kept walking. But I was missing out on an interesting little lane. After you pass under the big pepper over the door, you will find that Čili Bar itself is small. There were just a couple of tables in the front.  It had a lived-in, scuffed-up decor with loud, striped wallpaper. There was one table in the back where a group of young, German-speaking ladies had settled in.  There were a couple of big, comfortable leather chairs. And that's it. It reminded me a bit of Hapu up in Žižkov. Nothing fancy or pretentious. The bartenders were cool and without attitude. The bar is right by the front door and there was not much space, so when a few people were standing there, it was a little hard to get by them and walk in.  Things got off to a hot start when I was handed Čili Bar's signature shot.  It was made with rum, a little sweet, but not very strong. Floating on the top were chopped red chilies that went through a blender. Being no fool, I took an experimental little taste. Lips began to burn. Then, I was set upon by the assembled well-wishers, urging me to down it in one gulp. "It hurts less that way," someone said. Famous last words. I tossed it back. And you know, it wasn't so bad. Just wash your hands before going to the rest room. They had a couple of beers on tap from the Ferdinand brewery -- a light lager and a semi-dark called Sedm Kulí.  I've been trying to cut down on beer, so I ordered gimlet. I was a little surprised that the bartender hadn't heard of this cocktail before. My friend said he'd ordered one from a different bartender on another evening without a problem. The good news was that on this night, the bartender was very friendly and open to learning something new. He asked me what was in it, and said he'd make one. Which wasn't hard, since a gimlet is just half gin and half Rose's lime juice shaken with ice. I don't think he had Rose's, so I told him to use lime juice and a little sugar syrup.  It was pretty good. And with a few suggestions, he got better and better at it as the evening progressed. Or so it seemed. At one point, someone ordered a round of what looked like Tequila Sunrises. I saw some red syrup go into the glasses of orange juice before they were handed out. I didn't have one of those.  I should also mention that the aforementioned cigars were Cuban. Romeo y Julietas from Havana. Very fresh.  And since the new daddy is Canadian, no embargoes were broken during the celebration of this birth. As far as I know, anyway. The man did throw a fine "birthday" bash. And since he paid everyone's tab, I don't know what anything cost. Nice. But the size of his generosity is matched only by his hypocrisy. He actually gave me the following advice over the years. 1. Never get married 2. Never have a child 3. Never have a second child Not only did he break all three of these rules, he didn't even wait a respectable period between their ill-timed issuance and brazen breakage. While he is fully aware of his "do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do" attitude, he still maintains that the advice remains sound. This all seems mildly amusing now. And it will remain so until the day his sweet daughter comes home reeking of rum, a big Cuban, and red hot chili peppers. In which case, he'll probably eschew the teachings of Jung and do what any good Freudian would do. Blame mommy.  Čili Bar (Chili Bar) Kožná 8 Prague 1 Tel.: (+420) 777 945 848 Prague Directory Listing • This article was originally posted on Czech Please, a weblog dedicated to the food and drink scene in Prague and beyond |
Article added on Mon 9th Jun, 2008 [last updated Tue 10th Jun, 2008]Share this page 
|
| COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE | ||
| READ ALL NIGHTLIFE ARTICLES MORE NIGHTLIFE ARTICLES |
|
Prague New Year's Eve Events 2011/12 by Prague TV Prague TV's Party Guide Added on Thu 10th Nov, 2011 (Last updated Thu 29th Dec, 2011) |
|
Interview: Lu Edmonds of The Mekons by Andy Markowitz 'Everything's Imperfect, Everything Fits' Added on Mon 7th Nov, 2011 (Last updated Tue 8th Nov, 2011) |
|
Interview: Charlie Musselwhite by Frank Kuznik US Bluesman Added on Mon 6th Jun, 2011 (Last updated Mon 6th Jun, 2011) |
|
Prague New Year's Eve Events 2010/11 by Prague TV Prague TV's Party Guide Added on Thu 2nd Dec, 2010 (Last updated Wed 22nd Dec, 2010) |
|
Czech Summer Dance Festivals 2010 by Prague TV Open-Air Party Guide Added on Wed 9th Jun, 2010 (Last updated Thu 15th Jul, 2010) |
|
Czech Summer Rock Festivals 2010 by Prague TV Outdoor Gig Guide Added on Tue 18th May, 2010 (Last updated Thu 15th Jul, 2010) |
|
Prague New Year's Eve Events 2009/10 by Prague TV Prague TV's Party Guide Added on Tue 10th Nov, 2009 (Last updated Tue 22nd Dec, 2009) |
|
Czech Summer Dance Festivals 2009 by Prague TV Open-Air Party Guide Added on Tue 26th May, 2009 (Last updated Thu 9th Jul, 2009) |
|
Interview: Evidence by Shariffa Abdulrehman Dilated Peoples Rapper Added on Tue 19th May, 2009 (Last updated Thu 21st May, 2009) |
|
Czech Summer Rock Festivals 2009 by Prague TV Outdoor Gig Guide Added on Wed 4th Mar, 2009 (Last updated Fri 17th Jul, 2009) |
|
Czech Noise Rock by Daria Rot Alternative Scene Added on Mon 5th Jan, 2009 (Last updated Thu 15th Jan, 2009) |
|
Karlovy Lázně by Sam Corbett Central Europe's Biggest Club Added on Wed 22nd Oct, 2008 (Last updated Fri 24th Oct, 2008) |
|
Christmas 2008 & New Year's Eve 2008/09 Dining in Prague by Prague TV Celebrate in Style Added on Thu 25th Sep, 2008 (Last updated Wed 27th Apr, 2011) |
|
Prague New Year's Eve Events 2008/09 by Prague TV Prague TV's Party Guide Added on Thu 25th Sep, 2008 (Last updated Mon 29th Dec, 2008) |
|
The Mars Volta @ Roxy by Jeff Fritz Added on Fri 1st Aug, 2008 |
| READ ALL NIGHTLIFE ARTICLES |
Visit the Nightlife main page
Find listings, help forums, tips and more
Klub Kostel
place to be
Harley's Cafe &Bar - Palladium
Finally during the day you do not have to be left without your favo...
Palác Akropolis
Best concert venue in the city
M1 Lounge
Hip upscale lounge club...
Andalusian Dog
Cozy, artistic, eclectic mix of people, with chill vibes, excellent...
MORE ARTICLES
Prague TV Home | Contact | About | FAQ | Site Map | Search | Advertise | Privacy | Terms of Service
Prague TV is a Real Time Production. ©2012 All rights reserved.
