CLOSED 2023

(I’m interrupting my Santorini posts with this one because I recently found out that this spot is closing down on 22nd December – so I’m posting this now for posterity, and for anyone who wants to visit before the doors are closed for good.)

We were thrilled to see that a new vegan spot had opened not far from where we live, and then even more thrilled when we turned up and found that it was located in the old premises of Incruenti. We reminisce often about the pasta dishes at Incruenti, so it was nice to return to the familiar spot for a new all vegan establishment.

We’ve been a couple of times to try the brunch. There’s a small brunch menu (and I’m of the opinion that a smaller menu is usually a good thing), and it’s quite an enticing one because it contains something that no other vegan spots in Prague serve: tofu eggs benedict. This always sounds like a very fancy and elegant breakfast to me, largely because it’s so rarely spotted in the wild. So Dr HH and I were really eager to try it. Alas, we didn’t really have any experience with non-vegan eggs benedict to compare it to, so we were struggling a bit there. But it was tasty and exciting! The bread was nicely toasted, and the spinach leaves on top were quite unobtrusive. The tofu bacon had a nice taste, but was missing a bit of texture – this is where tempeh might have been a better option. The orange sauce that looks like egg yolk was a really pleasing visual touch, but we couldn’t really detect its flavour. The tofu egg was in quite solid, rubbery rings with a good eggy taste. The hollandaise sauce was nice as well, though we don’t have a frame of reference. All in all, it was an elegant, tasty breakfast.

I’ve also tried the huevos rancheros, which is another option that I haven’t seen available anywhere else in Prague. Again, it was nice to try something different, though it wasn’t quite firing on all cylinders for me. The tortillas were lovely and soft, and the refried beans were good, but I would have liked a little more flavour in the tofu scramble. The tomato sauce was quite mild in flavour, but it built up while I was eating. All in all it was nice but not mind blowing, and I’d probably opt for the benedict if we had a chance to return.

Unfortunately they never had the chance to acquire the proper hot drinks equipment, so the brunch beverages menu has been a bit lacking.

The evening menu also has some fun items on it. We shared the buffalo cauliflower and immediately wished we’d ordered a portion each. The cauliflower was beautifully tender, and it was nice to be able to control the spiciness of the dish by using the buffalo sauce for dipping, rather than having it already slathered on.

The fish and chips was a bit hit and miss. The chips were excellent, and it’s always a treat to find proper chips in Prague rather than fries. The batter around the tofish was also top notch, really crisp and light. However, the pieces of tofu were so large that they ended up feeling underseasoned. If they were just a bit smaller, the flavour of the sea might carry through a bit better from the nori. So it was tasty, but could have been a bit better.

They also have daily lunchtime specials Wednesday-Friday, which you can find on their social media. I went along when I saw they had bangers and mash one day. The sausages were really flavoursome and the mash was very smooth and creamy – and it was a generous portion too. The onions were meant to be caramelised, but didn’t taste it, which wasn’t the end of the world. Unfortunately there was no gravy provided, which made for a very dry dish. I like my food quite dry, but this was pushing it even for me.

So if you’re in Prague before 22nd December, give Kai Bistro a try! It’s a shame it’s been such a short lived establishment. The location is not the best because it’s on a fairly quiet road with very few passers by, and it’s kind of close to a Metro station but not really close to anything else, so attracting customers must be a bit tricky. With that kind of location, you probably really need a good hook or unique angle to lure people to make the journey. For me, the brunch dishes in particular were tempting enough to make it worth a trip. Let’s hope another vegan spot gives it a try next.