THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Hospoda Awards

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Hospoda Restaurant Review:

Hospoda has been through quite the evolution. At first it mimicked Oldrich Sahajdak’s menu at Prague sister restaurant La Degustation. Elevated Czech fare, as good as it was, didn’t jibe with New Yorkers’ taste buds. Then came an innocuous mash-up of American and continental cuisine. It also didn’t work. Now Rene Stein, former chef at haute Austrian favorite Seasonal, has entered the kitchen. Hospoda, no longer Czech (even though the name means “pub” in Czech), may have finally found its identity. Stein brings a level of sophistication to the “American cuisine,” as they’re billing it, that he creates. Nicely seared scallops are paired with peaches and Spanish onions, while the unctuous and tender pork belly is bolstered with mustard. Stein can’t escape his Austrian roots --- the veal schnitzel is some of the best in town: tender, non-greasy and addictive. Pair it all with a bottle of Austrian white or, of course, the very good Pilsner Urquell that is (fortunately) still on tap.