I'm not to sure what to say here. I'm almost embarrassed to say it - that is, in the middle of the Czech Republic I had a better steak from the US than I did at a reputable steak house in Texas!
Well, that's a brief version of the story. It was a celebration of sorts and I really wanted to find something different as opposed to pork and bread dumplings. Don't get me wrong, I love Czech food, but not everyday 3 meals a day! Well on the recommendation of a local we made our way to Monte Bu.
Friday night and the restaurant echoed with laughter and good times! There was a good crowd of people about and all seemed to be enjoying their evening and that vibe was contagious. Our large group was quickly seated and menus were handed out both in English and Czech. The wine list had a lot of local offerings and a few continental ones. Nonetheless, orders went in and I settled for the Grilled Tiger Prawns to start and a 500g USDA Rib eye Medium-rare.
To be honest, I don't remember how long the orders took to come out but that's because the amazingly attentive waiters made sure our glasses were full and as a result people were simply having a good time.
Cue the prawns. A well presented dish served on a hot cast iron pan. The grilled prawns were tiny but cooked just right. The tomato sauce served with the dish was a bit disappointing. It was clear that tinned tomatoes were used yet this dish would have been rescued if fresh vine tomatoes were used but it is the middle of winter in the middle of Europe.
On to the main act. Monte Bu claims to dry age their own meat in-house and it is very obvious that they take the meat game seriously. My steak was presented beautifully, seared gorgeously and was cooked absolutely perfectly. Tender, juicy, tasty, and, well, add any superlative you want here - this was one damn good steak. The sides were nothing mind-blowing but there to break up the tempo of meat eating!
It's a hard rating for me to give because I think the starter was a let down. Having said that if you're ever in the Brno area, I would wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant. I'll be going back to try a different starter and see if I can bump up the rating somewhat. read more