NOT just sweets anymore.photo: Zuzana Habšudová
Domenico
Where: Námestie Ľudovíta Štúra 4
Tel: 02/5464-0167
Open: Mon-Sun 10:00-23:00 (food served until 22:00)
English menu: Yes
Reservations: Yes
Rating: 7 out of 10
THIS might be a very biased review because Domenico is my favourite cukráreň in town. Fortunately (or rather unfortunately), it is open late, enabling me to satisfy my nightly craving for chocolates and sweets.
I need to explain the local phenomenon of the cukráreň. Simply, it is a sweet shop with a cafe atmosphere where all kinds of pies, cakes, tarts and pastries are sold. In some ways, it resembles a French patisserie.
You can also be served tea, coffee, hot chocolate and spirits to accompany the goodies. Domenico's hot chocolate is one of the best in the city, a thick, creamy, homemade drink; no watery cocoa here.
After a rather long introduction, I have finally come to the review's point. Domenico, originally a cafe, has recently turned into a restaurant. I went there to see if the rest of the menu is as good as the cakes.
Above all, the restaurant has won praise for the variety of the food it offers. The chef has put together an original menu using simple ingredients but gives the dishes a little extra something.
Many of them sound worth trying, such as chicken with young carrots and Dijon mustard sauce or vegetarian risotto with nuts. After perusing the menu, we opted for creamy salmon soup, chicken with mango dip and vegetable casserole (nákyp).
The food we received surprised us; it was not exactly what we expected it to be.
The soup was creamy but not blended like a traditional broccoli cream soup, for instance. It had pieces of salmon and a slice of lemon in it, and was very tasty. The mango dip - which I expected to be chutney but actually turned out to be a créme fraiche sauce with garlic and mango - was very creative and was accompanied by a very generous portion of chicken.
My friend chose a very simple dish: potatoes with mushrooms and cheese. It was not quite a gratin because it was left in the oven only long enough for the cheese to melt but not long enough to actually bake the ingredients. It was also a pity that they did not use fresh mushrooms but canned ones, as natural ingredients are the most effective and inexpensive way to improve the quality of a dish, particularly when it is made out of vegetables.
All in all, the former café proved to be an inviting restaurant, with reasonable prices and friendly staff, offering a menu not just for people with sweet tooths.
