Ok readers. I realize it has taken me a month to finish writing about my Prague food experience. It's lame and lazy of me! Just know I saved the best for last. Really!!!!

Christmas Day night, we had tickets to the National Marionette Theatre's performance of Don Giovani. Joe had never been to the opera and I thought pupper theatre would be a killer way to introduce him to arias and a long, slow death scene. We had to eat though, so we left our hotel in search of food before the event.

We wandered through the major squares, and a few minor ones, but nothing was suiting me. I was about to go back to the market and get pig-on-a-spit when we found the cutest little café.... Le Café Colonial.

Café Colonial is about 2 blocks from the Marionette Theatre. You can see the sign... tell the waiter you have a show to see and they will do their best to make you not late! Better yet, tell them you are a celiac and they won't kill you! Yeah!!!!

The menu at Café Colonial is extensive - a mix of French, Thai, Mexican, and Czech. It looks a little like a tourist menu due to diversity (it's not), and it may take a while to make it through. Ask the waiter for suggestions if nothing jumps out at you. One thing to be aware of in Prague is that restaurants may not have everything on the menu. I really wanted the duck spring rolls. No can do - they were out.  I was a little sad, until they brought out our substitute "Octopus in Fragility Seasonal Vegetable".

Let me take a minute to talk about this octopus. There is good octopus, tender and mild in taste, and there is bad octopus, rubbery and fishy. This dish is described as "octopus in fragile vegetables with sea, olive, and pepper salt marinated in sweet and sour brine". It was "Oh my gosh I have never tasted such good octopus in my life" good. Seriously. It was tender and mild but the flavor still stood out above the deliciously lighter sweet and sour sauce. I never would have thought that black olive salt would go with sweet and sour but it did! And the thinly sliced carrots and zucchini were perfect. ORDER THIS!!!!! Even if you don't think you will like it, order it anyway. You won't see anything like it for a while and Café Colonial rocks it.

For main courses, I had the "Risotto con Funghi" - "risotto with mushrooms seasoned with Pinot Noir and smooth by cheese Creme Fraisch". I am using quotes as I am copying from the menu... basically this was a classic mushroom risotto. The pinot noir in which the mushrooms had been sauteed really made them stand out as earthy and hearty. Really good and really filling.

Joe had the "Duck Leg and Breast" - "French duck Barberie roasted on oranges with Cointreau liquer served with a glass dumpling and red homemafe cabbage with dried wine grapes". The duck was crisp and glazed with the orange liquer. This was beautifully served with grilled orange slices, and the color of the red cabbage was a beautiful side. I like to eat by color so I was impressed. Glass dumplings are these little rice vermicelli noodle dumplings. I think they are celiac safe but not sure, so I didn't ask for a bite there. The cabbage was braised in Pinot Noir and the "dried wine grapes" are golden raisins. Again, "oh my gosh this is spankin' good".  It's always a little sad when I look across the table at Joe and concede "You win". His choice was better. Thank goodness he shares.

All of this was had with wonderful Czech Frankovka wine. I love this stuff. If anyone knows where to get it in Atlanta, let me know.

Now one would think we would be full. I was told once that there is always room for ice cream though... it melts and settles into the cracks in your tummy. Café Colonial offers the most amazing array of ice cream desserts. They have created combinations that emulate other foods. An example would be tiramisu, with caramel, cream, coffee, kahlua etc. but no lady fingers. I honestly don't remember what I got (they were out of the tiramisu option) but I remember it was good. Joe's was good. They both went well with port.

The servers were so nice! They took our photo by their Christmas tree. Again, they didn't kill me with undisclosed wheat. Everything was a great experience. Café Colonial  was by far our favorite restaurant in Prague. Check out their site and go see them when you visit the city.