Over its eighteen years of operation, Buddha-Bar Prague on Jakubská Street has found its permanent place on the Prague gastronomic scene. The two-story underground space featuring a three-ton Buddha statue operates as "eatertainment" - a place where people go for an evening tasting menu while club music plays from the speakers and a saxophonist walks through the venue.
Buddha-Bar Prague Brunch
From September to May, however, this nightlife concept undergoes an unexpected transformation every Sunday. At the stroke of noon, the establishment turns into more of a family zone - the Asian-style brunch begins.
Asian Feast for a Fixed Price
The Sunday brunch operates on the principle of a self-service buffet. For a fixed price of 1,599 CZK (64 EUR) per person, guests gain four-hour access to unlimited consumption of food and selected beverages. The gastronomic experience is divided into several rich sections that cover the best of Asian cuisine.
The cold counter tempts with a wide selection of fresh sushi, complemented by a diverse palette of light Asian salads. A bowl of oysters is also present.
The hot section, hidden in traditional chafing dishes, offers a cross-section of the most popular Asian cuisine. Under the lids, traditional Asian dishes await the guests, including perfectly prepared gyoza dumplings, golden-fried tempura shrimp, or spicy fried calamari.
Meat lovers will appreciate the slow-roasted ribs that melt in the mouth, juicy duck breasts, or the truly excellent salmon marinated in sweet miso paste.
At the soup station, everyone can prepare a soup to their liking. At the time of my visit, it was the traditional Thai Tom Yum soup with bowls full of shrimp, mushrooms, herbs, and crunchy vegetables.
The entire feast is then concluded by the dessert section with plenty of sweet finishes, from exotic fruit and light mousses to decadent chocolate cakes.
Everything is further complemented by unlimited consumption of selected beverages, including homemade lemonades or coffee.
Strategic Tables and Babysitting
The biggest departure from the standard evening image is the approach to the youngest guests. During brunch, Buddha-Bar doesn't just function as a place that "tolerates" children out of necessity, but offers them full-fledged entertainment. There is a well-equipped kids' corner with babysitting available. Moreover, children under five enter completely free of charge.
Two or three tables are located in the immediate vicinity of the kids' corner. If you choose these "strategic" spots, you can have lunch in absolute peace, savoring your tempura shrimp while keeping an eye on your little ones at all times. It is a pleasant moment where the gastronomic experience meets parental comfort.
Eighteen Years at One Wok
Behind the quality of the food is Executive Chef Jan Voráček, who has been working continuously in the Buddha-Bar kitchen since its opening in 2008. In the dynamic world of gastronomy, where chefs change workplaces every few years, an eighteen-year continuity is a great rarity.
Voráček perfectly knows the specifics of the establishment and understands how challenging it is to maintain the quality and freshness of dishes in chafing dishes. Therefore, the amount of food on display is not excessively large, but rather frequently replenished. It is nice that the executive chef himself directly participates in serving the brunch.
From both a business and customer perspective, this Sunday family format hits the bullseye. It utilizes the huge capacity of the generous establishment during a time that would otherwise be an unused dead spot. Babysitting in the kids' corner is a great competitive advantage.
Have you tried the brunch at Buddha-Bar yet?
Bon appétit!
Restaurant website: buddha-bar.cz/en
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