Train to Dresden and Coselpalais restaurant
Dresden
At the Lucerna we’re onto Irish coffee with Jameson and French coffee with Cognac.
Dresden, reached via train, on Tuesday was a breath of fresh air. A relatively small city in Saxony, Germany, it has an intertwined mix of old and new, clean and chirpy we instantly loved it. On our walk towards the river we stopped for Euros and patisseries–one of many little detours to buy the German’s tasty baked goods.
The heat was sweltering, 35C or so, we passed the commercial sector, crossed the tramlines making sure to avoid the yellow beasts, into the old town with views of the ornate Hofkirche and Zwinger palace, before reaching the Elbe riverside and a cafe. Our first opportunity for some German beer, Wernesgruner, although Sam almost ordered bourbon.
With a whistle-stop tour of the old town we passed the lengthy Furstenzug mural and stopped at restaurant Kleppereck for lunch. In the course of an hour or so the clear blue skies had grown perilous with storms and heavy rain–with my Duckstein beer in one hand and potato soup in the other we nipped indoors for the rest of our meal. Sam enjoyed the pickled herring with fried potatoes and sour cream. I had the Bruckenmeistersteak with smoked bacon, jacket potato and yoghurty cream. We shared a yummy ‘apfel’ strudel for dessert.
Coselpalais restaurant
At a break in the rain we ran for it, finding the Ibis hotel and booking a night there, shortly followed by a two hour nap and shower. Dressed and ready for the night we set out at 7–the Coselpalais with its ornate interior and perfect locale took our fancy, right opposite the Frauenkirche. Once again we sat outside briefly before the rain hurried us inside, a wise decision - this time the rain was unrelenting, getting harder and heavier as the night went on.
The food here was divine, the three hours spent here act as testament to this. Asparagus and sesame seed soup opened the proceedings. For mains I ate the succulent roasted musk duck breast with sesame dumplings and gorgeous peaches and leeks. Sam had the roasted saddle of lamb, with ewe’s milk cheese and olive herbal crust and potato torte. WOW! With rain battering down dessert was the only option. Samantha chose a chocolate sponge - milk, white and a thin layer of dark chocolate, layered with fruits of the forrest. I tried the home-made Tiramisu, the best I’ve had yet, it came with wild-berries and pistachios grated over cream - truly scrumptious. Not yet ready to leave, and with theatre-goers coming in drenched, we shared eine Bailey’s coffee and eine coffee with Kahlua, cream and chocolate syrup.
When the time came to leave the storm was directly above us. A bolt of lightning shot across the night sky, lighting up the Frauenkirche in a perfect photo opportunity missed as I stood in the doorway amongst sapling waterfalls. In our summer clothes, without our pre-packed warmth back in Prague, what are the chances then that this restaurant sold umbrellas? We bought one and a tin of coffee from their souvenir shop and, in the rain (navigating the streams and lakes of Dresden’s streets), returned to the hotel–thoroughly happy.
Back at the Lucerna, we’ve got our bill for the coffees and its time to go again, further exploration of Prague required!