mamacoffee Vodičkova, Prague

Coffee is a dusting of cardamom, of memories.

Just a stone’s throw away from Prague’s Minor Theatre and the city’s well-trod historical walk is a café like none other in the Czech capital. For one thing, the café is strictly non-smoking, and offers free WiFi and an organic vegetarian menu. Certainly an oddity when you consider at most other coffeeshops hereabouts clouds of cigarette smoke hang ominously at all times and rich, meat-heavy dishes dominate.

What really helps mamacoffee (first letter not capitalized for some reason) stand out from the rest of Prague’s cafés is its insistence only offering only Fairtrade coffee with trained staff to advise you on what beans suit you best.

After stomping all over the city to view the usual sights (Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Wenceslas Square, etc.), it is a relief to stop for a moment. We quench our thirst with chilled juices (sour cherry & apple, strawberry & apple) first before snacking on a slice of fig cake and traditional poppy seed strudel. Time for the coffee.

Drip coffee in the form of an excellent Sidamo brew with intense floral notes surprises us. Their signature Arabic-style espresso (made with cardamom) has a spicy kick – highly recommended.

Lunch is good, hearty and healthy fare. Try their mezze – a platter of hummus served with babaghanouge (baked eggplant puree), tabouleh (bulghur and parsley salad) and homemade bread. The mushroom risotto with white wine, champignon, red onion and plenty of parmesan is absolutely satisfying.

Definitely worth a return visit.

在布拉格的鬧市，距離小劇院不遠處，有著那麼一家咖啡館，
有別于捷克其他大部分的咖啡館，這裡嚴禁吸煙，有免費的WiFi，
而菜單更是與眾不同的以有機素食為主。
在布拉格逛了大半天后，又累又渴的我們來到了這裡。
先點了兩杯綜合果汁（酸樱桃和苹果，草莓和苹果）來消暑，
再來兩份午餐來祭祀五臟廟。
我點的是蘑菇燴飯，吸收了白葡萄酒、香菇和红洋葱香味的飯粒，
配上帕玛森起司，味道濃郁但卻不會膩。
而馬少點的是這的風味小吃，裡頭有鷹嘴豆泥，烤茄子和蒸谷麥製成的谷泥，
再配上自家烘焙的麵包，無論口感或味道都不錯，
而且份量不大，吃完了再來份甜品也沒問題。

咖啡方面我選了我喜愛手沖西達摩，
這是我在布拉格的第一杯咖啡，所以還挺期待的。
咖啡送來時就能聞到濃郁的花香，喝上一口，帶點微酸，是今天的一大收穫！
馬少則試了他們的阿拉伯风格的意式濃縮咖啡（加了小豆蔻），
辛辣的口感和香氣，他個人非常喜愛，我則沒有很喜歡。
還有一點值得一提的就是，
mamacoffee的豆子都是通過公平貿易的交易而來的，
而且這的咖啡師們也都訓練有素，當你不知該點什麼咖啡，
又或想買些咖啡豆卻不知道該如何選擇時，問問他們的意見準沒錯。