A whole roast chicken, tartare or jerk meat: Here's what Bufet is serving this winter
Flash lunch, dinner with friends
"Lunch in Karlín is fast, and people from the surrounding offices are used to it. We have an hour to check in all the guests," says the head of Bufet Petr Benda, drawing contrast to winter evenings. On those, the restaurant turns into a place where you and your family or a group of friends can settle in for a pleasant, undisturbed dinner. And then maybe head to Dva kohouti for a pint, or venture further into the depths of Karlín.
"It's quieter inside Bufet on winter evenings. We put on an ambiente playlist, and we're partially modifying the menu. We'll sell out the lunches and make three more dishes for the dinners, mostly guilty pleasures to indulge in. These are more time-consuming dishes that you won't taste at lunchtime," explains Petr.
Whether it's summer or winter, lunchtime or dinnertime, Bufet's menu reflects the season. "It makes sense to us, and cucumber doesn't taste very good in winter," says the chef, describing the basic principle of the kitchen and the plaza.
Summer vs. winter
While in summer, Bufet and the courtyard which the business shares with the Dva kohouti brewery, becomes a haven for hungry brewery guests or pop-ups, in the winter, according to Petr Benda, the space becomes a "a completely different restaurant.".
"In winter, one of the favourites is the big burger, but also the fried chicken in a bun and the smash burger, which is among the evening specials", Petr lists the items he particularly appreciates.
Pop-ups and events
Late spring and summer are pop-up season. Chefs from another establishment come to visit Bufet and, together with local colleagues, cook a specialty for the guests.. The Bufet team establishes such cooperation with friendly establishments, where they themselves like to go to taste something good - Geműse Corner, Būcheck, Pizza Nuova, Fat Fuck, Big Smokers or Sandwich Rodeo, to name a few. Check out the Ambiente events calendar to stay in the loop.
Signatures
Grilled chicken has been on the menu at the bistro from the very beginning - this dish is a throwback to the previous Grils establishment that stood on the site, but other dishes have become icons over the years.
A popular item on the board are the jerked meats that the chefs pull overnight. The juicy meat and sauce are served over lunch, with mash and grilled vegetables.
But the stars of Bufet are the smash burgers and fried chicken in a bun. Order a side of seasonal vegetables, and to drink, the Buffet 11°, a lager brewed by the neighbours at Dva kohouti, and you'll be in heaven. You can also sample the tartare, Dutch schnitzel with mash and even a whole roast chicken.
