Exploring La Domenica in Brno: an Italian-Mediterranean spot with style but uneven execution. Is it worth your visit?
Once again, I’m reviewing a restaurant, and as fate would have it, it’s another Italian one. I admit it: I prefer reviewing Italian or Italian-inspired restaurants because I feel entitled to do so, given my passport. When I venture into other cuisines, I’ll need to preface my lack of knowledge.
Located in the very central Domenikanske, right on the corner of the Palace Jalta, La Domenica caught my eye on an ordinary day as I strolled by with my daughter in her stroller. I decided I had to try it, especially because an Italian restaurant that doesn’t serve pizza is worth exploring.
In reality—and this is something you only discover by visiting their website, which is available only in Czech (not exactly expat-friendly)—the restaurant promotes itself as Mediterranean rather than purely Italian. Perhaps the name “La Domenica” is linked to its location on Domenikanske. Who knows? But let’s move on to the actual review.
On a random Saturday (“È un sabato qualunque, è un sabato italiano”), it was time to try this restaurant. The first impression upon stepping inside was generally positive: the place is charming, with a wannabe posh vibe typical of some of the Italian restaurants in Brno.
Because we didn’t make a reservation, we were seated near the entrance, close to the counter. The waitress, polite but not overly friendly, brought the menu but not the wine list. Even if I had wanted to order wine, the decision was seemingly made for me (perhaps I wasn’t posh enough for the place?).
So, I settled for a beer to start and a gin and tonic with my meal. For the main course, we ordered a typical Istrian pasta dish (Pljukance). It wasn’t the only Istrian dish on the menu, and I began to suspect—before even checking the website—that this restaurant draws significant inspiration from that region of Croatia, which has historically been influenced by Italy.
The pasta was good—not extraordinary, but good. It was well-cooked, the cheese was flavorful, and the truffle’s taste was mild (though I remember Istrian truffles being a bit like that).
What was disappointing, however, was the seafood platter. The menu mentioned shrimp, but not a single shrimp appeared on the plate. Instead, there were fries—mostly fries—and a few other bits, mostly squid. I understand we’re in Brno, not a seaside town, but if the seafood portions are going to be so meager, it might be better not to offer seafood on the menu at all (and they have several seafood dishes on offer, though I doubt I’ll return to try them).
The prices were entirely standard for a wannabe posh Italian spot. For the previous dishes and the drinks, we spent 1,200 CZK, including a tip (because we always leave a tip).
There was no warmth, and the dining experience wasn’t remarkable. La Domenica lands in the category of not unforgettable restaurants in the city.
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