I've been known to buy wine for the labeling, and now I've tried a restaurant based on its curtains. My weakness? Script fonts.
I wasn't expecting to eat lunch at Paprika this week, but the lure of soup and a sandwich pulled me in. I ordered their Lentil Soup with a Reuben on Rye which I had prepared without the Swiss cheese.
The food came quickly. The Lentil Soup was lighter than I was envisioning (I had visions of a stew in my head), with carrot, celery, and parsnip. It was flavorful, but not spicy as you might expect from the name. The Reuben had a good ratio of bread to meat to sauerkraut. I especially like that the rye wasn't over toasted and didn't get soggy from the sauce. I like eating my sandwiches with my hands and hate when I have to resort to a knife and fork because the bread turned to mush. The best part about my lunch? Without tax or tip, it was under $10.
Paprika opened the day before we flew back east to introduce Gates to her paternal Great Grandmother. So, it's been open for just a week now. It's co-owned and run by three travelers: Gabrielle, a Honduran; Petr, a Czechoslovakian; and Bruno, a Swiss-German. The German and the Czechoslovakian influence is apparent in the food, German sausage and Hungarian Goulash, and the Czech beers on tap, many not found elsewhere in the city. They're open for lunch and for dinner and offer a happy hour from 4 to 7.
Would you go into a restaurant based on its curtains?
The curtains help make the restaurant feel more cozy. Oddly enough they weren't planned. According to Gabrielle, they got the fabric to cover up the windows while they were getting ready to open.
For the time being, Paprika is cash only, so be sure to stop by an ATM before you go in. Also, with the construction at the corner of 24th and Mission, I'd recommend popping by for happy hour or for dinner, it was a little noisy when I ate lunch there.
Bon Appetit!
Eden!
P.S. Are you following The Road to The Good Life on Google Reader? Don't wait until July 1st when Google Reader shuts down to chose a new RSS reader. Consider making the switch to Bloglovin today. Follow my blog with Bloglovin.