SK I EN
Update: Since this article was written, NIXA has closed.
We visited NIXA nearly two months ago, and I was curious to see what—if anything—had changed. So we returned.
At first glance, a few things had changed. The old opening hours from the previous business were finally removed. A laminated pizza menu had appeared in the stand by the door (which I hadn’t noticed during our first visit), so I started to wonder if they had an actual menu by now.
Inside, everything looked the same—and that’s not a complaint. The interior didn’t need fixing. But the daily menu still arrived in the same plastic Kofola sleeve, and I had a sinking feeling we were right back where we started. When I asked about a real menu, the staff told me they didn’t have one yet, but they could prepare anything within their capabilities and available ingredients. They were also out of the chicken roast with potatoes, so we were offered chicken breast with gravy as a replacement.
Once again, we chose from the daily menu. NIXA seems to have a knack for catching me on my culinary red flags. Last time they had pancakes (my kryptonite), this time—tomato soup.
The Soup Situation
The tomato soup was a Slovak-style take: thin and a bit sweet. Personally, I prefer the richer, more savory Italian version where seasoning brings out the umami of the tomatoes. The cheese added to the soup didn’t help—its flavor was weak, and it behaved oddly when heated. I suspected it was 40% Edam, and while it didn’t ruin the soup, it didn’t add much either. I don’t think the soup was made from powder, but I do suspect the broth base came from a bouillon cube.
The Mains: Cheese Bombs and Gravy Games
For our main dishes, we ordered the deep-fried cheese (with fries) and the alternative to the roast—chicken breast in sauce.
Let’s start with the cheese. Fried cheese is controversial: some chefs love it, others scoff at it as low-effort comfort food. I personally think if it were that bad, it wouldn’t be so popular. I ordered mine with fries out of personal preference (boiled potatoes aren’t my thing).
First impression: the plate was massive. Fries, cheese, tartar sauce, and a side of veggies barely fit. That’s either a dream or a warning, depending on your appetite.
The disappointment? The cheese itself. The batter was clearly homemade, but the cheese lacked flavor, and the ham stuffed inside didn’t help. It wasn’t the same as the cheese in the soup, though—I asked and learned it was a 45% Grand Tehla. The fries were frozen, which isn’t always a bad thing—a good frozen fry beats a badly made fresh one—but if you’re only serving three dishes a day, you could probably manage boiling some potatoes.
The tartar sauce was store-bought—likely Hellmann’s—and while that’s not a crime, it felt like a missed opportunity. The vegetable garnish was a good idea (fried food needs balance), but the “salad” was really just a tired pile of greens tossed on the plate without dressing.
Ďuri’s chicken breast, meanwhile, was pretty solid. As he put it: “The sauce is great, but the fries look like cheap frozen ones.” The coleslaw on his plate tasted suspiciously like a mass-produced version, similar to what you’d find in store-bought Parisian salad.
Final Thoughts
Let’s not be unfair—NIXA is a neighborhood restaurant, and the food matches that. The staff is very kind and clearly doing their best. The portions are generous, and if you’re looking to eat until you can’t move, this place delivers.
But the food itself is basic. It’s not a place I’d go out of my way to visit, but if I need a quick lunch in the area, I might stop by again.
Well, I would have. But now that NIXA has closed, this marks the end of our two-part neighborhood culinary chronicle. Farewell, fried cheese and mystery menus.
