Ceska Kuchyne dining

Saturday (yes we're there now) I took an introductory walk around Prague on one of the many free 2 hour tours. My tour guide was a student who made her extra cash guiding. She held very interesting views that I'm sure her boss would not have encouraged her to share with the tourists. But I was happy to hear her interpretation of Prague. Gave a variation on the guide books and spin.

Anyway one of the good bits of local insight she passed on was a great little Czech kitchen just down the road from my hostel. She was going there to get her lunch after the tour and I've had two dinners there now. Hearty food, for not much money. In fact I think I pay more for the beer than the meal but it;s hard to tell, the writing on the docket is so bad.

120Kr (about $8) for pork stew, potatoes and sauerkraut AND a beer. Couldn't eat much of the cabbage. Just too strong for me as a vege. Good as a garnish or accompaniment but not in bulk. The pork was tasty with onion and bacon and the gravy was excellent. No wonder they eat so much potato and bread dumplings - you need something to finish the excellent gravy.

Night 2 of trying the local version of Sizzler. You just walked up and asked for what you wanted behind the counter. Actually more like the 'Refec' at Uni... what ever you choose they put the cost on the docket and you pay as you leave. This was beef goulash - beef stew with mushrooms. Tender beef - I'd guess round stewed all day - just fell apart, but with enough form not to become mush. Again I chose potatoes but left the cabbage. No green veg on offer. Have found greens not available unless specially asked for and then they're frozen McCains. Wrong time of the year... And the gravy was even better than the night before. Yummy! 111kr tonight including the beer ($7.40)

To give you a comparison on value, I am sitting KFC writing this blog and have just paid 19Kr for a 50c icecream ($1.27) and 149Kr ($9.93) for their big box - which admitedly has fed me all day and included bottomless soft drink - but you can see how much better for you and your wallet the local diner is. I'll have to take a photo of the fresh bagettes I've been buying for breakfast  - huge roll filled with fresh cheese, salad and meat for 25Kr ($1.67). Admitedly I have been lucky finding locals outlets. The same bagette sells down the street for 75Kr - 3 times more to the tourists...

Fresh fruit is available at the market. The red berries particularly interested me, but I didn't buy any this time.