traveldk.com

Not quite as spicy as its Hungarian cousin, Czech goulash is essentially a rich beef stew minus the vegetables. Don’t even think of ordering it without knedliky dumplings on the side. Beef is the standard recipe of this staple dish, but you can sometimes find goulash using venison, chicken and even vegetarian variants.

This is goulash’s sweet cousin: slices of pot-roasted beef tenderloin are served in a carrot-sweetened cream sauce, topped with a dollop of whipped cream and cranberries. Apparently, this is one of President Václav Havel’s favourite dishes. Like goulash, it’s unthinkable to eat it without the dumplings to mop up the sauce.

Comparable to fried mozzarella sticks, this battered block of deep-fried mild cheese is usually served with French fries (hranolky ) and a tangy tartare sauce. As with much of Czech cuisine, try not to think about the cholesterol.

These pickled sausages, slightly sour, fatty and always piled high with pickled onions, are an ideal accompaniment to the local beer, as a lunchtime or early evening snack.

These doughy dumplings are the side dish of choice for many gravy-laden Czech dishes. In addition to the savoury varieties, made with bread, potato or bacon (špekové ), knedlíky also come stuffed with fruit (ovocné knedlíky ), the most popular variety being plums (švestkové ).

“Beer cheese” is marinated in ale until semi-soft. It is best enjoyed spread on dark sourdough bread and sprinkled with chopped onions.

Also known as olomoucké tvaružky , these small cheese rounds immediately announce themselves by their pungent aroma. Eat them as a snack or light lunch, accompanied by beer, bread and onions.

This name is the shortened version for vepřová , knedlíky a zelí – pork, dumplings and sauerkraut. Heavy on fat and low on flavour, this is true Czech soul food. Order it instead of goulash and you’ll impress your waiter with how acclimatized you are, assuming you pronounce it right, of course.

The Germans call these coarse little noodles Spaetzel . They’re included in the Czech culinary canon as a nod to nearby Slovakia, from which they originate and with whom Bohemia has shared so much history. You can either order them s zelím (with sauerkraut) or s bryndzou (with a creamy, sharp cheese). The dish is a filling and cheap Eastern European alternative to pasta.

The work-horse of the Prague diet, these ubiquitous banana-shaped bread rolls are served up to accompany the main meal at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dip them in soft cheese or your dish’s sauce, spread them with pâté or order them hot-dog style on nearly every street corner.