Jaunted

Prague

The Search for Gastronomical Punishment

August 17, 2006 at 10:15 AM | 0 Comments

We missed it when it came out last week, but this article by Dave Faries in the Prague Post contains some sane advice for visitors to the city who crave Czech cuisine--for whatever reason--in the center of town but don't want to get stuck at a tourist trap or visit the increasingly shoddy Kolkovna. At some of these places, beer is up to $4 a half-liter, which is obscene.

According to Faries, the answer is the few authentic Czech pubs that have survived in Nove Mesto and Vinohrady without turning into tourist bilking-establishments, including XXX and Hloupy Honza. Remember, though, that you're in for an authentic experience, not necessarily a delicious one:

Don't be put off by tacky dumplings or overcooked meat. Depending on which pub you happen upon, the same dish can be dry, greasy, heavy, bland or weighed down with heart-stopping amounts of salt. Rarely does any of it approach sublime. Whether you dine in a tourist trap or a neighborhood joint, this adage holds true: Traditional Czech food may not be great, but at least they give you a lot of it.

Our advice? It's hard to mess up fried cheese--think of it as the equivalent of ordering a burger at a diner. And besides, at least the beer is cheap.

[Image via NO-HA/Flickr]

Related Stories:
·   Get Out of Old Town [Prague Post]
·   Prague [Jaunted]