By hjensen95
I haven’t ventured into Czech cuisine as much as I thought I would. I have a few dietary restrictions, namely remaining pescatarian and straying away from dairy as much as I can. A large part of the Czech diet consists of heavy foods such as meat, potatoes, bread, pastries, and cakes. I’m used to eating healthy foods back home with the occasional indulgence. Thankfully, Prague is a very international city and I can find pretty much everything I need or want here. I’ve taken a liking to a local salad chain called Ugo (which is sort of like a Sweetgreen).
One thing here that differs from my eating patterns in the state, is the emphasis on lunches. Lunch is the biggest meal and most people eat it at restaurants because it’s typically very reasonably priced. So, I’ve been trying to follow that dining cue. I’ve been aiming to eat breakfast and dinner at home while enjoying my lunch out.
In a classic Czech Restaurant, you will find items such as Svíčková na smetaně (beef sirloin in cream sauce) and Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (Roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut) on the lunch menu. Another popular dish is Goulash, which is a stew made out of meat and vegetables, however originally from Hungary – many consider this dish to be a classic Czech meal.
Perhaps the oddest classic Czech snack is the “Smažený sýr” or “fried cheese,” which is essentially a giant square mozzarella stick. The cheese (usually Edam) is breaded with flour, eggs and bread crumbs and then fried. It’s usually enjoyed with ketchup, tartar sauce or mayonnaise.
During my time here in Prague, I’ve been frequenting a 24-hour Mexican restaurant called “burrito-loco.” While it’s obviously not classic Czech cuisine, it really hits the spot when I’m missing Mexican food from my home state of California. It’s very popular among the study abroad students here and I often run into people I know grabbing a snack after a night out.