On the Menu

Traditional Czech food is hearty, with big portions of meat and something starchy on the side, such as dumplings or potatoes. Herbs and spices are not used heavily, though dill, marjoram, and caraway make frequent appearances, and garlic is a mainstay. Aside from these, the flavor comes from the meat. The Czechs know what they're doing when it comes to smoking meat -- the natural way -- and smoked uzený (pork) makes its way into many meals.

Bramborák (bram-bohr-ahk). Available from fast-food stands throughout the city as well as in restaurants, this large (six- to eight-inch) potato pancake is flavored with marjoram and deep-fried.

Bezmasá jídla. This section of the menu lists dishes without meat. Listings often include cocka (stewed lentils), smazený sýr (fried cheese), and rizoto se zeleninou (risotto with vegetables).

Cesnecka (ches-netch-kah). A Czech standby, this garlic soup is a thin -- usually meatless -- garlic-laced broth containing small pieces of potato, served with fried bread cubes.

Cocky (choch-kee). In this traditional dish, green lentils are stewed with or without smoked meat. An egg and pickle are usually served with the meatless version.

Cibulacka (tsi-boo-latch-kah). A close relative of cesnecka -- though a little less potent -- this onion soup is usually served with bread, and cheese is sprinkled on top. Unlike the French version, it's not made from meat broth, so it's usually quite light.

Dábelské toasty (dya-bel-skeh). Devil's toasts are a mixture of cooked ground beef, tomatoes, onions, and peppers served on fried or toasted white bread.

Gulás (goo-laush). Less oily than its Hungarian counterpart, Czech goulash is cubes of beef or pork, stewed and served in thin gravy. It's usually served with houskové knedlíky (bread dumplings) and chopped onions on top.

Hotová jídla (ho-to-vah yee'dla). This section of the menu contains dishes that are premade and ready to be served. Listed here you can find the most traditional favorites svíckova stewed beef and goulash.

Jídla na objednávku (yee'dla na ob-yeh'd-nahv-koo). This section of the menu lists dishes that are cooked to order, including a selection of chicken and pork cutlets, as well as beef steak, prepared in various ways. Usually, they differ in their use of ingredients, such as onions, garlic, mushrooms, or cheese.

Klobása (kloh-bah-sa). A mainstay of the obcerstveni (fast-food stand), this smoked sausage is also served in restaurants as an addition to certain types of gulás and soups or by itself.

Kulajda (koo-lie-dah). This traditional creamy soup with fresh or dried forest mushrooms is flavored with wine vinegar, caraway, and dill.

Moucníky (moe-ooch-nikkee). The dessert section on any traditional Czech menu is not terribly long, but you might see palacinky (sweet pancakes), zmrzlina (ice cream), compot (fruit compote), or dort (cake).

Nakládaný Hermelín (nah-kla-den-ee). A favorite snack of cafés and pubs that consists of a small round of hermelín (a soft cheese closely resembling Camembert) pickled in oil, onions, and herbs and served with dark rye bread.

Palacinky (pala-ching-kee). Usually served with jam or ice cream inside and whipped cream on top, these pancakes resemble crepes, but are made with a thicker batter.

Prílohy (pr'zhee-lo-hee). In traditional Czech restaurants, side orders aren't included with main courses, so look for them in this menu section. Regular dishes include hranolky (French fries), Americké brambory (literally, American potatoes; actually, fried potato wedges), and ryze (rice).

Smazený sýr (sma-zhe-nee see'r). A postwar addition to the traditional Czech diet, this staple is literally translated as fried cheese. A thick slab of an Edamlike cheese is breaded and deep fried, ideally giving it a crusty shell and a warm gooey interior. It's usually served with tartar sauce -- for liberally spreading on top -- and fries.

Studené predkrmy (stoo-den-eh pr'zhed-krmy). The section of cold appetizers on a Czech menu is typically a short one and usually includes utopenec (pickled pork sandwich), tlacenka (head cheese), and sunkova rolka (ham roll with horseradish cream).

Svícková (svitch-koh-vah). Though technically this means a tenderloin cut of beef, on menus it's actually a dish consisting of two to four slabs of stewed beef, usually rump roast; in better restaurants you can get real tenderloin covered with a creamy sauce of pureed root vegetables, garnished with a dollop of whipping cream, cranberry sauce, and a slice of lemon. It's served with houskové knedlíky (bread dumplings).

Teplé predkrmy (teh-pleh pr'zhed-kr-mee). Warm appetizers on a Czech menu ordinarily include topinka (toasted or fried dark bread, rubbed with garlic cloves), and dabelské toasty (devil's toasts).

Utopenec (oo-toe-pen-etts). Literally translated as "drowned man," utopenec is uncooked pork sausage that has been pickled in vinegar. It's not only a common appetizer in Czech restaurants, but it is a ubiquitous beer-snack staple in Czech pubs.

Vepro-knedlo-zelo (veh-pr'zho-kne'dlo-zhe-lo). An affectionately shortened name for the three foods that appear on one plate, this popular family dish consists of roast pork, dumplings, and cabbage stewed with a bit of caraway.

Zelnacka (zell-n'yatch-kah). Cabbage is the main ingredient in this hearty soup whose flavor is accentuated by caraway and smoked pork or sausage. It can be a filling meal by itself when served in a small round loaf of bread.