Flavourful Czech: Master the Menu in Czech (from PŘEDKRM to PŘÍLOHA)(S02/E46 – daily podcast CZECH YOUR DAY)

THIS WEEK’S TOPIC: V RESTAURACI/AT A RESTAURANT

THE TRANSCRIPT/HANDOUT IS DOWN BELOW

This week is all about restaurants so that you can feel confident when ordering, paying etc.

To be able to do so, you need to understand parts of the menu first. JDEME NA TO!

Menu Expressions in Czech and English

1. Jídelní lístek
   • Menu
2. Předkrm
   • Starter
3. Polévka
   • Soup (informally „Polívka“)
4. Hlavní jídlo
   • Main dish
5. Příloha
   • Side dish
6. Salát
   • Salad
7. Dezert
   • Dessert

Detailed Breakdown of Menu Items

Jídelní lístek (Menu) is a list of meals and drinks offered by a restaurant. It includes prices, indicating how much the food and drink cost.

Předkrm (Starter) is a small dish that you have before the main dish and soup. It can be hot or cold. A typical Czech starter might be a ham roll with horseradish cream.

Polévka (Soup) is usually warm. A traditional Czech soup is beef broth with liver dumplings. Potato soup (Bramborová polévka), often called „bramboračka“ at home, or garlic soup „česneková polévka,“ familiarly known as „česnečka.“

Hlavní jídlo (Main dish) is typically a salty dish. In Czech cuisine, this is often meat with a side dish, like pork with dumplings and cabbage. It’s known as „vepřo knedlo zelo,“ schnitzel with mashed potatoes or potato salad, or fried cheese with potatoes. Also, „svíčková“ with dumplings.

Příloha (Side dish) is served with the main dish, usually with meat, or for non-meat eaters, with tofu. Common sides are potatoes, dumplings, pasta, or rice.

Salát (Salad) can be made from vegetables. For example, “šopský salát” includes cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and Balkan cheese. Czechs enjoy potato salad at Christmas, often with carp or schnitzel.

Dezert (Dessert) is sweet, such as cake, pastry (e.g., „větrník“), pancake, or ice cream. It’s referred to as „sladká tečka“ (sweet end).