Holiday Foodsteps: Plzenska Beer Hall Restaurant, Prague.

We were this close to giving up on trying to find the restaurant, having walked passed the restaurant a few times before realising it was there. It isn't that it's hidden in a little corner on a quiet street - far from it actually. We just didn't expect a restaurant that had been described as "affordable" to actually be in the gorgeous Municipal House itself.

Plzenska Beer Hall Restaurant
Republic Square 5
Old Town, Prague 1
Czech Republic

After a day spent in the day exploring Kutna Hora and experiencing the simultaneously fascinating and disturbing bone chapel first hand, we were eager to settle down in a less gruesome setting to sample some of the Czech Republic's tradtional fare. The beer hall is a lively place - an accordion duo provides some happy folk tunes, entertaining customers as they tuck into their meals in the rather lavishly decorated hall.

We ordered with our eyes - taking a bit of time to survey the table-tops of our neighbours before deciding what we wanted. A basket of rolls appeared at our table together with the beer the solitary guy in our group ordered - to whet our appetites before the main dishes arrived.

Roasted Pork Joint - arriving at the table in all it's glory, the joint was a huge chunk of meltingly tender pork that was absolutely delicious when eaten with gravy made out of its roasting juices and a selection of dips and sauces.

Bohemian duck - roast duck served with braised red cabbage and dumplings. Crispy skin, tender duck, delicious gravy and the most addictive red cabbage - this was our first encounter with the famous dish, and what an incredible introduction it was.

Our meal at the Plezenska Beer Hall Restaurant pretty much set the tone for the rest of our Eastern European holiday. So the place has a name I still cannot pronounce but with a lovely setting, good food that's affordable and huge portions - the restaurant is definitely worth a visit.