I am back in Seoul, and of course I have been itching to check all the newest and coolest spots to share with you. You know I love to find restaurants that offer you a taste of home that is hard to find. Czech food in Seoul is a very underepresented cuisine, so when I was invited to come and check out Czech restaurant Praha Pub in Sangsu, I knew it would be the perfect place to share with you.
I have to confess I do not have much experience with Czech food outside of eating at the Czech House at the Winter Olympics, however what we did eat there I found to be absolutely delicious. The cozy but chilled out pub is hidden in the back streets of Sangsu just a short walk from the station.
The menu at Praha Pub is a medley of home cooked delights. We really didn’t know where to start so asked the owner to select his favourites dishes for us. It being a restaurant sponsored by Pilsner we of course had to start with a beer. They have three available on draft, Pilsner, Kozel Pale and Kozel dark. We went for the traditional Pilsner (8,900) and the Kozel Dark (6,900) which came in the most adorable imported glass.
With our beers we enjoyed Sour Sausage (11,000) a dish of homemade pickled sausages with bread made especially for the restaurant by The Bakers Table in Gyeongridan. We were informed this this dish is so popular thanks to the fact it can be stored and eaten all year round. The sausages themselves had a nice balance of flavour between sweet and sour, they made a good pairing with the beers.
After our starter we moved on to the main courses. The Confit Duck (24,000) was the first dish up and it absolutely knocked our socks off. I have never had a duck breast cooked confit before so to have it without the bones was absolutely fantastic. The skin was super crispy on the outside while the meat was lovely and tender. They really have a skilled chef in the kitchen. The duck breast was served on a bed of sauerkraut and came with two styles of dumpling, a traditional style one and a second one made with chunks of bread and rosemary. We all adored the bread dumplings, they had such a buttery flavour. All in all is was an exceptional dish that you should not miss out on eating.
Gulash is probably one of the most famous dishes from the region, so how could we not try Praha Pub version. The Spicy Gulash (21,000) came served in a giant two handed pan, and with was absolutely filled with plenty of chunks of tender slow cooked pork in tomatoey sauce. Despite the dish having the spicy moniker, we didn’t find that to be the case. The gulash came served with the two kinds of dumplings we ate with the duck. It was exactly the kind of dish you will long for once the weather turns cold.
I was thrilled to see Schnitzel (21,000) on the menu. I live for anything deep fried, and this huge piece of pork was absolutely divine. The outside was super crisy while the meat inside was juicy and tender. The pork came served with a mound of tasty German style potato salad. It was such a huge portion that you could easily share share it between your group.
Overall we had a lovely dinner at Praha Pub. All the food is made in house and they have gone to great lengths to ensure the dishes are kept as close to the traditional recipes as possible. The food we ate was delicious and it is nice to know that this kind of cuisine is gaining popularity in Korea thanks to the sponsorship and rise of Pilsner Urquell beer.
Praha Pub is located at 9-9 Wausan-ro 11-gil, Sangsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train Sangsu Station and come out of exit 1. Turn back on youself and walk along the road towards Hongdae taking the a left at Olive Young. Praha pub is tucked away down a little alleyway off the left of this road. For more information you can call them on 02-333-4122 or check out their website.