Soup festival will take place at Smíchovská náplavka on March 2nd.

“Polívkování” (the name comes from Polívka = a soup) offers a huge variety of soups from around the world.

You can taste Czech soups such as potato cream, kulajda or tripe soup but mainly soups from all over the world such as Russian borscht, Mexican chipotle and menudo, Malaysian laksa, French bouillabaisse, Vietnamese pho, Japanese ramen.

Veggie lovers can look forward to vegetable soups and other vegetarian recipes. There will be an option to buy some freshly baked pastry and something to drink like hot ciders, wines, and Czech beers.

And if the soup is not enough by itself, you can taste crispy rolls, fresh homemade bread, and other savory pastries. Drinks include warm cider, apple juice, mulled wine, and draft beer. To finish your experience, you can choose from a variety of sweet treats and delicious coffees.

‘Kuchařky bez domova’ (The homeless cooks) will also prepare a fantastic meal at the festival. These women may not have a home, but they enjoy cooking and want to share their art with others.

This project aims to raise awareness of the issue of female homelessness by employing and supporting women in social distress, connecting those with and without homes to create a more equal space, and finally, using up fruit and vegetables that would otherwise be thrown away.

More info here

 

Korean cuisine is not well known in the Czech Republic, but it deserves to be explored. With three locations around Prague, Bab Ryze offers a great cross-section of Korean dishes that are worth trying.

Bab Ryze Restaurant is totally authentic, staffed by Koreans who clearly have a positive relationship with food.

Everything I tried was very tasty, and without compromising Czech flavors.

I placed my order through Dáme jídlo and the courier arrived as planned. The food was packaged well, nothing leaked, and the trick with the portions wrapped in foil ensured that the dishes were really hot.

But let’s get back to Korean gastronomy itself. You’ll find influences from other Asian countries, so there’s no shortage of fried dumplings for example on the appetizer menu.

The Gun-mandu dumplings stuffed with mushrooms and leeks were pleasantly crispy, very well seasoned, and accompanied by a dipping sauce (6 pieces for 119 CZK).

I wanted to taste as many dishes as possible, so I ordered 3 dishes from the main menu. In Korea, rice bowls topped with various vegetables, meat, and egg yolk are very popular. I opted for a slightly unconventional version without meat.

Kimchi Al-bab (189 CZK) is a rice bowl with homemade kimchi, pickled radish, Tobiko caviar, nori seaweed, and egg yolk.

A cold dish that’s great for hot days, you’ll appreciate it if you like the distinct taste of kimchi and fermented vegetables. I liked it a lot, and all the flavors worked beautifully together.

The kimchi itself is a fermented Chinese cabbage salad with chili. It’s an absolute staple of Korean cuisine, and at Bab Ryze, you can buy it not only as a side dish, but also to take home in half-pound or one-pound packages.

From the hot main courses, I tasted the Jjagle-i (269 CZK), which is pork stewed in a spicy sauce with rice. Don’t let the sharp red color fool you, this dish is not nearly as spicy as it looks.

In Korea, dishes are seasoned with gochugaru chili spice, which has a very rich color but tolerable spiciness. This dish also features fermented gochujang chili paste, which adds a nice smoky flavor.

Of course, I also had to order another typical Korean dish – Ttuk-bae-gi Bulgogi (269 CZK). Chunks of beef in a slightly sweet sauce with onions, carrots, and glass noodles made of sweet potatoes are also served with a bowl of rice. This dish was not spicy and very nicely seasoned.

I was generally surprised by the portion sizes – there was plenty of it and for a home test feast it was perfect, there’s enough for everyone.

I know this is just the beginning for me, Korean cuisine is interesting and there is still a lot to taste,
but I was excited about this “preview”!

I can definitely recommend going on a gastro trip to Korea, which you can do at home in your dining room thanks to Bab Ryze and Dáme jídlo!

October 28 is Independent Czechoslovak State Day, and most large stores over 200 square meters will close due to the law passed in 2016.

Pharmacies, gas stations, and stores in airports, hospitals and train stations are not included in the law. Stores under 200 square meters, such as local grocery stores, can also remain open.

Legally, all retail spaces over 200m², except wholesale, will have to be closed on this day, as during most other national holidays.

Thus, many brands including Globus, Kaufland or Lidl, are warning their customers to make sure that all their shopping is done ahead of time. Billa will also have to close all their large locations, but their smaller Billa stop&shop stores at gas stations will stay open.

Many shopping centres will also experience a forced day-off, such as Arkády Pankrác or Novo Plaza in Prague. Others chose to leave some of their retail spaces open, and have usually released a list of individual closed stores on their websites.

While business owner associations have repeatedly criticized the law, trade unionists are campaigning to extend this regulation to all 13 Czech national holidays.

The law covers the following public holidays:

• 1st January,
• Easter Monday,
• 8th May (the Victory Day),
• 28th September (Day of St. Vaclav / Czech Statehood Day),
• 28th October (Independent Czechoslovak State Day),
• 25th and 26th December (Christmas Holidays).

Violators of the law can face fines up to Kč 1 million, and some fines have been levied in the past.