C is for Czech Republic!

What do Ivana Trump, Ivan Lendal, Peter Korda, Hana Mandlikova and Jana Novotna all have in common? In which kingdom did Good King Wenceslas IV rule? In which country does a person who is counting on their fingers, also include their toes: so they have 20 fingers?
The Czech Republic!

So, with all these interesting facts filling our heads it was only fitting that we included the Czech Republic in our alphabeteating adventure- at Koliba

Johnstone Street Collingwood is always going to be tricky on a Friday night but Mr X has the required skills so he's always going to be in that driver's seat and again, he didn't disappoint with a park close by. This time like Santa 'making a list and checking it twice', he checked that parking sign several times to ensure we would not be contibuting to the council bank account again!

Decor....hmm........ gloomy, dark wood, 70s. Undeterred, a pleasant Czech waitress appeared with menus, very extensive menu items listed.

Ms X, who had been the organiser for "C" had already previewed the menu and knew it was to be heavy, heavy heavy so had chosen to eat yoghurt for lunch.
Mr X chose the Ďábelské pikantní topinky (spicy minced beef with cheese on toast- what a surprise!)
Ms X senior and Ms X Jr shared an entree of Utopenec s cibulí a chlebem (sausage with marinated capsicum and onion) Mr X LOVED his whilst the Ms Xs just were't ready for the cold temperature of the Czech snag.

The 'X' family just love things wrapped up- preferably in pastry however when in a Czech Replican restaraunt, then chances are it's going to be wrapped in a POTATO PANCAKE of course. So, chicken wrapped in potato pancake or pork, you guessed it, wrapped in a potato pancake were ordered. Now, if you are looking for a green vegetable side dish, forget it.
There were 3 side dish options- mashed potato, fried potatoes or potato salad. Ms X snr announced the potato salad was delicious despite literally feeling all those spuds attaching themslves to her ankles, her arms, her thighs, her chin..get the picture.

Random comments:  "Despite an extensive czech beer list Feb Fast was maintained by everyone drinking water"
"The pleasant blonde waitress did all the work whilst the brunette one sat on a bench surfing the internet on a laptop"
"The chef appeared in the doorway with an itchy groin that he chose to attend to."

Ms X opted to leave a large portion of her potato feast as she had spied something on the menu that she knew that the Czechs and Slovakians would excel at...

After all their obsession with potatoes, you just gotta forgive the Czechs cos they know how to nail a streudel.

The all important scores:
                      Food       HE: 7 She: 5          Ambience     He: 4 She:4
                      Service    He: 6 She: 8           Accessibility He: 6 She:9
                      Value       He: 7 She: 7
Total score: 63 which places second behind Bangladesh.


(Ms X thinks there needs to be a recount for poor old Afghanistan which was unlucky to have to go first)