Koliba

The Melbourne food scene is filled with all types of cuisine from Mexican and Nepalese to Sichuan – but what about Czech and Slovak food? That’s exactly what we thought. Luckily sitting proud down on Johnston St is Czech and Slovak eatery Koliba.

While the décor is not particularly fresh, if you manage to score a table by the glowing heater on a cold winter’s night Koliba’s the perfect spot to indulge in some quality comfort food and a beer or few.

The menu is chock-a-block with winter warming dishes, from homemade pork kransky sausages served with sauerkraut and mashed potato ($19.90) to crumbed camembert with Tratar sauce ($19.50) with a side of potato. Who knew cheese could be a main? Not that we’re complaining.

Lovers of beer are catered for too, with two imported Czech beers, Budejovicky Budvar and Krusovice, available on tap. The perfect accompaniment to your crumbed pork schnitzel with three cheeses ($22.90).

When we visited, we couldn’t go past the crumbed chicken schnitzel ($21.90) with harula and roasted duck legs served with sauerkraut and dumplings ($24.90).

Although we had to wait a little for our order to be taken, the food was worth it. The schnitzel was thin, crisp and moist and when paired with the Harula – a herby type of potato cake – it was finger licking good. The duck legs had good flavour and there was certainly no shortage of sauerkraut or dumplings – slices of bread – to go with it.

For a bit of greens, we ordered the mixed vegetable salad with shopsky (entrée $8.9, main $16.90) with a delicious basil dressing, a good fresh accompaniment to our heart meals.

So unless you have your own Babička (grandma) to cook you up a storm, Koliba is your best bet for authentically Czech and Slovak food.

KOLIBA
11 Johnston St, Collingwood
9417 3797
Tues – Sat 5pm – 10pm and Sun 12pm-3pm & 5pm-10pm
koliba.com.au