A Food-Coma-Inducing Porkfest

Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden - 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria NY 11102
718.274.4925
N/W Train to Astoria Blvd
www.bohemianhall.com

Today was a day of gluttony, laziness and indulgence otherwise known as Porkfest at the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden. Peter, Dan and I went with full intentions to eat all the pork that we could and wash it down with potent Czech beer. Our mission was accomplished and while it took a while to recuperate from our food and beer coma, we made it through. Here's a recap of this afternoon's pork extravaganza:

Pork and Barley Soup - Because it was so damp and chilly outside, we each ordered this as an appetizer to warm ourselves. It was hot, delicious and salty with plenty of tender dark and white pork meat. The soft barley was a lovely addition, as it rounded out the flavors in the soup and made it even more hearty.

Moravian Pork with Dumplings - This was my dish and I enjoyed it to the last bite. It included soft chunks of garlic-seasoned pork with slightly sweet sauerkraut and knedle or bread dumplings. The whole thing was slathered in rich pork gravy that made this dish irresistible. While Peter's pork goulash looked almost identical, I think that the garlic seasoning in mine made it slightly tastier.

Pork Goulash with Dumplings - Peter chose this as his entree and it was also delectable. The only difference between this and my Moravian pork was that the gravy in the goulash was darker and sweeter--I think that it was made with paprika.

Breaded and Fried Pork Cutlet - Put anything fried in front of Dan and he'll eat it--that's why I wasn't surprised when he ordered the pork cutlet. I think that this was my second favorite dish and the breading is what made it exceptional. It was super crispy but not at all greasy. While it came with roasted potatoes as a side dish, Dan substituted them with his beloved knedle or bread dumplings. For extra crunch and freshness, the pork cutlet was served with peppers, tomatoes and lettuce. Yum!

Apple Strudel - We each had the dessert of the day, which was homemade apple strudel. I absolutely adore apple dessert and was excited once this came out. While I liked it, it wasn't exceptional and needed more sugar or cinnamon. It was an acceptable way to end our meal but it didn't wow me.

Service and Cost:

Our server was a bit off and I think that he was new. He kept forgetting to refresh our silverware and acted strange when we asked for basic things such as more gravy or the check. Overall, the service is hit or miss so don't expect to be pampered.

Porkfest was a prix-fixe deal with $19.95 per person for a three-course meal. I'd say that it was worth it--what drove up the cost of our meal was the beer.

2 Mmmms