Most Binghamton students might not often get to try Czech food, let alone visit the East Side of Binghamton. Yet, on a sleepy afternoon, I found myself awoken by the delightful food of Czech Pleeze, a mom-and-pop shop soon celebrating its fourth year of business.
I grew up with perohi (stuffed dumplings) and holubpki (stuffed cabbage) made by my grandmother and served at every holiday. It was strange moving to college and finding myself surrounded by American cuisine seeming to be the common modern food. It was typical, never too exciting; it was just something to fill you up. Czech Pleeze returned the homemade taste to me, as it does commonly for the local community.
Everything I had lit up my tastebuds. I tried almost everything on the super sample platter, the singular dinner option from the Restaurant Week menu. I was served a platter of perohi, holubpki, city chicken and spicy mac and cheese. The perohi were perfectly seasoned, stuffed with potato and topped with onions. It felt as if one could just keep eating them without guilt. This being said, the holubpki is where the real magic was. The meal consisted of beef and rice wrapped in cabbage leaves and dipped in a very light tomato sauce and mixed with garlic. For a newcomer, the combination of tastes can be almost overwhelming — yet the platter was a brilliant representation of what Czech food really is.
The city chicken was a wonder and unlike anything I have had before. It is most easily described, visually, as chicken on a stick, much like a corn dog. However, when you pick it up and take a bite, you’ll find it’s far superior. As for the the spicy mac and cheese, it made me wonder if Czech Pleeze was competing for a spot in the upcoming Mac and Cheese Fest later this month.
Between the garlic and onion dominant in the food, it became clear that the restaurant might be better for a second date than a first. That is, until you uncover the desserts, which include homemade pie, cupcakes, cookies or an ice cream float.
Other offerings for the Restaurant Week menu include lunches that put features of the sample platter as the main dish — you can get perohi, kielbasa, city chicken and holubpki combos, each with an appetizer, side dish and dessert.
Dan McLarney, the owner, shared that all of the ingredients aren’t imported, but are bought locally. It plays into the homemade feel of the food and restaurant and it pays off on the plate.
Students have every incentive to visit. Whether it’s $12 for a lunch that will fill you up for the rest of the day, or a $20 dinner that might find you waddling out, Czech Pleeze is a delicious, affordable option that can satisfy tastebuds across generations.
Grab a friend and make them drive, find a bus that travels over or even take a walk on a warm spring day and open up your palette. Don’t be surprised when you’re visiting again in a few weeks.