So how does a food like koprova omacka fit in Pilsen? Especially since the neighborhood is known more these days for its savory Mexican moles than it is for this tangy dill gravy from Czechoslovakia.
Well, consider this a mini-salute to the Czechs who settled in the neighborhood in the late 19th Century, naming it after a Czech town (Plzen) and adding their own touch to its buildings. (Need proof? Carved in stone near the top of the building at 1812 S. Ashland Ave. are the words “Plzensky Sokol” for the gymnastic group that once met there.)
Now about that gravy: Rich with fresh dill and enriched with sour cream, koprova omacka used to be made only in the late summer when fresh dill was available. It was spooned over slices of long-simmered beef and sometimes, if the garden was good, fresh cooked green beans. But with fresh dill now available year round, the gravy is on the menu at many of the dozen-plus Czech (or Bohemian) eateries in the Chicago area. While some offer it as a special on certain days, others have taken to offering it daily because it is so popular. Our only complaint: While usually served with a side of dumplings, there never seem to be quite enough to mop up the sauce.
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One of our favorites is served at Czech Plaza Restaurant (7016 W. Cermak Rd., Berwyn; 708-795-6555). Here, the sweetness of the fresh dill and the tanginess of the sour cream balance nicely in the creamy gravy, which is amply poured over fall-apart-tender beef. The platter comes with several slices of puffy, yeast-raised dumplings. The $6.20 dinner is served Tuesday and Friday–or any other time cook Laddy Drozda decides to make it.
Another good version, so fragrant with chopped fresh dill that the gravy is almost a pale green, is at Bohemian Crystal (639 N. Blackhawk Drive, Westmont; 630-789-1981), where they also spoon generous portions of the sauce over tender beef slices. Again, Tuesdays and Fridays are usually dill gravy days. And, you’ll get those dumplings. The dinner price is $7.75.
The very creamy dill gravy at Moldau Restaurant (9310 W. Ogden Ave., Brookfield; 708-485-2155) is a menu regular, with ample amounts sharing platter space with beef slices and dumplings. The dinner costs $6.95.
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Koprova omacka
Pronounced: koe-proe-VAH oh-MACH-kah
What it is: A dill gravy usually served with beef and dumplings.
Where it’s from: The former Czechoslovakia.
Czech for more dumplings, please: Prosim vice knedlicku (pros-zeem veet-zuh khned-lee-KOO).
Price: $6.25-$7.50