For Foodies: Kidó

When I came across the term urban mind, I’ll admit I immediately pictured a guy in a plaid shirt and skinny jeans, his clunky, black glasses resting on bushy sideburns.

I cuffed my jeans, buckled my helmet and hopped on my bike for the thirty-minute pedal to Kidó’s location near Letná park. I was hoping my mode of transportation would help me blend in with my hipster surroundings.

After successfully maneuvering through the road construction at Letenské Náměstí, I found Kidó located on a quiet side street. I marched in—bike helmet in one hand, backpack in the other—ready to be enlightened.

I asked owner Alena Slámová, “Is Kidó a restaurant or what is it exactly?”

“Food is one of the columns on which it stands,” she mysteriously replied.

She added that they are actually a bistro which serves fast food but from a “slow food” kitchen. Everything is prepared with fresh and real ingredients—no shortcuts or substitutions. Alena admits it’s very time consuming since she herself goes to local farms three times a week to pick-up the produce, but her incentive is offering customers “something of value which is healthy and nourishing.”

Kidó’s daily menu includes a soup (45 CZK) and a main dish (90 CZK), along with an assortment of savory and sweet accompaniments. If the zucchini and cheese tart (65 CZK) I polished off before the interview was any indication, the food is not only healthy but also delicious. And I was pleasantly surprised when it was served with a simple salad on the side.

I was still curious about the other “columns” and how they tied into the concept of urban mind. “We live in the city and we can’t escape it, so the question is how to make the best of it,” Alena explained to me. It can be as simple as growing herbs on your apartment balcony. Slámová puts her beliefs into practice by tending to her own flower and herb garden in Kidó’s courtyard.

Her vision extends beyond the edible and she’s currently renovating the basement to create a space for holding seminars, workshops and yoga classes. “What we eat upstairs we should eat downstairs, mentally,” she asserts.

While it might sound a bit trite and new age-y to some, Alena’s sincerity and passion for her project won me over. Anyone who sells their apartment to finance their dream truly believes in what they’re doing.

“I didn’t want to have a business for the sake of having a business,” Slámová said. Creating a space where people can gather and share their life experiences, discuss art and books or even just exchange a good recipe, trumps any need for huge profit margins. 

Alena’s interior design background becomes apparent as you enter the café. My eyes were drawn to the floor as I stepped onto intricately patterned orange and blue Turkish tile, which—by the way—you can custom order through Kidó. The first room houses the cafeteria-style serving station and little corner shop with random trinkets, tea and organic products.

As I walked further inside, the ceramic tiles changed to a black and white square design, setting the tone for the artsy paint-splattered walls of the back room. Two longer tables with desk lamps line the wall, and a window to the inner courtyard lends the space natural lighting. If that’s not to your liking, continue down the stone steps and grab a seat along Alena’s herb and flower garden.

I ordered a latte (55 CZK) and chose to soak up the creative vibe of the back room. As I contemplated the mornings’ events, I had to mentally congratulate Alena for bringing the abstract concept of urban mind to life. Her project is still in the early stages—Kidó has only been open for about six months—but I expect big things in the near future.

For the time being, it’s a great place to come and get in touch with your inner hipster or just enjoy some wholesome food in an energizing environment. I’m not quite ready to break out my plaid shirts yet, but I came as a skeptic and left as a believer.

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