The juxtaposition of a vegetarian restaurant over a smoky nightclub might seem strange but Radost FX has turned ironic into iconic with a deft swish of its velvet hand. And who could bite the hand that feeds, especially when it points to three unique choices of dining: cafe, lounge, or gallery.

The romantic cafe offers great views from large windows, golden lamps, and a hip Steampunk design philosophy. Breakfast is served from 8:30 am and lunch/dinner from 11:00am till late. Finally, somewhere nice to eat after midnight. The brunch menu promises variety and delivers on time. The homefries were homemade but not worth writing home about. Mashed or braised is better than mushed for days.

The decoration in the spacious lounge feels like something Alice might have seen, not in Wonderland, but in the Jefferson Airplane hit of the 1960s. Mesmerizing paisley settee cushions buffer the mirror tiling lining the walls. In the humming dim green glow you are transported somewhere oriental, but without all the fishy smells. An enormously large drinks menu -- I'm talking 80s hairspray big with 390 exotic drinks, beckons one to relax for about a decade or so until you remember that you are indeed in a restaurant. The meal is a jazzy affair, packing full portions of Indian, Greek, Mexican, Italian, and Thai fare into a cohesive fusion that would make Miles Davis blue – er, green with envy. The wide range of the menu promises a journey around the world which will blur the hazy borders between orient and occident. The soup of the day has impressed me several times, with generous portions of creamy vegetable, broccoli, spinach, or a unique rendition of tofu reminiscent of breadcrumbs, betraying the usual blandness stigmatizing this vegan staple. The taco salad is volcanic, erupting with a brilliant mix of beans, salsa, guacamole, and cheese. You’ll hardly notice at which point you started eating the bowl and stopped eating its contents. The Mexican platter for two comes with delicious stuffed jalepenos, burritos, and nachos. The only weak link being a potato pancake masquerading as a quesadilla. This is the kind of place you want to bring non-vegetarians. Most will not realize they are in a vegetarian restaurant, and the only thing they'll be missing is high cholesterol. The Popeye burger offers a fleshy spinach patty on toasted focaccia if you’re worried about your carnivorous incisors. It comes with a lovely cous cous salad on the side.

In the gallery part of the restaurant, subdued burgundy hues create a different aesthetic, though maintaining a coherency with the design philosophy of the lounge and café. The restaurant is non-smoking before 3pm but does get a little smoggy afterwards. On a final note, the music is an appropriate mix of modern deep house, with live DJs Thursdays through Saturdays. Free WiFi and an English speaking staff make this rabbit hole an easy trip. So please, go feed your head.

Website
Radost FX
Belehradska 120, Prague 2
224 254 776
8:00 am - wee hours
Price: Less than 300 Kč