Kaos Cafe, North Hobart

The visit to TASpice presaged lunch at Kaos Kafe today. Kaos is one of those places that has been operating for many years, and a place that we all must have eaten at some time or other. They seem to have been ‘in’ then ‘out’ then ‘in’ and ‘out’ again, as regards quality of food, or service, or even just people’s perceptions. My vegetarian friend from Orizuru dining fame (last Friday night) is a firm Kaos fan, and has religiously dragged me along there often over the years. Sometimes I loved it, sometimes I was left unmoved by my food there, but I’ve never had a really bad experience there, I have to say.

So today was going to be a good test for me, as I was reasonably ambivalent about it.

It was a beautiful afternoon, and we combined meeting with eating (outside), after all, isn’t that what life is all about?

Chris had a Kaos Club Sandwich ($17.50). It was, as I had suspected it would be, a huge serving, but strangely, was served in a bun, so actually not a sandwich at all. Go figure. It looked appetizing, and Chris proclaimed it excellent. The menu described it as containing “cajun spiced chicken, guacamole, pinenuts and roast capsicum”. It also came with rocket and pickles or gherkins of some kind, and what looks like bacon in the pic below.

(They used to do a fabulous Club Sandwich in that lunchtime restaurant in Cat and Fiddle Square opposite Fitzies entrance, near the fountain which is also long gone, which later became George Haddad’s restaurant, and which now sells hairdressing items).

I had a small serving of Salt and Pepper Calamari with lemon ($10). Dan was our waitperson, and food adviser. I asked him for a frank opinion of what he would select if he was eating there. I also requested he not bullshit me. He provided me with a few options and I decided on the calamari, on the proviso (as I told Dan) that I normally wouldn’t order that dish (despite loving it) as so many restaurants do it so badly, but on his recommendation I would give it a go, but would name and shame him if it was crap!


It wasn’t crap – it was pretty well as he had described, and whilst not the very best serving of calamari I’ve had in my life, was right up there. I really enjoyed it, but most of all enjoyed the repartee with the wonderful Dan. What a fabulous advertisement for waiting tables, and serving food, this guy is. I want him photocopied or duplicated in some way so all waitpeople everywhere could see a blueprint for finetuning the correct amount and proportions of humour, professionalism, knowledge and expertise.

He told us he is a chef by trade, and taking some time out from cooking by doing FOH at Kaos. I loved his relaxed and generous style. He made our time at Kaos today memorable (with his service) because it seems to me that generally round town, service standards are dropping. This is not just my opinion, but having suspected it a while, and recently having heard it voiced by others, I am forced to confront this suspicion as maybe a bit more than that.

When you are on the receiving end of superlative service, it tends to remind you that there actually is such a thing as good service, as opposed to the average, everyday, mediocre service you seem to encounter in most places today.

Anyway – back to lunch at Kaos – I finished with another of Dan’s excellent recommendations: the Lemon and Lime Tart, with ice cream ($8). It was exactly what I wanted.

So – top marks to a quiet achiever, Kaos (not to be confused with Maxwell Smart’s Kaos!). I noted they’re still doing their $10 Sunday Roasts, for which they have become quite famous. Good on them, and I will be back, especially with it being so close to my new work.

I'll end with a pic of a quote I saw on their wall at Kaos......below......but please don't take it on board as your moral compass!