Wednesday 24 February 2010

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!

Posted on by Rita
21 comments

21 comments:

Christina said...

So Dan better go on the outstanding service list Rita.
Only two this year, early days though I know.
Do agree with you about service standards.
Why do we so appreciate Dan and others on your list, when it really should be the norm?

Rita said...

That's done, thanks Christina. BTW - I notice there are a couple of nominations from you on that list which, if the people mentioned have since left that establishment, should be either deleted, or their new place of work added. Could you tell me of any you know of please?

Anon2 said...

Totally agree with your comments about Kaos, Rita. It's one of those places I sometimes forget to visit more often even though it's close to where I live. Our vegetarian friend's work farewell in June 2006 was my first visit. My latest was shortly before Mon's passing and we were served by Dan.
Must get back soon!

Anon2 said...

I should clarify that Mon's passing did not seem in any way related to our recent visit to this fine establishment.

Anonymous said...

Nice one Dan, show em how it's done. Congrats on your little one! Kaos is great and good to see they are still going well.

Anonymous said...

Rita,
Yes it is in one of those funny spots in town - but there are so many gems like that around Hobart. Perhaps your readers could suggest a few we've forgotten or are doing a fine job of shaking off the reputation of previous owners. It's a shame you didn't travel the extra 100m up Eliz. St. to Chrome. I suggest a visit for a terrific breakfast or lunch, especially while the weather is good and you can sit outside. Great blog - one of my favs!!!!!

Anonymous said...

RE cutie cups $55 000 is cheap then???

Anonomouse said...

Not for a dying fad...

Anonymous said...

A chicken and bacon eating vegetarian ??

Rita said...

Hi Anon2 - glad you're still out there and checking in with me now and then.
Anon 12.14 - you're obviously a friend of the wonderful Dan, who is an extremely proud dad of a new-ish little one.
Anon 1.40 - Chrome has been on my 'to go to' list for over a year, so it was with much (quiet) excitement that I ventured in there one lunch time last week, to find my curiosity slightly dulled by a smallish array of lunchtime fare, which didn't appear too different from anywhere else. I didn't buy anything so will make sure I go there again - maybe earlier next time. But do the Chrome people know they have some stiff competition with the new boys running the students cafeteria at the nearby campus?
To the 2 Cutie Cups commenters - I don't think cupcakes is a dying fad. People will always want something small and sweet, and when they look so beautiful, being perfectly decorated, it adds to the allure of a cupcake.
Anon 10.51 - we're getting a bit confused with Rita's two different dining companions. One is a fish-eating vegetarian, for whom Rita is cooking tonight by the way.

Anonymous said...

So not a vegetarian at all then...

As a vegetarian myself, and a voting member of a number of societies, people like that really get on our nerves. Either you eat meat or you don't. There's no I only eat white meat or I only eat fish. Vegetarian means you eat no meat.

lemon curd said...

Wow.

Christina said...

Didn't realise being a vegetarian was such an elite club to be a member of.
Whenever I meet a vegetarian and we engage in an in depth conversation, I always ask them why they choose to be a vegetarian.
Sometimes it's because they just don't like the taste of meat,or the texture. Sometimes it's because of humanitarian issues, or animal rights or such.
Half of all vegetarians I've met do eat some form of meat, be it fish or chicken, and there reasons are there own beliefs. whatever they may be.
Maybe Rita described her friend best as a "fish eating vegetarian".
Can't see a problem really.
There are different levels of vegetarianism[?], and different reasons for that being so.
Respect for everyone's beliefs I feel, including yours anon 2:32

Get Real said...

LOL.... Fish eating vegetarian...

Must go with those chicken eating vegetarians that are so common...

Or those coeliacs who can still have soy sauce...

Sometimes I think they are vegetarian only when it suits them...

Anon2 said...

anon 2:32, you really should get over yourself - "a voting member of a number of societies" - I ask you! Sounds more than a bit wanky to me. I know many so-called vegetarians and it certainly is a healthy life-style choice. However, I've rarely encountered any two who would agree on any prescribed definition that entitles one to membership of some exclusive club. Does meat include other animal products - dairy, eggs? Is fish a meat? Let's go vegan? Do plants have rights?

Not pretentious... said...

A little bit pretentious being a member of societies. Mind you, I agree with him/her as a vegetarian myself and especially "Get Real's" point about being a vegetarian when it suits them...

Having said that, aren't most societies used as a support group for it's members?

I do also think cupcakes are a dying breed. I think they will go the way of cookies. Pretty pink icing and sparkles does not make a good cupcake... What's next? Brownies? Marshmallows? Macaroons? How about mini pannacotta's in glasses? Or Churros? Why don't people just set up a good bakery and get things right instead? Somewhere that does all these things well, rather than trying to cover things up with sparkles and a nice box.

Anonymous said...

+ 1
Not pretentious

Anonymous said...

+1 here 2. u r ded on.

bri said...

Pescatarian?

Anonymous said...

Rita

Re: The Cutie Cups Comments.

When purchasing a business the sale price most often reflects several things:

1) the gross profit margin- the higher the margin the higher the likely sale price.

2)The risk associated with the business - length of lease, staffing requirement etc...

3)The desperation of the owner to sell.

4) The quality of trading figures.

It could be that as Cutie Cups is asking such a small sale price they may have very little to sell - perhaps the real value is in the position and lease - some business's have a reasonable turnover but once expenses are removed they leave very little return on any capital invested.

Sometimes an owner buys a job and are happy with the fact they will need to work in the business, others look for a hands off management roll.

The trick is to see the potential in a business and take it to the next level maybe in a completely different direction.

Will it remain Cutie Cups or will it morph into something else - the position is the key to this I think.

Pratties North Hobart has bitten the dust, Dukka is on the market, Kaos is as well, The FOOD Store has changed hands this week, and the list goes on !

Me thinks change is good !

CR.

Anonymous said...

It's wonderful to see that they are replacing the wondeful Brendan who is leaving Kaos as manager with such a hard worker as Dan.

We will miss him.