REVIEW IN SUNDAY STAR TIMES FOOD & WINE
24 July 2011
Well-deserved kudos
FROM THE outside Cafe Kudos doesn't look much, so if my mother hadn't taught me not to judge a book by a cover I might have given it a wide berth.
It is located smack bang in the middle of an industrial estate and its exterior looks bland and uninviting. I am pleasantly surprised to find that inside, the cafe has a completely different feel.
The modern decor is light and fresh and there's a lovely gas fire that radiates a huge amount of heat, even on the coldest of Christchurch days.
The comfy sofas and chairs arranged around the fire are prime real estate, as are the big booths that line one wall of the cafe. For those warm days there is an outdoor courtyard, which is cleverly screened from the busy road, so you can enjoy a coffee with friends without having your conversation drowned out by traffic noise.
Because Cafe Kudos is located in the heart of an industrial area its main clientele – at least during the working week – is office and factory workers seeking good, hearty tucker. Cafe Kudos delivers just that.
What the food might lack in refinement, it makes up for in taste and freshness. The cabinet food ranges from bacon and egg pies – the best my dad has ever had! – to filled French sticks and muffins.
In the name of research, I try one of the cafe's blueberry and white chocolate muffins and love every mouthful of it. It is crunchy on the outside but so moist on the inside it literally melts in my mouth. Divine! I would make a return visit just for the muffin alone.
In addition to the cabinet food, Cafe Kudos offers a traditional breakfast menu. I am about to try the mixed berry pancakes till I catch sight of the egg and bacon butty. It is made with thick slices of white Vienna bread and looks wickedly good.
It tastes as good as it looks, with the chopped up chives on top adding a lovely flavour crunch to the egg and bacon.
My husband orders the big breakfast and gets a generous-sized plate groaning with well-cooked food.
Cafe Kudos offers gluten free options and also has an extensive kids menu. There is wi-fi available for those who need to work while they eat and there's also a boardroom you can hire out for meetings.
Lois Cairns
From the aroma of freshly brewed coffee to the smell of bacon on the grill, from the delicious cabinet food to the artistry from our mouth watering menu, from the plush leather seating by the cosy fire to the warm outdoor breeze under the sun umbrellas or sail area, Café Kudos has been designed for your TOTAL PLEASURE!"
