Kato - Kalkbaai iNingizimu Afrika

Biggest Letdown. A lot of things wrong. Not much right. Overall a great lack of attention to detail. I 'll write in list to save time. A few mistakes can be overlooked but there was a pattern of failures that led to this review. Also this was a $350 per person meal so standards are higher. Service (Understaffed and many new workers): 1. Floor not flat so both chair and tables wobbled alot. Asked to move tables and were told there were no tables for our party of 2 elsewhere. However, a table for 4 sat empty for the remainder of the night. 2. Had to ask for wifi password twice (over 5 mins between) 3. Servers said very basic descriptions when serving and were not very knowledgable about dishes when asked. 4. Chopsticks kept on table with no explanation then randomly removed towards the end of the savory courses. 5. Pacing did not adjust based on our dining speed. Spent a lot of time just waiting. 6. Had to ask for name of artist twice. (After first time they said they will check but never came back) 7. When party next to us left, plates were cleared but table was not wiped down and parts of the last courses sat on the table next to us for the remainder of our meal. 8. Towels to dry hands ran out in bathroom. 9. Charged for another table 's bill and they had to void and redo bill. 10. Lastly, after the subpar service forced to tip 18% Food: 1. Sauces/Spices greatly overpowered alot of the dishes. Impossible to taste the fresh ingredients when sauces so strong. 2. Same combo of garnish (fennel sliced chilis) used on multiple dishes. 3. Deep fried scallop slightly overcooked 4. Both duck and a5 wagyu were served room temp and when asked was told they were supposed to be like this because they were left to rest . Have never had cold meat courses before so returned the steak and got a hot one to my preference . 5. One of the dessert courses was korean shaved ice that was worse than what you can get anywhere else. 6. Seems to have strayed far from being taiwanese and now just asian fusion. Lost identity. 7. Last course (eggtart) was cold even though its supposed to be warm. They said to reheat if you eat at home . Overall a big letdown. May need some time to adjust to their new space. Check recent reviews for a better idea of what to expect. Compared to the Eater video, their open kitchen looked like a lot of idle chefs instead of the hustle and bustle portrayed in the video.

Kato certainly has ambition, but is a mixed bag. The food and service are very good, but they charge as much as restaurants with 2 more stars. Try it if you have the ends, just don't expect to get value for what you're spending.

What a breezy great start to the collab with Chef Chris Bianco for the Sunday Summer Series! Inventive, Tasty, and surprising notes of flavours. The pairing of cocktails were superb, using Summer's best harvest to the curated menu. Esp the Strawberry Margarita Negroni was so balanced to all the food courses. The lamb bacon and corn pizza, had a surprising kick of scallop shacha which was subtle, and a delight. The sea bream crispy, and the meyer lemon mostarda provided a citrus bite, another delight. And most refreshing of all, the shaved ice dessert drizzled with lemon verbena! Well Done Chef Jonathan Chef Chris Bianco, and the rest of the staff.

In a world of overhyped and fussy dining experiences Kato is a balance of curated “food as art” but fulfilling, surprising and a celebration of traditional Taiwanese dishes and spices exuberantly reinterpreted. A gorgeous setting, a sommelier up to the task of a picky palate as well as dairy free, alcohol free dishes and drinks that are not a sacrifice in any way. I've eaten at a Michelin star restaurant and it felt like a joke in a sitcom. Not this. Coming back when another big life event warrants the 2.5 hour food journey.

A sublime experience, with each dish exquisitely crafted with distinctive flavors that blend harmoniously to evoke nostalgic memories for days. I'm glad I ordered the “beef noodle soup” wagyu supplement.