Have no doubt, Caia is cool. Certainly if you’re young and trendy, but even your mid-40s reviewer could appreciate its zeitgeist. Maybe it’s the perfect 2020s venue; a mix of cocktail bar, restaurant and music lounge cum nightclub. While it was hard to fault the atmosphere, this is not a place that lends itself naturally to dining. Food is just part of the experience. A future visit would likely see your reviewer having a pre-dinner drink here and then moving on elsewhere to dine, perhaps even to next door Maramia.
Golborne Road, with the Trellick Tower looming ominously at one end, is fast gentrifying with estate agents and indeed the restaurant’s own website describing it somewhat generously as Notting Hill. Correspondingly, new venues are opening apace. The Caia team has extensive experience in the restaurant trade, much of it local. Our server told us he had cut his teeth at the now sadly-shut Marianne. The word seems to have spread what Caia is up to, since the venue was packed when we arrived on a recent Friday night.
Upstairs guests confront a bar on the left and some tables which looked uncomfortably small for dining on the opposite side of a quite narrow corridor. We were originally steered towards one of these. Fortunately, when we asked if other options were available, we were led downstairs. Here, there is a more grown-up atmosphere (and perhaps a slightly older crowd of guests). The tables are larger and diners can watch the DJs selecting their vinyl from the stacks displayed on the wall. Although seated with a great view, we did not feel totally relaxed in the knowledge that the clock was ticking. The restaurant stops serving food at 10. Presumably not so long after, the vibe becomes more akin to a nightclub.
The culinary angle at Caia is modern European, churning out a range of dishes all aimed for sharing across the table. It’s a lovely and convivial concept, but beware, costs can quickly escalate. Pricing also seemed somewhat inconsistent at Caia, with dishes in the main section of the menu ranging from £8-34. Our server also seemed keen that, if anything, we over-order – obviously very helpful for Caia’s margins. We grazed quite comfortably across the menu, which offers a decent range suitable both for omnivores and vegetarians. Everything we consumed was executed very competently, even if nothing totally wowed. Arguably the best dish was the smallest: just four pieces of daintily presented crispy chicken skin topped with preserved lemon and a nori emulsion. At £1 for each postage stamp sized piece, this was hardly cheap, even if very tasty. Charred hispi with a harissa sauce also stood out as a notable winner. The wine list pleased too, especially in its originality, although there were few clear bargains here either. Next time, your reviewer will most likely keep it simple and come to Caia just for a Negroni and, if feeling indulgent, also those chicken skins.