Kafe Kafta on Fairmount in the Mile End has been in operation since 1996. Richard Onvryk took it over in 2004. When asked why he decided to start this venture, Richard replied with good humour: “Why not?”
“I like interacting with people,” Richard says. “I like giving food to people. It’s very satisfying to me. We’re open 5 days a week, so I can also have a personal life. It’s a good balance. I’m not in this for the money.”
Having the library and schools nearby provides a natural catchment of customers and since all the meat they provide is halal, Kafe Kafta is listed on Muslim websites for the area. “At the time it started there were no other restaurant nearby. We used to do just sandwiches, now we do sandwich and couscous dishes. The is food is from Algeria and Morocco mainly.”
The warm orange tones, booths, benches, cushions and lamps give a comfortable middle-eastern feel, and the second floor upstairs means they never get too crowded. “We’ve done a lot of renovation since I took over,” he says. “It was my first restaurant so I learned as I went. I do the cooking, I do everything – there isn’t any other staff. I took it day by day.” Richard is modest about the work he has done to maintain the success of the restaurant. “It wasn’t too difficult,” he says, “I could already cook.”
A recommandé sans hésitation, propriétaire extrêmement sympathique et le couscous est au top , le jarret d’agneau est particulièrement excellent.
Merci à vous
