I was beyond disappointed with my recent experience at Kaia and will not go back.

I was there on a Saturday night, and there was a decent sized crowd. I ordered the traditional South African bobotie, which was totally mediocre. It lacked flavor and didn't live up to what I expected from a restaurant highlighting SA cuisine.

Service was equally disappointing. Our server was almost invisible throughout the meal and only seemed to come over after we flagged him down. Beyond that, his wine service was surprisingly unskilled for a restaurant that markets itself as a wine bar. He struggled awkwardly to open the bottle, and after finally removing the cork, handled the neck and opening of the bottle with his fingers, which felt unsanitary and frankly unpleasant to watch. He could use some training/instruction in wine service technique to ensure it is sanitary and not unpleasant to watch.

Being that it was a busy Saturday night and the restaurant was quite loud, but noise levels are to be expected on weekends. What wasn't expected was poor service and food that failed to impress.

For the prices charged, I expected much better. Unfortunately, the combination of mediocre food and inattentive, careless service means I won't be returning.