Wanting to break into the dine-in market while retaining the core take-away sales, our client decided to engage an interior designer for front of house finishes and furniture selection and use their previous commercial kitchen designer for all back of house design and equipment specification.

After speaking with CAB ROTO, the client decided to keep all design work under one roof, including BA and health approval drawings, and engaging associated consultants.

This enabled the kitchen / bar / restaurant balancing act to happen without the unnecessary complication of communication of ideas between design houses.

Located on Duporth Avenue, around the corner from the newly gentrified Ocean St, the interior needed to open out onto the footpath, offering passers by the sights and smells of the restaurant as they migrated to night markets and busy bars.

The aim was to create an 'on trend' interior space that invited the young and older crowds alike to taste his specially designed char grill menu, while capturing the warm, earthy, rustic charm of the Rajasthan province.

CAB ROTO was responsible for selecting furnishings, designing hand painted motifs and signage, designing handcrafted furniture, and designing and manufacturing joinery using a combination of reclaimed, new and imported hand carved timbers.

A modern take on the traditional 'Mandap' completed with tent-like fabric panels, beaded curtain partitions and timber panelling was fabricated and installed by CAB ROTO to create a 'Chokhi Dhani' (ground level seated) dining area.

Due to a looming deadline and supplier shortages, unorthodox methods were used to achieve an authentic feel to the lighting. Bespoke fittings were crafted by CAB ROTO using modified lanterns and found and reclaimed items.

While offering significant financial savings, a client managed project, no matter how savvy the client, can be easily derailed when trades aren't given clear instruction and important decisions are made 'on the fly'.

Detailed documentation allowed independent contractors and artisans to work from drawings lessening the 'on site' instruction required.

Photos: Dane Falkstrom