The Best Of team always enjoys a bit of elegant wining and dining. To be attended to with proverbial “kid gloves” and catered to with quiet, solemn service by a jacket-clad waiter or waitress has its place.
Most restaurants tend toward the conservative. They go for a smart style in the form of pressed white shirts and black skirts or pants.
Clubs take on a hip but casual approach to costuming their staff. They clothe them in matching T-shirts, neck scarves or bright colors. They provide a sense of coherence to the atmosphere and make the wait staff easily distinguishable when its time to scream, “One more round for my good friends!”
In choosing the best wait staff outfit, however, we demand something with a little imagination, a little boldness and a little entertainment flair. Notice we mentioned nothing about “class.” We want a costume that excites and inspires with its outlandish silliness.
For true costume craziness, we look to Kyiv’s burgeoning theme-bar culture. But a sombrero at a Mexican restaurant does not make for a crazy costume. We want head-to-toes tomfoolery.
There are so many restaurants from which to choose: Kozak Mamai with its Cossack blouses and pantaloons; Shchekavytsya with its outlandish turn-of-the-century peasant garb; Uncle Sam’s star-spangled accessories; Edelweiss’ acres of lederhosen. And then there’s Golden Gate, which may have single-handedly created a shortage of plaid in Kyiv in the making of its uniforms.
But for sheer excess, we look to Eric Aigner and Viola Kim. No, not for the trademark blue overalls at Bierstube. They are readily recognizable, but also “cute” at best.
The duo seems to get more and more outlandish with each new establishment they open. They have outdone themselves with the outfits they’ve created for their Cave restaurant staff.
At The Cave, not only do you dine among stalactites, stalagmites and furniture adorned with prehistoric bones, but you also order your slab of brontosaurus from a waiter or waitress sporting full-length fake furs, dinosaur-bone accessories and even fur booties.
Those fur outfits must be a bit of a burden on warm summer night, but kudos to The Cave wait staff for sacrificing fashion.
The Cave
10A Tarasovska.
Open 11 a.m. to midnight.
Tel: 244-3372.
