As we are coming towards our six-month mark at CAVO, we wanted to stop for a moment, pour a glass of wine and look back on how it all began, what we have learned along the way and what is coming next.
Why we opened CAVO
We opened CAVO with one idea: a place we would want to spend our own night. An Italian bistro that feels like home.
The mission of CAVO has always been to create a family. We wanted an intimate setting that takes you back to the streets of Italy, with home-cooked, no-fuss meals made from the best and freshest quality ingredients, exactly how Nonna would make them in Italy.
Opening week: beautiful chaos
Opening week was chaos. In the space of three days we ran a mock service for friends and family, threw a canapé-style opening party for the people we had met along the way, and then opened our doors for our first official night.
Coordinating stock, training a brand-new team and making our first impression in a place we had not lived in for very long was quite the challenge. All in all, it was a success, and we will never forget those first few nights.
Our favourite moments so far
There have been so many. Friends and family from back home flying over to show their support and see what we have created. The regulars who have now become family. And all the new and interesting people we meet day in and day out. Those are our highlights, every single week.
The biggest lesson: slow down
The biggest lesson for us has been learning to slow down. Issues happen and supply chains get disrupted, but it is all part of life and business here in Bali. We have learned to roll with it, keep smiling and keep the pasta coming.
What has changed since day one
We have made a few changes since opening, all of them shaped by you. Our menu has been refined to serve the food that people want and ask for. We created our weekly rituals to give back to our guests and create something to look forward to every night of the week.
Vinyl & Vino was born from our love of music, especially the art of vinyl DJing. It is our way of creating a night for guests to enjoy: every Friday from 7:30 PM, with happy hour from 10 PM to midnight.
The dishes you love most
Our two favourite dishes also happen to be the two that people rave about. So many of our reviews, and so many of the conversations we overhear across the tables, come back to these two:
- Spicy vodka paccheri, our fresh pasta in a rich, gently spicy vodka sauce.
- Crudo e burrata pizza, our oval Roman-style pizza topped with prosciutto crudo and creamy burrata.
And let’s not forget Nonna’s tiramisu. This is the dish that brings people back on its own.
Thank you to our team
We would like to thank our whole team. Our restaurant manager and our chef have been with us from day one, and without them CAVO would not exist. Their hard work and determination to make CAVO the venue we dreamed of is a big part of the reason we are who we are today.
To the rest of our staff, from those who have been here since opening to everyone who has joined us along the way: you play a vital role in everything we do. Grazie.
What’s next for CAVO
We are always looking to improve, and always looking for new ways to make CAVO feel like home. The next six months have a lot in store. We are refining the menu once more, keeping the crowd favourites and adding more of the dishes you ask for, along with dishes from our own Italian roots.
We will also be hosting Christmas and New Year events. Being away from our own family over the holidays, we are working on something special to bring people together around the table. Stay tuned on Instagram for details.
To our CAVO family
To everyone who has stepped inside our door: for every dish ordered, every cocktail made and every glass of wine poured, thank you. Each and every one of you has helped make CAVO the space it is today.
To our regulars, our day-oners and now our family: thank you so much for your support in our first six months. It does not go unnoticed. We are so happy we got to meet you, and even happier to call you part of our family.
Here’s to the next six months. Ci vediamo a tavola. See you at the table.
Mitch & Judith
