Today we’d like to introduce you to Aleksandra and Nenad Kuraica.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Aleksandra and Nenad. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My husband and I, both from Serbia have opened this little restaurant 11 years ago. Away from home, missing rich social life, typically Europeans, we came up with an idea of having a place where locals can come, hang out, work, meet and talk to each other and feel comfortable and relax. At the same time, we built up a strong relationship with our staff members who we didn’t change since the beginning. We take care of each other like a family and this success is a result of that bond and hard teamwork.
Customers are our number one priority. We try to memorize their names, their orders and that kind of attention creates even more firm and warm personal connections. We laugh, share stories, help each other. That’s why going to work for me is a pure joy.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We opened in 2008 when economy was not so well. It took us a year to build up the place and pass all inspections and in the meantime, we had to pay a rent. Besides financial struggles, we hat to earn the trust of the neighborhood. We worked so hard, 12-13 hours a day for first a couple of years. After closing time, I had to clean up the place, machines, dishes and than go back home to take care of my family. Physically, I was exhausted, but on the other hand very excited about our new place.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Kafe K – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Consistency is a key in any business and keeps you on the market. In a restaurant business it refers to the service, the freshness of the products and ingredients, cleanliness of the space and ambiance. We are proud that we kept that consistency for all these years. If you’ve tried some dish at our place 11 years ago, you’ll get the same one, same tasting, same quality. It doesn’t mean that we don’t evolve or make any changes, we just don’t want to go below the standard we set up.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We have to adapt according to the current situation and somehow, it works for us.With outdoor seating policy, we got even more seats. We are planning to build up a deck with a nice patio and extend the hours. Besides breakfast and lunch, we are offering to our customers dinners on Fridays and Saturdays with a live music. It’s tapas style of food with great selection of wine and beer. We are working to open for dinner on three additional nights. Hopefully, soon.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2209 Main St.#B
Santa Monica, CA 90405 - Website: www.kafekcalifornia.com
- Phone: 310-399-6369
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Kafekcalifornia
Image Credit:
Aleksandra Kuraica
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