WERE YOU BORN IN A TENT

Wednesday 16 October 2013

K & R EXOTIC THAI

Port Villa

Visited: 23rd September 2013

Design: One of the problems I have found with Vanuatu is that many of the buildings have no doors, walls, windows or in this case the right signage. K & R Exotic Thai has taken over The Lookout restaurant & bar a month ago and are still using their signage. ISLAND TIME!

Aesthetically you can not get much better than than this. Approaching this entrance I felt like I was on the set of The Bachelor or Beauty and the Geek and someone was about to be eliminated. The "door" in this instance I guess, would have to be the gate. Modern, contemporary and simple in symmetry. Horizontal slatted wood, would give the passer-by a glimpse inside when closed. Yet open, these panels guide the eye to the tropical wonder behind. The soft lighting and rich dark browns of the timber entice you in, down the pebble path and soft green lawns to tropical paradise behind. With decking, vases of island flowers, thatched roofs and a beautifully lit skeleton of a once thriving tree for dramatic effect. You are taken to a magical place where the lack of doors, walls and windows are no longer important. I found this fascinating that even though there was no door, the structure of the building created the concept of a door. It was strange because, the absence of the door was more beautiful and pleasing than if a door had been there. Sometimes empty space can surpass the greatest craftsmanship. LESS IS MORE.

Door resistance: 0

Closure mechanism: Manual

Draft: Maximum

Squeak level: 0

Change return time: 1.15 sec

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PROFESSIONAL DOOR REVIEWER

Searching the world for the perfect door to eat behind.

First impressions are always important, especially for a restaurant or cafe. So many people are focusing on the food these days that I felt there was a hole in the reviews world. No one was looking at the most important thing, THE DOOR! Everyone complains when it is left open, death stares are exchange when the unsuspecting group of friends having a fun night enter the premises from the cold only to walk straight in and go straight to their table totally oblivious they have left the door wide open to allow an arctic strength gale force wind to cut through the previously warm interior. Like a scene from a western film where everyone in the premises stops what they are doing and cuts down the new comers with a deathly stare. Occasionally you will get the confident diner who gets up, walks across the restaurant and closes the door with a BANG! Just to let the new comers know they have done wrong and to NEVER, EVER DO IT AGAIN!!!!! This individual makes their way back to the table staring at the newcomers, just to make sure they got the message. The only problem is, is that 5 minutes later another group come in and do the same thing and he/she feels obliged to continually do this for the rest of the night.

Well hopefully this blog puts a light on the owners of these establishments and encourages them to lift their game and create doors that allow diners to sit and enjoy their meal, to give the diner an experience before they enter the building. It is also a thank you to the makers of quality doors who care about craftsmanship.

I have developed a scoring system based on,

DESIGN:

This is assessed by the materials the door is made from, whether the door is themed, cluttered or minimal and whether there is an element of surprise or not.

DOOR RESISTANCE: 1 to 5

1 = light push

5 = heavy push

CLOSURE MECHANISM: Manual, automatic or

hydraulic arm

DRAFT: Minimal, medium or high

SQUEAK LEVEL: 0 up to 5

0 = No squeak

5 = Ear piercing

Then the last assessment is the,

CHANGE RETURN TIME:

This is the amount of time it takes to get my change once I have given the waiter the money for the bill. Last impressions are always just as important as first.