Well-known barista and cafe owner Dragan Sestic and his family have been excited to bring Balkan cuisine to Morningside through Kasina, a cafe by day and restaurant by night. But only a day after the restaurant opened, the Sestics had to close again because of the Covid-19 lockdown.
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Kasina, which has space to seat about 65 people, faces a whole new challenge as an impact of the pandemic. They can only accept a limited number of guests at the moment due to Covid-19 restrictions. To keep the business afloat, they quickly pivoted to takeaway.
The Sestics, who are veterans in the hospitality business being the owners of Brisbane’s popular artisan coffee roastery Dramanti, were hesitant to try takeaways at first. But despite the fact that the restaurant isn’t familiar to locals, they received an enormous interest in takeaway and delivery. Now, they are overwhelmed with the positive response they have been receiving from the community.
“Our amazing supporters have expressed a strong desire for takeout / pickup, so we have heeded their request! We will also provide delivery services to all surrounding suburbs. So…let us try once more to open this kitchen,” Kasina shared in a Facebook post.
“Just tried for the first time and the food was amazing, delivery service friendly. Will be going plenty of times for sure. Highly recommend!” said one customer.
Housed in the former location of Nobunaga Japanese restaurant along Wynnum Road, Kasina specialises in Balkan food, particularly dishes from Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia. Some of the food on offer include cevapi –grilled Serbian sausages served with lepinja bread (Serbian flatbread), kajmak (cheese-like cream), and onion; sarma or stuffed cabbage leaves with beef and rice; and cured meats and cheese. As for drinks, guests can expect Turkish coffee alongside their signature blend.
If not for the restrictions, Kasina would have offered acoustic Balkan music on Saturday nights as guests feast on Balkan-inspired dishes. They also planned to offer a range of wines and beers, including rajika, a fruit brandy made from the distillation of fermented fruit that is popular in the Balkans.
But for now, they put more focus on takeaway. Kasina does not want to compromise the quality of their food, so they had to reduce the menu offering to items that they believe are suitable for delivery. They are open for online pickup or delivery from Wednesday to Sunday. Those who are planning to visit Kasina are encouraged to book online. For further information about booking and pickup/delivery service, visit Kasina’s website or follow them on Facebook.
