2005-07-04 - Business Examiner – A Taste of Victoria
By: Larry Moore

Cactus Club Makes Global Impression

In 1986 former waiter, Richard Jaffray and a co-worker opened their first restaurant, Café Cucamongas. It specialized in selling cappuccinos, sandwiches and ice cream. Two years later they sold Cucamongas and opened the first Cactus Club Café in North Vancouver. Over the last 16 years, Cactus has grown to 15 locations throughout BC and Alberta and has become a major force in the culinary industry.
Opened November 1st, 2004, the Victoria Cactus Club located at 1123 Douglas Street is bustling and has spared little cost in décor.
The modern, metropolitan look succinctly conjures up the image of a ‘Global Dining Lounge’, complete with a leading edge sunken bar that surrounds plasma TV screens, which cater mostly to sports fans.
The seating is virtually all booths with the exception of the bar area and an outdoor, heated patio. The motif is red leather with dark walnut tables, stitched leather lampshades and carefully positioned pendants providing for ease of menu reading.
The black walls and ceiling are accented with intriguing brickwork and a sprinkling of Aboriginal art. The washrooms are also noteworthy in that they offer leading edge technology including flat screen monitors, strategically positioned.
The restaurant features a coin-operated CD jukebox, which enables the guests to set their own music theme. The options are numerous and it presents and interesting opportunity for additional revenue.
I was seated immediately without reservations and started with a Bellini, which is described as being “Better than Sex”. It included peach schnapps, champagne, Appleton white rum and sangria. It was good but fell a little short in its claim.
I decided on a House Caesar salad and an order of Jack Daniels Ribs. The Caesar was small, but priced at only $5.50. The ribs were slow roasted with J.D. BBW sauce and served with mashed potatoes and green beans. The presentation was good and the meal was enjoyable.
The entrée was served with a heated finger bowl and ample paper napkins. Personally, I would like to have seen linen.
The menu is diverse and indeed, fits nicely into the ‘Global’ context including accents on Asian, Mexican, Italian and North American cuisine. Cactus also claims to use only Certified Angus Beef and Wild Pacific Salmon. There is something in virtually every price range. My dinner came to just over $35 plus tip and I found the service to be very efficient. The crowd tended to be younger, focusing perhaps on the 10 to 35-age market.
Cactus Club posts a neon sign that reads, “House of Yes”, which seems to suggest that the restaurant will go beyond the norm to satisfy its customers. Critical customers take note. Cactus Club is open from 11am until midnight Sunday through Thursday and Friday and Saturday until 1am.