2007-04-27 - Peninsula News Review
By: Patrick Blennerhassett

Location Isn't All Cactus Offers

Situated on the corner of Douglas and Fort streets, the Cactus Club Cafe is putting the real estate industry's mantra to good use.
Location, location, location.
Billed as a global dining lounge and open now for two and a half years, the restaurant is smack in the heart of the downtown business core, attracting workers and shoppers throughout the day. At night, it's a short walk from the downtown clubs. But general manager Adam Kenno said the Cactus Club isn't resting on its laurels.
"I think our food is awesome," he said. "But a lot of people don't realize the great seafood we have and the great fusion dishes we have. We would like people to come down and check out our entr e selections instead of just having a drink and taking off."
This is definitely not something Kenno and his staff are worried about. He wants to let everyone know they're not just a hang-out place, but a top-notch restaurant offering new-age dishes.
Current menu options include grilled fresh salmon with a caper-dijon tartar sauce, a four-mushroom demi-glace steak featuring shitake, portabello, button and crimini mushrooms, plus fresh-grilled salmon with citrus-szechuan sauce and wild rice pilaf. The restaurant also boasts a full bar with a wide variety of drinks - from wines to martinis - which has been especially full since the Vancouver Canucks started their Stanley Cup playoff run.
Kenno says he's seen more patrons since the NHL playoffs began. "But it's been busy all year, it's been crazy all year as well."
One reason people keep coming back to the Cactus Club is because the restaurant prides itself on hiring the right people, Kenno said.
"The mission statement is that every customer leaves happy," he said. "I think that's one of the best mission statements that you can have if you're in the hospitality industry because we like to hire people that we call naturally good people. And you know someone's who's a good person whether or not they have experience or not.
"It's nice for us especially with the location that we have," he continued. "I think we've become an employer of choice for people working in Victoria; so we get to meet a lot of great people who want to work for us."
The Cactus Club Caf is located at 1125 Douglas St. It can be reached at 361- 3233.