You know the age old stories in romcoms and life? You meet the perfect guy when you’re both in rebound mode, might have worked out but the timing was wrong. Maybe you circle back a year later and the timing is right, or not, maybe he’s married with a kid on the way, or in prison after a Ponzi scheme gone wrong.

Possibly it all works out and you end up together and you think you’re blissfully happy even though he’s a useless layabout and you’re killing yourself working two jobs.

Maybe, just maybe, you catch the train, or miss it, and then you find your boyfriend cheating, or not, and then lots of other stuff happens in the meantime, and then you die, or you don’t. That’s the plot for ‘Sliding Doors’, but the point still stands. Timing can make or break things. Timing can also make or muddle a meal.

The timing of food at a restaurant is so important, or more specifically, the timing in which the food arrives at the table. If you don’t have the right flow, it can feel like the meal is broken into stilted awkward phases.

And so me find ourselves at Bistro Kai on a Thursday night to celebrate my sister’s birthday. It is beautifully appointed, my favourite wall art being a seal bobbing about in a pickle jar, and it is buzzing. The vibe is electric, thought the acoustics could use a bit of work if you want to be able to hear your neighbour.

My dad is running late, his timing is also off, and so we order the fries with nori seasoning, which are beautifully cooked and make your mouth water with umami. This tides us over until his arrival and the chips are quickly dispatched.

When he arrives we order further, but the menu is slightly confusing. Separated into ‘snacks’, ‘mains’ and ‘to finish’. Are there sides? When do the snacks come? No one knows! I guess we should specify but we order in one go and then hope that they know best.

The ordering is done and so we wait. First to arrive is the Fried Brussel Sprouts | Balsamic | Herbs, which  are easily the most delicious Brussel sprouts I have eaten. A bit sweet, a bit salty, a bit crispy around the edges, packed full of flavour. We make short work of them and they are soon gone.

Next up the Koshihikari Risotto | Pickled Olive | Mushroom, and then after a pause,  the Cacio e Pepe with egg yolk, is creamy and rich, I get that it’s a twist on the original, and that’s fine, but I want it to be generally more cheesy and peppery.

Another wait follows, then half a duck lands. It’s is perfectly cooked, slightly pink on the inside and bathing in sauce. What do we do with the sauce? We have no rice, no sides, the pasta and risotto is long gone. I turn to my sister ‘do you know what this needs? Chips and Brussel sprouts’. She agrees.

The duck is divided and eaten, and then a while later the Wagyu Shortrib | Sauce | Mustard | Radicchio lands. I turn to my sister again ‘‘do you know what this needs? Chips and Brussel sprouts’. She agrees, again.

My dad who doesn’t eat meat is now sitting there watching us gnaw down on short-rib, because all the vegetarian options we have ordered have come and gone, and this is now the last dish. The food is delicious, I just wish it was timed differently, or possibly it required the practice of managing expectations. Maybe turn the snacks into sides?

They brought a lovely little ice cream scoop with balsamic to finish, an appreciated little gift for my sister’s birthday, and the staff had great vibes even if the timing was confusing.

Then it is time to go. Maybe we get the train. Maybe we miss it.  But whichever timeline I end up on, I’m not going to forget those perfect brussell sprouts any time soon.

Bistro Kai – 316 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067 – https://www.kaiandmore.com.au/