Rhea Vrana, left, the new owner of the Cavort, and Jennifer Kakert attend a celebration on Friday, Feb, 2, at the restaurant in downtown Davenport. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
The Cavort restaurant in downtown Davenport has been called a “hidden gem” that offers great food and a unique experience for its dining customers. Its new owner hopes the restaurant will soon become less hidden and much better known in the community. “We are still a hidden gem for a lot of people. … We’re […]
The Cavort restaurant in downtown Davenport has been called a “hidden gem” that offers great food and a unique experience for its dining customers.Its new owner hopes the restaurant will soon become less hidden and much better known in the community.
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A ribbon-cutting ceremony is held Friday, Feb. 2, at the Cavort in downtown Davenport. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Rhea Vrana, right, the new owner of the Cavort, visits with members of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce at the downtown Davenport restaurant. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Here is a look inside the Cavort restaurant. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Rhea Vrana, right, the new owner of the Cavort, and Jennifer Kakert attend a celebration on Friday, Feb, 2, at the restaurant in downtown Davenport. CREDIT DAVE THOMPSON
Cavort is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 10 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. It is closed on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. The phone number is (563) 396-3633.
“We are still a hidden gem for a lot of people. … We’re a destination location with 14 tables and room for 60 guests,” said Rhea Vrana, the new owner of the Cavort at 229 Brady St., Suite 102, which is on the first floor of the Union Arcade building in Davenport. (Ms. Vrana also holds the titles of founder and executive chef at the restaurant.)Ms. Vrana and her five restaurant employees took centerstage on Friday afternoon, Feb. 2, during a Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony for the business. The ceremony was held because the restaurant recently became a member of the chamber and to honor Cavort’s third-year anniversary in business.In addition to its anniversary, Ms. Vrana told chamber members at Friday’s event that the restaurant is also going through a relaunching period with the interior going through a redesign. “The finishing touches on the place will be done after we close tonight,” she said.About 40 chamber members, business community and city officials got a look at the updated restaurant on Friday and said they liked what they saw.Davenport Mayor Mike Matson said he is a big fan of the restaurant, having dined at Cavort in the past.“It’s a wonderful place. … This is certainly one of the attention-getters in downtown,” said Mr. Matson during Friday’s ceremony.Some of the restaurant features grabbing all the attention include:
In addition to the regular dining tables, Cavort features somewhat private dining booths – called Cabana Booths – that offer a customized dining experience for the customer. The “date night” Cabana package includes a bottle of Champagne on ice, an appetizer, two salads, two entrees and a dessert during a 90-minute time.
Cavort is called a “midwestern approach to Pacific Rim fusion with cocktails inspired by the tropics,” according to its Facebook page. Some of the main items on its menu include chicken piccata, crying tiger, New York strip, baked shrimp tortellini, crispy duck wontons, sticky crab rangoons and the boardwalk burger.
Cavort has also featured a variety of specials. One recent special night was the "Friday Night Flight and Flatbreads'' that included drinks, such as Tiki Flight, Blue Hawaii, Ube Nights and Painkillers.
The restaurant is filled with a variety of unique decoration features. They included very colorful wallpaper, and a large mirror with a pink neon light that states “You’re like really pretty.”
The restaurant has been gaining a fan base for the past few years. The business opened in 2021, which was still the pandemic era, Ms. Vrana reminded the crowd on Friday.“Opening in the pandemic was really wild. …. I can’t wait for us to grow this year,” she added.After Friday’s celebration, Ms. Vrana posted this on Facebook about the restaurant’s first three years in business: “Opening anything during a pandemic is risky, opening a restaurant during a pandemic is insane. To have that restaurant celebrate its three-year anniversary, unreal! In those three years we learned what worked, and what didn’t. We learned to make the most of our space, and location. We had the highest highs and lowest of lows.”During Friday’s celebration, the crowd was concentrating on all the high points of the business and the many great meals it will serve in the coming days.Jennifer Kakert, who is a business partner with Ms. Vrana, said she is proud of the steps her partner has taken to improve the restaurant.“She has turned this place into a destination with great food. … She has turned it into a magical place,” Ms.Kakert added after Friday’s celebration.After the ceremony, Ms. Vrana also went on Facebook and thanked the customers who have helped keep the restaurant in business the past three years.“Our business thus far has been 100% word of mouth and we absolutely couldn’t do it without you. We will continue to iron out kinks, listening to feedback, and striving to bring the Quad City diners a unique and quality experience,” she said.Cavort is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 10 p.m.; and Fridays and Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. It is closed on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. The phone number is (563) 396-3633.
