Dine In: NanaimoNewsNOW samples new restaurant normal

Spencer Sterritt (Gina’s Mexican Cafe)

A restaurant like Gina’s has always been packed when I’ve eaten there before, making it all the more unnerving to see it essentially empty. Each room held only a few spaced out tables, each seating four.

There was still the same music playing, the same great view, the same amazing food but it was profoundly different in a curious way.

When we arrived for a 5:30 p.m. reservation, we were told to wait in the car while staff prepared our table. The wait wasn’t long at all, only a few moments and was actually reassuring. We’d much rather wait in our car and observe physical distancing than lining up outside or trying to make room in the entrance to the restaurant.

Once inside, we were greeted by a large bottle of heavy duty sanitizer to be used entering and exiting.

All three of the servers who waited on our table kept their distance when dropping off our meals, checking in and then paying the bill.

The servers we chatted with at the table said business in the last two days was slow but steady. They mentioned Friday and Saturday would be bigger nights where social distancing efforts would be put to the test.

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Ian Holmes (Piper’s Pub)

I checked out day two of the pub’s re-start with my girlfriend and two-and-a half year-old daughter.

Upon walking in for dinner a sign invites customers to pick their own spaced out table, which was marked with a ‘sanitized’ paper label. A maximum of six people per table is permitted at the pub.

There were a half dozen hand sanitizer stations for customers scattered throughout the pub.

Our high-chair request was denied for sanitary reasons.

Our server explained the dining experience would be different and to expect minor delays, specifically since staff needed to regularly clean their hands after touching pretty much anything (plates, glasses, common surfaces).

After delivering food and drinks, our two servers promptly backed up, maintaining a safe distance while communicating. It was a much different feel than pre-pandemic dialogues with restaurant staff, but the adjustment was appreciated.

Customers were encouraged to use single-use condiments, although ketchup bottles and salt/pepper shakers would be granted upon request, which were wiped down before and after they landed on a new table.

I noticed fellow diners and staff made concerted efforts to give extra room between one another while walking around.

Following dinner, I snuck in a brief chat with head bartender Nick Avender. He said a rigorous 14-hour sanitation scrub of the pub was done prior to their re-opening. He said added cleaning protocols during on and off business hours were implemented.

While it was an altered dining experience, it was enjoyable. The environment was safe and I’m sure like all local restaurants will be refined in the days and weeks ahead.

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Alex Rawnsley (Longwood Brew Pub and Restaurant)

Immediately noticable was the spacing of tables, with approximately every second cluster removed. Longwood’s upstairs restaurant had around eleven tables inside and another four on the patio. A sign by the front door said their occupancy limit was 61 people in total with 45 inside and 16 outside.

I went with my wife and our 19 month old son and we asked for a high chair, which was granted.

We would usually put it on the end of the table however our server politely requested we replace one of the four chairs with it to allow her easier access to the table. This procedure may cause issues for a family of five, particularly if there are no larger tables available.

The biggest difference came in the ordering and delivery of food and drinks. The menus were single use paper versions and our server maintained her distance whenever possible. She placed all dishes and drinks at the closest possible point to her on the table and then it was up to us to pass it to the right person. This avoided stepping in between or reaching over us.

There was also a distinct but not overwhelming smell of cleaning products and one staff member was wiping down touch points in the restaurant as we walked in. There was also a hand sanitizing station located by a point of sale system that was regularly used by staff members.

Gone also were the table salt and pepper shakers, condiments and extra napkins. These were all replaced with a dish of single use packages which were given to us with our meal.

I’m not sure whether it’s a new addition or not, but Longwood’s had a ‘StepnPull’ installed on the inside bathroom door which allowed you to open it with your shoe and exit the bathroom without touching the handle.

What was the same?

Spencer Sterritt (Gina’s Mexican Cafe)

All the welcome features of Gina’s, such as great service and music you can bop your shoulders to while eating, were in fine form during our meal.

Payment with the debit machine wasn’t contactless, but the machine had Saran Wrap taped to the screen and it had clearly just been sanitized.

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Ian Holmes (Piper’s Pub)

While my first in-restaurant COVID-19 dining experience was different, I was surprised to see many things were the same. The menu didn’t change, while the overall vibe wasn’t noticeably different from prior visits.

The servers were courteous and attentive, who clearly had a lot on their minds with a fairly busy dinner-hour rush and more things to think about to keep everybody safe.

Debit machines were being used, which were constantly being wiped down.

I had this assumption the environment would be somewhat timid, as if people venturing to places closed just days earlier were making an unnecessary risk. But it was clear customers wanted to be there, with body language conveying little to no concerns about dining out.

The outdoor patio had a few different groups having celebratory drinks, while numerous TV’s pumped out sports bloopers and re-runs of old games.

The cook’s bell reverberated throughout the evening, sending servers back and forth. It was by no means the same in-restaurant experience as before, but we’ll get used to it, because there’s no other choice.

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Alex Rawnsley (Longwood Brew Pub and Restaurant)

The atmosphere and experience for us was largely the same. We enjoyed a good meal at a clean restaurant. You still heard the noise of glasses clinking behind the bar, background music from speakers and people chatting.

Both my wife and I found the extra space to be a benefit, as we didn’t feel like we were bothering the neighbouring table when our son started talking loudly, or when we had to get up.

Payment was unchanged with a paper bill being delivered by the server along with a debit machine. It wasn’t contactless as I was still asked to enter a tip and select my payment method on the machine, however the machine itself was obviously cleaned right before I used it.

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by NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Dine In: NanaimoNewsNOW samples new restaurant normal

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