Diners who enjoy eating out rejoiced when Phase Two of our state’s reopening plan allowed restaurants to resume onsite dining. But some owners are saying “not just yet.”
We checked in on a few of Cary’s popular locally owned eateries to see how things are going.
Tom Havrish, chef/owner of Lugano Ristorante at Preston Walk and Academy Street Bistro downtown, restarted dine-in service at both of his eateries on May 26.
“People are slowly starting to come back in and test the waters, which is completely understandable,” said Havrish by phone. “We’re doing everything within our power to ensure that our guests and our staff are protected moving forward.”
One way Havrish established safe practices came through participating in the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association’s “Count On Me NC” public health initiative.
“What it boils down to is what you touch, when you touch it and how you touch it and putting systems in place so everything is properly sanitized,” he explained.
Havrish says patio seating at Academy Street Bistro offers diners an additional option concerning where they sit, giving them added peace of mind.
Challenges Havrish has encountered include accessing certain food items and getting enough staff to return to work.
“We have condensed the menu at both restaurants, mainly because certain proteins are becoming harder to get due to shortages and price increases,” he said.
“As for staff, getting them back and keeping them motivated is tough since business will be slower for a while, and tips won’t be as good as what they made before.”
All things considered, Havrish chooses to embrace a glass-half-full perspective.
“It’s good to be back, even in the reduced capacity,” he said. “We want to offer the staff and the people in the community a small slice of normalcy.”
The Ahi Tower is a favorite at Yuri Japanese Restaurant.
Over at Yuri Japanese Restaurant, located in Shoppes at Kildaire, proprietor Thomas Sun provided a candid update on the state of his business.
“We closed completely in mid-March and then reopened on May 13 for carryout at lunch and dinner,” Sun said on a mid-afternoon call from the restaurant. “The (pandemic) situation is still difficult, so we are waiting a while longer to reopen the dining room.”
Sun says Yuri accessed a use-it-or-lose-it type loan from the government. His landlord also gave him a deferral on his rent payment.
“Sooner or later, though, the rent is due,” he said. “The last few months have been really hurtful to our industry.”
As for the future, Sun is guardedly optimistic.
“We are hanging in there, and I’m hopeful we can survive this,” he said. “It’s going to take a long time to recover.”
In the meantime, whenever you go to Yuri, be sure to order the incomparable Ahi Tower with tuna, crab, avocado, spicy mayo and three types of caviar. You won’t regret it.
