Fire up those heat lamps, we’re dining outdoors again. Why restaurants made the move

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Days before shelter-in-place mandates hit in March 2020, a handful of prescient local restaurateurs were shutting down their dining rooms or pivoting to takeout-only service. It’s a little unnerving, then, to see more than 20 do the same amid the omicron variant’s rampant spread.

The situation is different, mind you. We know more about how COVID-19 is transmitted, and vaccines have done tremendous work to limit the virus’ worst effects. It’s a different world for restaurants, too: several wouldn’t have closed but for their thin staff. Some had owners who felt indoor dining would jeopardize their employees’ health amid the rising case numbers; others had a couple staff members fall ill or get exposed and couldn’t function without them.

Look at the Monk’s Cellar Brewery & Public House in downtown Roseville. The Belgian-inspired brewpub had more than 40 employees before the pandemic; now it has 26, general manager Kelly Long said. When a couple of them tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this year, the Monk’s Cellar shut down from Jan. 6 through Jan. 11.

“Rather than expose the rest of the staff to the (virus) and not have the ability to run our staff at full level, we decided the best thing to do for us and the public would be to shut down for a few days until they were better,” Long said. “We’d rather have that happen with the staff (remaining) safe than make a buck.”

For those looking to help local restaurants during this sorta-precedented time, Long recommends people:

Order takeout. Many restaurants are seating less than their max volume not because demand is slow, but because they don’t have the wait staff to handle a crowd. By picking takeout, you’re financially supporting the business without requiring tables to be bussed, silverware to be set and plates to be washed. Long reiterated that those wanting a full dining experience should feel free to dine in if their desired restaurant is offering that service. Just see the next point.

Exercise patience. Short staffs mean servers, cooks and everyone else that makes a restaurant hum is stretched thin. So you might be waiting a minute for your table or your entree; take a deep breath and plan accordingly.

Buy gift cards, if sold. January is a slow month for restaurants even in normal years, and those local businesses appreciate a post-holiday cash influx during the down times. Redeem whenever the omicron wave eventually crashes to feel safer about your support. Some dining districts, such as downtown Sacramento, sell gift cards that can be used across multiple restaurants.

Personally, I’m back to mostly dining outdoors. Like many others, I’m trying to balance healthy choices with COVID-19 fatigue and relative risks vs. the rewards of a social life. I’ll feel better about dining indoors again as hospitals get some breathing room and positivity rates drop. Until then, bring on the heat lamps!

What I’m Eating

Dubplate Kitchen & Jamaican Cuisine brought new flavor to Arden Arcade when it opened at 3419 El Camino Ave. in late 2018. It’s hard to find items like ackee and saltfish (Jamaica’s national dish), calallo (a leafy green stew) and bammy (cassava flatbread) elsewhere around greater Sacramento.

Unfortunately, those iconic dishes weren’t in stock at Dubplate either when I visited right before New Year’s Eve. Curry goat ($15) was, and it was stellar — thoroughly spiced without the meat’s gamey flavor, it slid off the bone easily. Like all Dubplate entrees, it came with pea-studded rice, plantains and boiled cabbage.

There’s a surprising number of mock meat alternatives to traditional dishes, such as vegan oxtails ($14) made with Gardein soy protein. That and similarly plant-based options such as faux fish or curry “chicken” represent admirable steps to modernize comfort foods for 2022 and its range of diets. Unfortunately, the spongy soy protein cubes felt far from oxtails’ stringiness and taste despite the best efforts of an oaky, clove-heavy sauce.

Sides are fun and generally approachable, such as crispy yuca fries ($4.50) served with lime and a tangy barbecue sauce-like dip. Large fritter balls called festival ($1.50 apiece) reminded me of plain funnel cake

Dubplate makes some juices in-house — I went for beet juice with carrot milk ($7 per bottle) and was pleasantly surprised by the kick of cayenne. The six-table dining room is decorated with Bob Marley records, faux stained-glass windows and bamboo fences partially shielding industrial appliances; delivery and catering are also available through Grabull.

Openings and Closings

Avatar Indian Bistro is now open at 8657 Auburn Folsom Rd. in Granite Bay. Look for slight riffs on traditional dishes like pistachio chicken korma or Szechuan-spiced honey garlic salmon tandoori kebabs, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options throughout.

Lemongrass Cafe & Teahouse, an ayurvedic restaurant in rural El Dorado County that analyzed customers’ spiritual composition before serving, is permanently closed, according to a Facebook post. Read more about one of the region’s most unique food concepts in this article from last year.

House of Chicken & Ribs owners Dwight and Kim Barnett retired at the start of the new year, closing their Antelope soul food restaurant after 22 years. The much-loved restaurant in Antelope Market was best known for its fall-off-the-bone ribs, handmade beef links and delightful pies.

Dine well, and consider doing so in downtown or midtown during Dine Downtown this week.