We have been isolated in this ongoing pandemic for nearly a year now. With strict social distancing regulations on any social events or gatherings, it is hard for people to attend public gatherings in places, such as restaurants.
Small businesses have shut down due to these extreme social gathering restrictions. Although it may have affected small businesses negatively, it has also opened new opportunities for them. In hopes of keeping their businesses stable, restaurant owners have come up with creative ideas in order to provide customers a safe environment dining.
In recent months, many businesses have created the option of dining outdoors through space bubbles; Space bubbles allow a limited number of customers to dine together while following all pandemic regulations.
When asked about this new way of outdoor dining, some felt positive while others felt negative. One specific individual whom I interviewed had a very positive outlook towards the idea.
“Yes, I have visited outdoor dining while following all the pandemic rules and regulations. The few times I gathered with my friends, I went to a cafe called Cafe Du Soleil. It is located in the Broadway of Manhattan and is currently best known for its special creation of space bubbles. With having a beautiful view of the upper west side skyline, individuals get the opportunity to dine inside a space bubble in which 2-3 people are allowed. This is the best way for a gathering as it offers safety as well as an opportunity to socialize with friends,” said Tahia Godhuli.
Recently, outdoor dining has gained popularity as the opening of space bubbles has been shared on multiple social media platforms, however there are downsides such as the weather in New York currently. Due to it being extremely cold outside, sitting outside is not the best option for individuals; it might be harder to visit outdoor dining due to the weather.
A great outdoor dining place is the Thep Thai restaurant. This restaurant is not your ordinary outdoor dining place as they provide space bubbles. Instead of serving food outside, they installed their own shed where the waiters can come to you when a button is pressed by the customer. The sheds are really beautiful at night with lights hanging and a great view of the outside. Not only are the outdoor seating very beautiful, the food also lives up to the expectation. Some of the food they have are Pad See Eiw Noodles, Basil fried rice, and green curry.
Another restaurant is Cafe Du Soleil, which has taken outdoor dining to the next level with igloo-shaped space bubbles with built in heaters outside. Even with the cold weather in New York you will still have a warm and cozy meal. Some of the amazing food they served were Escargots de Bourgogne and Avocat Farci au Crabe et Crevettes. Diners are provided a separate bubble in which many safety items such as masks, hand sanitizer, and gloves.
Due to the struggle that people have been facing, it’s necessary for people to begin to retain some sort of normalcy. Outdoor dining is an option in which we can follow safety regulations while also having fun. This new idea of outdoor dining has changed the way people outlook this pandemic as it allowed us a way to unite during this extremely difficult time.