Questions of ‘air flow’ lead city to close restaurant’s pricey domes.
Health inspector says air flow may fall short
The San Francisco restaurant that made headlines for launching $200perperson meals inside geodesic domes received a visit last week from a Department of Public Health officer, who ordered the restaurant to take the domes down.
The restaurant, Japanese fine dining spot Hashiri, erected the domes because serving outdoors didn’t seem feasible given its location in Mint Plaza, located near Fifth and Mission streets where homeless folks often hang out. During the coronavirus pandemic, many San Francisco restaurants are turning to outdoor dining because they can’t operate indoors and many have had a tough time attracting enough takeout business to be financially solvent. Hashiri spent more than $4,000 on the three domes.
After attracting news coverage, Hashiri received hate mail from people who saw the domes as antihomeless. That’s why Hashiri manager Kenichiro Matsuura suspects someone anonymously complained to the Department of Public Health about the domes, resulting in a surprise visit on Thursday.
“It’s good to see other people’s perspectives, but it’s sad to see so many people want to see us fail,” Matsuura said.
Ultimately, the officer ordered Hashiri to remove the domes “due to the enclosed nature of the structure, which may not allow for adequate air flow,” according to the inspection report. The Department of Public Health’s guidelines for outdoor dining during the pan
demic state that outdoor structures like tents need to be open on the sides to allow for air flow. But Matsuura said he believes the domes’ two windows and door provide sufficient ventilation.
Regardless, Hashiri reopened for dinner Friday without the plastic coverings on the domes. But without the coverings, the domes don’t block the wind, cold air or unwanted visitors as originally intended.
“There are people who come by and spit, yell, stick their hands in people’s food, discharging fecal matter right by where people are trying to eat,” Matsuura said. “It’s really sad, and it’s really hard for us to operate around that.”
Matsuura and other Hashiri managers are brainstorming other ways to “enhance safety” for outdoor dining that will also comply with health orders and, ideally, shield diners from inclement weather once summer is over. They plan to visit a garden patio store soon for inspiration.
“As we move into fall and winter, this is going to be the biggest challenge,” Matsuura said. “We’re not sure we’re going to be able to survive.”