VACAVILLE EATERIES OPEN INDOOR DINING
At lunchtime Friday, diners swarmed Buddha Thai Bistro and Rice Barn Thai Eatery and Bar in Vacaville.
Happy chatter abounded both inside and out, making owner Andy Poomsan smile.
He’s all about making clients feel like family and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent relaxation on indoor dining, allowing 25 per
cent capacity has apparently helped with that.
“We’re all about hospitality,” he emphasized. “You’re home when you’re here.”
The initial closure months ago due to COVID-19 was tough, he said, adding that he believes he lost about 20 percent of his business. But then he switched to takeout, offering specials and, later, delivery and online ordering.
It was hard for the kitchen crew because everything had
to be specially packaged, he pointed out. As well, he had to create dishes that would travel well.
“It’s all fresh,” said Poomsan of his ingredients. “I (didn’t) want to sell it to go.”
But the specials proved popular, as did outdoor dining when it was approved by the governor.
Poomsan quickly expanded outdoor seating at Buddha Thai (www. facebook.com/ buddhathaivacaville/) and Rice Barn
(www.facebook.com/andyricebarn), trained staff in evolving public health guidelines, posted mask requirements and the use of hand sanitizer and ensured everything fell in line with county, state and national requirements.
Customers, apparently, were satisfied.
“They love outdoor (dining) and appreciate that we’re open,” he said.
Within the next week, with indoor dining in mind, he plans to have a new menu out with fresh, creative dishes he’s more than excited to prepare.
“It’s been a long time,” he said. “I have all these ideas in my head.”
He also hopes to hire more staff, so stop by the
Browns Valley Road location (near Roundtable Pizza) if you’re interested.
Meanwhile across town, the folks at Hank & Hazel’s Really Good Sausages at Merchant and Stevenson Streets are also busy planning pandemic-friendly activities.
Currently it’s all about Oktoberfest with upbeat themed music, pretzel buns, a variety of baked goods and, of course, the awesome sausages. There’s also six
kinds of Oktoberfest beer, so you can grab a cold one, some food and eat them out on the patio.
That outdoor seating, said Sarah Harper, who owns the business with hubby Andy, has come in handy.
They opened during the pandemic and managed to stay open, in part, because they didn’t have to worry about indoor seating protocols.
“The secret is just that we’ve been quick to pivot,” she explained. “We quickly did takeout and curbside pickup.”
They also made quick decisions regarding public health guidelines, whose continuous changes could give someone whiplash.
“What helped was we had no processes in place,” Harper said, so, being new in this instance was a good thing.
Business has been brisk, with creative touches like customer- made specials (which she plans to continue) and spur- of-the-moment dishes such as the popular peach slaw made
from Brazelton peaches.
T he Bra zelton family gifted Hank & Hazel’s with the produce. After the LNU Lightning Complex Fire made it impossible for the Brazeltons to sell on their Pleasants Valley Road property, Sarah and Andy stepped in and offered their patio on Sundays. This coming Sunday is expected to
be the last Peach Day.
Thinking ahead, Sarah ment ione d up c om i n g screenings of Ag & Art Film Festival movies on their patio (see www.facebook.com/ hankandhazels), proceeds of which will benefit farmers impacted by the fire; a Halloween coloring contest; dine and donate events for schools.
More activities are being worked out.
“How fun would it be to close down the parking lot and show a movie on that?” she said, pointing to a nearby structure’s whitewashed wall. She spoke about food trucks, lawn chairs, families.
The business and its people are about community, she advised, about bringing people together.
“It’s nice,” she said, of how everything is slowly but surely coming together. “It just puts a smile on your face.”