How to Navigate Restaurants in the Age of Covid-19

So...been to any good restaurants lately?

While the full magnitude of the Covid-19 pandemic's toll on restaurants, the economy and our very way of life remain unclear, there's no question that it's already been quite devastating. As of this writing, dozens of area restaurants have permanently shuttered and nearly 6% of Ohioans afflicted with the virus have died. Most of the civilized world has been on lockdown for the better part of three months, with some states tentatively reopening businesses in the hope that the resulting spikes in new cases won't overwhelm the health care system.

Covid-19 is the latest, newest normal in a litany of "new normals" and it has been particularly catastrophic for the restaurant industry. Forced to quickly think out of the box and reinvent their physical and online presences, restaurants are fumbling with inconsistent rules based on loose, sometimes contradictory guidelines set at both the state and federal levels. Businesses that had already been struggling prior to the pandemic have since shuttered forever, while even the biggest players endured unprecedented drops in revenue as people self-isolated and prepared most of their meals at home.

Not only have patrons and restaurateurs been stripped of the pleasures of a conventional dine-in experience, they have been forced to compromise on food quantity and quality in the wake of Covid-19. Who, after all, would agree that a sacked assortment of lukewarm dishes stuffed in tiny plastic containers taken home to be reheated in the microwave could ever compare to what we all took for granted only a few months ago?

Still, some restaurants have managed to surprise us in how well they've tackled the (hopefully) temporary new reality of online orders and curbside pick-ups. They've done so with the organization and forethought already evident in their well-known brick-and-mortar establishments. The following are just a few of the notable restaurants whose takeaway process we experienced during the global pandemic:

Trio

I never would have imagined that some of my first couple of experiences with Trio would involve masks, rubber gloves and curbside pick-up. Prior to the pandemic, I'd never really been quite interested in Trio, honestly. Their New-American menu seemed pricey and abbreviated. I always scratched my head at why so many upper-income patrons filled its parking lots with their luxury vehicles. It's interesting that it took a lockdown to tear down my preconceptions of this restaurant.

Trio's designated carry-out parking slots near their front door make pick-up a snap. Simply call the phone number embossed on the posted parking slot sign and a masked employee will arrive at your car door with the goods. The online ordering process is a little clunky in that you must peruse a PDF menu, call a number and read your credit card over the phone, but the pick-up process and the quality of the packaging and food more than make up for the minor inconvenience.

Trio's food is well-seasoned and tasty. We really enjoyed the garlicky Trio deviled egg starter ($7), which includes five deviled eggs. The Beet and Goat Cheese Bowl entrée salad ($16) was quite satisfying, featuring two varieties of oven-roasted beets, field greens, green apple, baked goat cheese, and scallions with a tarragon vinaigrette. My orecchiette pasta entrée featured shrimp, peas and a rich, creamy pecorino cheese sauce infused with black pepper and topped with mint.

Orecchiette with shrimp and peas

Beet and goat cheese salad

Mazunte

Mazunte's Madisonville location has proven itself to be one of the best Mexican restaurants in the city. Its staff know how to handle large volumes of people, and their pandemic-era ordering and pick-up system punctuate that expertise.

The restaurant is among the dozens who have partnered with the Boston-based "Toast," a restaurant point-of-sale company that also specializes in easy-to-use online ordering applications. In fact, most of our most pleasant ordering experiences have been thanks to Toast's system, providing a familiar-looking and clear interface. Mazunte's food is nicely packaged, with generous amounts of chips for our guacamole or salsa orders.

Chicken memelitas with garlic rice

Shaan Indian Cuisine

Shaan, one of our favorite Indian restaurants in Cincinnati, takes carry-out orders by phone. They've established a contact-free pick-up system, with takeout orders available at booths broken down by alphabet. Find the booth whose letters match your last name, and take away your package as the masked owners wave "hello" from the far end of the dining room.

The Wheel

This small Italian takeaway was perfectly positioned to handle a pandemic : there was never much room for many people to congregate in their small storefront , so they've since completely blocked it off. Patrons now approach a makeshift table positioned at the front door.

The takeaway offers a small but formidable line-up of "grab-and-go" items in addition to their house made breads and desserts. Everything is scratch-made using wholesome ingredients sourced from local, organic farmers. The owner is extremely laid back, friendly and is often quick to give discounts or add fresh bread to orders at a reduced (or no) charge.

Cannelloni, lasagna, stuffed peppers and chicken Parmesan are frequently seen on the entrée menu, as well as several focaccia sandwiches during lunch hours. The Wheel also offers pizzas during select times. The trick here is to get your order in early; they often run out of entrees toward the end of the day.

Sotto

Over the last few years, it'd become increasingly difficult to secure a timely reservation at this venerable downtown Italian restaurant. In Pandemic-land, we no longer have to! Their online ordering process uses an easy-to-use Chicago-based third-party service called, "Tock," a restaurant-centric delivery suite offering services similar to "Toast." Simply input the number of people you're ordering for, the date and time for your desired pickup, and then add menu items to your order and complete the payment process.

We were dubious as to whether Sotto's dishes would hold up well in the takeaway process, particularly their fabled ricotta donuts. But, wow, did Sotto ever strategize how to make a good takeaway meal! All of our containers were labeled, making it clear that some items, like the bruschetta, would require assembly once at home. This assembly process meant that wet ingredients were separated from dry ingredients where applicable, and ensured our appetizer wouldn't be soggy.

The ricotta donuts just needed just a little heat from a microwave, and then we tossed them in the accompanying container of powdered sugar to give them their distinctive sugary sheen. They were perfect! Sotto easily had the best ordering and curbside pickup process, even with the road construction happening on 6th Street the day we picked up our order.

Ricotta donut sauces and sugar

Ricotta donuts

Citrus and Sago

This is a great Eurasian restaurant headed up by Chef Paul Liew, the former owner of Straits of Malacca. Malaysian-style cooking dominates the menu, which is an enormous plus given the fact that Malaysia is, in many ways, as much of a melting pot of cultures as the United States. Roast duck is the premier dish here, even as many other stellar items vie for attention.

Though the restaurant emphasizes rotisserie and seafood, there are a few vegetarian options in the form of entrée salads and appetizers. In our multiple visits, the duck, curry chicken and BBQ pork sandwiches have been stand-outs, and we look forward to finally trying their take on Malaysia's national dish, Nasi Lemak, a coconut milk-infused, fragrant rice dish that is often served a with spicy beef called "rendang" and other side accoutrements.

Citrus & Sago's simple online ordering process is exactly the same as Mazunte's, as they both utilize the same "Toast" service. About a dozen other Cincinnati restaurants also use the service.

BBQ pork sandwich and popiah (Malaysian egg roll)

Some important points to consider when ordering food online:

1. Does the restaurant have a website with an easy-to-use ordering process?
2. Does the restaurant take credit cards online or are they taken over the phone?
3. Will the food be prepared in a timely manner or is there a long turnaround time?
4. Does the restaurant offer contact-free pick-up? Do their employees wear masks?
5. Should patrons tip employees for their time in this grueling, awful situation we're all enduring? (hint: yes!)