I am a self-proclaimed foodie, so I love going places and trying food from different cuisines. Before all of this happened, my family and I usually get takeout for dinner on the weekends, but we don’t really go to restaurants that much. I got invited for the first time in months for a friend’s graduation brunch, and here is my experience.
I went to Kiki on the River, and the first thing that wowed me (that I had seen a glimpse of on social media) is the atmosphere and beautiful decor. As the name suggests, it is located right on the Miami river, and there was a large outdoor area where all the guests were sitting.
The Safety Precautions
In keeping with regulations, the tables were set six feet apart from each other, and both the staff and everyone not sitting at a table were wearing masks. The staff cleaned and replaced table cloths between sets of diners, and the open air atmosphere made it a pleasant experience. From our table, we saw both normal sized boats, and huge cargo ships pass by as they cruised down the Miami river.
Upon entry, our temperatures were taken, and no more than four or five were seated at a table.
Another safety precaution they took was having the menus (both food and wine) available via QR codes that you scan with your phone camera and it takes you to a PDF file of the menus. Menus are something that are touched a lot normally at restaurants, so eliminating that and making it digital was a way to eliminate the risks associated with that.
The Food
To eat, I had a seared tuna on a bed of quinoa with a side of roasted mixed vegetables. The tuna was prepared medium rare, since I am a fan of sushi and raw tuna. Everyone at the table was ranting and raving about how flavorful the food was, and we all were in agreement that it was some of the best restaurant food we had in a while.
Final Thoughts
Overall, my experience eating at a restaurant during a pandemic was positive, and there is not much to criticize. Does this mean I am going to be going out more right now? Not necessarily, but it gives me a deeper appreciation for people who work in the service industry, and I thank them for all that they do in trying to protect everyone. Until this all tides over, I think I am going to stick to takeout, since that is safer. I look forward to going out again though and trying more cuisines I haven’t had and exploring the world through food.