To make it through the first year of the pandemic Garcia and Vargas tell Hoodline they received a coronavirus-related Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from the Small Business Administration. "That's been a really good success story," explained Garcia. "We didn't have a to-go food program because the rest of the Castro was setup for quick-fire to-go food," explained Garcia.įable is also now open for lunch, something Garcia says Fable had never done in the past. Switching formats took some time and Garcia said it took them about a month to get up to speed. Opened by former chef Jon Hearnsberger (The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe, Anchor, Woodhouse Fish Co.) and Erik Rhoades in 2013, Garcia tells Hoodline "Chef Jon saw how there was a dire need for higher quality food in the Castro District, because everything was just bars and quick-fire food." "We never really did to-go food," said Garcia. The past year has been tough said both Ramsey and Vargas. "We knew it was going to be a loss, but we reopened with a to-go menu." "I started thinking of Fable and discussed with Jon that we needed to open back up because people in the neighborhood must be struggling to find a place to eat," said Vargas. While they hadn't provided takeout food in the past, Garcia tells Hoodline he quickly realized there was a demand for takeout food early on in the pandemic after he took a trip to visit an ill family member and food options were limited. Like all restaurants across the city, Fable was forced to pivot and adapt to the pandemic restrictions early on. "We're going to concentrate on our garden patio seating," said Vargas.Īsked if they were considering allowing indoor dining Vargas said, "I don't think so." He added, "There's maybe a couple sections if somebody wants to do it."Īn awning and benches are just two of the upgrades made. With San Francisco moving back into the state's Red Tier last week allowing indoor dining at 25% capacity, Garcia and Vargas tell Hoodline they plan to continue to focus on outdoor dining. "I come in the morning, it's quiet, I pull the weeds, I plant some new stuff, I love it," said Vargas. Vargas acts as Fable's resident gardener and says he takes care of the plants on Mondays. "We've had cold feet on it whether or not to spend the money." Finding the right contractor has also proved difficult as many are busy right now and Fable's job is too small for them. "We want it to be amazing," said Vargas about the design. In the coming months, Fable may also add a Shared Spaces platform. Even with limited seating, Garcia said he's created a 'ghost table' for Fable regulars to ensure they'll always be able to get in. With social distancing guidelines in place, the garden patio now has room for 14 tables and once Fable is allowed to operate at 100% capacity they'll have room for 20-25 tables. Garcia and Vargas tell Hoodline they spent approximately $50,000 renovating the garden patio by making more space for tables, installing benches, heaters, fencing, plants, and an awning over the space to protect diners from the elements. During the first three months of the shutdown, they renovated the garden patio and then completed the upgrades during the most recent seven-week shutdown over the holidays.įable co-owners Ramsey Garcia and Jon Vargas. And with most restaurants adding sidewalk tables and chairs or a Shared Spaces platform, Fable was already setup to provide outdoor dining.Ĭurrent co-owners Ramsey Garcia and Jon Vargas tell Hoodline they decided to take advantage of the COVID shutdowns to upgrade and expand Fable's garden patio. While San Francisco restaurants aren't typically known for their outdoor dining game, Fable has been providing outdoor seating on its garden patio since it opened eight years ago. For diners looking for a unique outdoor dining experience, they need to look no further than the newly renovated garden patio at Castro's Fable Restaurant (558 Castro St.).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |