On Tuesday night time, we dined on a wonderful meal of rib-eye steak, roasted asparagus, slivered child carrots and zucchini, mashed potatoes and a beet and goat cheese salad with a citrus French dressing. It was all from Cypress Restaurant. And we by no means stepped inside.
We referred to as Cypress, paid for the meal upfront with our bank card, and picked it up inside a half hour exterior the door.
Cypress co-owner Elizabeth Gwynn introduced the meal to us whereas her husband David was cooking inside. The couple, about to have a good time the 20th anniversary of Cypress on April 4th, is doing what they will to hold their enterprise alive.
They’re amongst many restaurant homeowners now providing curbside and takeout service, doing no matter they will. William Lawson, proprietor of Mimi’s Table Tallahassee, might even make some deliveries and Jeri Bradley Madden, proprietor of Jeri’s Midtown Cafe is personally delivering to events of 10 or extra. Examine along with your favourite restaurant and likelihood is it’s providing curbside service, even when it’s upscale.
David Gwynn isn’t positive how lengthy he’ll provide curbside service.
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“It’s day-to-day.” For now, Cypress is providing a restricted menu that’s altering day by day. On March 17, the menu featured two appetizers — a meat and cheese board or bouillabaisse — for $13 every; 5 entrees served with soup or a alternative of salads; and a alternative of desserts for $5.50 every.
The dinner, packaged in a plastic container, arrived residence with all gadgets intact. No spillovers.
We dished out the meals and served it on our personal humble dishware and the dinner was great. Whereas we missed the attentive service and positive eating setting, we have been grateful to nonetheless give you the chance to devour a Cypress dinner.
The steak was cooked completely, properly seasoned. Mashed potatoes have been stellar, in addition to the greens and salad, with loads of sliced yellow and purple beets. We solely shared the one dinner and it was loads for us each.
The Gwynns had 27 curbside orders on Tuesday night time, in contrast to the handfuls of dishes they’d serve on a Tuesday prior to the coronavirus. David mentioned on the 4 Mondays earlier than this week that they had 65 reservations. On March 16, that they had 4.
“This can be a colossal collapse,” mentioned David. “I don’t know the place to start.”
He and his spouse are juggling three eating places — Cypress, Grove Market Café and Vertigo Burgers & Fries — with 70 staff.
“These are the individuals who helped us create the three eating places we’ve in the present day,” mentioned David. “That is having a devastating impact on all of us.”
Gwynn mentioned he and different restaurant homeowners “try to work out what to do to salvage one thing. Generally chopping your losses is all you are able to do.”
Keith Baxter, proprietor of longtime restaurant Kool Beanz Cafe had been planning to provide curbside service however determined to shut briefly. He posted in Fb in the present day (March 18) that “So as to hold my staff protected, due to the inevitable decline to practically zero in gross sales, I’m briefly closing Kool Beanz.For the numerous posts of encouragement and assist, all of us thanks. We ‘ain’t going nowhere.”
David mentioned that whereas he understands the reasoning for the rules due to the virus “there are a variety of questions” about what small companies and staff can do.
Buyer reactions are additionally fairly various. David talked about two situations at Vertigo this week — in a single case, a lady got here in to order and broke down crying, “devastated and not sure what to do.” One other buyer got here in, grabbed meals off the counter in a “dine and sprint.”
Whereas Cypress dine-in is closed till April 1 for now, Vertigo and Grove Cafe are open. Each eating places have patios (although the Grove Market one is larger) and seating for social distancing.
Grove Market is open with patio eating, pick-up. 1370 Market St.; 850-894-5060. Vertigo is open, with patio eating, pick-up and Ubereats (you want to obtain the app). 1395 E. Lafayette St.; 850-878-2020.
“I’ve to say we’ve an exquisite neighborhood that’s been extremely supportive of all three eating places,” mentioned David. “As dire as all this appears, we’re going to get again on our toes. As a municipality, we’re resilient.”
Data: For curbside pickup, Cypress is at 320 E. Tennessee St. from 5:30 to eight p.m. Name in orders at 850-513-1100. Bank card or money; gross sales tax included. Enable about 20 minutes preparation. Examine the newest menu at cypressrestaurant.com/
Right here’s the menu for March 18
APPETIZER – $13.00 every
● three Cheeses & 2 Cured Meats (Chef’s Alternative) with Crackers, Cranberry Chutney and Pickled Okra
● Blended Seafood Bouillabaisse (Gluten-Free)
ENTREÉ – $27.00 every
● Alternative of Pecan Crusted Grouper or Bacon-Wrapped Scallops, Bradley’s Grits, Collards (Gluten-Free)
● Alternative of Grilled Hanger or Ribeye, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus & Child Carrots and selection of Inexperienced Peppercorn-Mushroom Gravy or Home-made Steak Sauce (Gluten Free)
● Braised Grass-fed Beef Brief Rib Stroganoff with Native Mushrooms & Cipollini Onions
☆ ☆ All entreés include a alternative of cup of Mushroom Soup, Home Salad with Herbed French dressing or Beet & Goat Cheese Salad with Citrus French dressing ☆☆
DESSERT – $5.50 every
● Flourless Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream (Gluten Free)
● Pecan Turnover with Cane Syrup Ice Cream
