SF restaurant ordered to take down controversial domes

[PeteS in CA]

SF restaurant ordered to take down controversial domes

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/sf-restaurant-ordered-to-take-down-controversial-domes/ar-BB184Bjr

The restaurant, Japanese fine dining spot Hashiri, first erected the domes because serving outdoors didn’t seem feasible given its location in Mint Plaza, located near 5th and Mission streets where homeless folks often hang out. During the coronavirus pandemic, many San Francisco restaurants are turning to outdoor dining because they can’t operate indoors and many have had a tough time attracting enough takeout business to be financially solvent. Hashiri spent more than $4,000 on the three domes.

After attracting news coverage, Hashiri received hate mail from people who saw the domes as anti-homeless. That’s why Hashiri manager Kenichiro Matsuura suspects someone anonymously complained to the Department of Public Health about the domes, resulting in a surprise visit on Thursday.
...
Ultimately, the officer ordered Hashiri to remove the domes “due to the enclosed nature of the structure, which may not allow for adequate air flow,” according to the inspection report. ...

Regardless, Hashiri reopened for dinner Friday without the plastic coverings on the domes. But without the coverings, the domes don’t block the wind, cold air or unwanted visitors as originally intended.

“There are people who come by and spit, yell, stick their hands in people’s food, discharging fecal matter right by where people are trying to eat,” Matsuura said. “It’s really sad, and it’s really hard for us to operate around that.”

I so don't live there - not SF, not $200 per meal restaurants. I hope SF restaurants take note of SF's "Screw you!" attitude and actions toward their businesses and leave.

[PeteS in CA]

https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/San-Francisco-dome-dining-has-already-returned-15496539.php

San Francisco dome dining has already returned, with some modifications

On Wednesday, the Japanese restaurant announced on Instagram that diners will once again be able to dine inside the domes for $200-per-person meals this week after making some modifications to appease the Department of Public Health. An inspector originally found that the structures didn’t allow for adequate air flow, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s guidelines for outdoor dining during the pandemic state that outdoor structures like tents need to be open on the sides for that very reason.

The modifications ended up being quite simple: The bones of the domes are still intact, but the staff cut off the bottom 4 feet of the plastic cover — effectively creating a rounded tent that’s open on the sides.

“It kind of defeats the main purpose of why we had it up in the beginning but it is doing it some justice. It’s better than nothing,” said Hashiri manager Kenichiro Matsuura, noting the modified domes don’t adequately block the wind.

The renovated domes also can't shield diners from the smoky air, arriving just when San Franciscans are being advised to stay indoors because of poor air quality due to wildfires all around the region.

[Cyber Liberty]

SF:  "We'll only allow you to erect a structure if you modify it sufficiently to render it completely useless."

The restaurant requires structure that will prevent bums from throwing their poop at customers paying $200 a pop for dinner, and SF is bound and determined to prevent it.  Insanity.

[skeeter]

SF:  "We'll only allow you to erect a structure if you modify it sufficiently to render it completely useless."

The restaurant requires structure that will prevent bums from throwing their poop at customers paying $200 a pop for dinner, and SF is bound and determined to prevent it.  Insanity.

Its not fair to deprive SFs homeless the chance to ply their artistic trade in front of an audience. Many are accomplished sculptors.

[Elderberry]