Santorini Greek Grill Donates Meals to Covid-19 Caregivers: Restaurants Stay Visible Through Giving and Virtual Dining Events
Santorini Greek Grill is one of many local restaurants getting out in the community during the coronavirus social distancing. On Wednesday, the Farmington restaurant donated 200 meals to frontline health care workers at the University of Utah Farmington Covid-19 Testing Center, and first responders from the Davis County Sheriff’s Office, Farmington police and fire departments.
Santorini Greek Grill owner Sean Dehghani and the Siegfried & Jensen law offices teamed up to donate the meals, plus thousands of disposable gloves to the medical center and first responders. Everyone got a generous take-out container of the restaurant’s signature lemon chicken bowl, and authentic Greek baklava for dessert.
It was a great example of giving to the community at a time when sit-down restaurants have been hit hard. And an example of how restaurants are cooking up ways to interact with the community.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic closed indoor dining, it seems that fast food restaurants with a drive-through system already in place have adapted like well-oiled machines. But sit-down restaurants are getting innovative while navigating an uncertain world of curbside pickup and delivery services, .
Eating out is not just food, it’s entertainment, too. My personal takeout dining experiences have made me miss the restaurant’s ambiance and the artfully arranged dishes presented sizzling hot at the table.
Some restaurants are trying to re-create part of that entertainment factor by hosting “virtual” dinners and tastings where you join the restaurant on Facebook while eating and/or drinking at home. Roosters in Ogden/Layton has been hosting a “virtual tasting series,” where you can pick up a tasting kit at the restaurant, and then watch join the restaurant on Facebook live for the event. The one on April 22 was paired with Beehive Cheese (Rooster’s was their first customer when the Uintah cheese company opened 15 years ago). Roosters is also collaborating with other restaurants for an Ogden Valley delivery service on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can order from Roosters plus another alternating downtown restaurant each week.
Pago SLC is doing something similar with an interactive wine pairing dinner on April 25 at 7 p.m. Pago Restaurant Group owner and sommelier, Scott Evans will go live on Facebook to talk about the wine designed to go with a three-course takeout meal of braised short ribs, whipped potatoes, and roasted vegetables. You buy the meal from Pago at https://www.toasttab.com/pago/v3 and go to the DABC liquor store to buy the specially paired Freghino wine (from Agricola La Segreta in Umbria, Italy). Scott will answer live questions and give insights into how he selects wine, and what he looks for in wine pairings with food.
If these prove successful, these “virtual meals” may end up being routine events long after social distancing ends.
A few days ago, I wrote about the Bank of Utah’s Chow Down Challenge, and Creminelli’s $20,000 restaurant gift card giveaway. These are other creative attempts to support the restaurant industry.
I’m looking forward to seeing more creative restaurant ideas while we’re social distancing. If you hear of more, please add them to the comments!