On Thursday, June 4th, Barnacle Billy's will be open for outside seating on our property. We were hoping to also include inside seating but our Governor changed her mind on that, upsetting many local business owners who had already bought product in preparation. It's not my place to judge whether the Governor's decision was the right move or not. I think she is doing her best. I do think that she should have given notice sooner than she did. Afterward, hearing the outcry from business owners, she offered to buy the food that the restaurants had ordered “at cost” to use in the various state institutions. Although it might have seemed a noble gesture on her part, most of that product probably had too much time on it to be moved anywhere. The logistics of moving product out of the restaurants would not really make something like this feasible. And it certainly wouldn't be easy to do. I'm not sure if a Governor in this state has ever been so challenged while in office. There are many things she is doing right. There are also quite a few things she is doing wrong. I think her heart is in the right place. And I think that regardless of what she does we will all learn from this. You have to wonder; at what cost?
Upon opening, Barnacle Billy's will change again from the way it is being run now. We will still have takeout service. But we will also have cocktail wait staff taking your food and drink order. A runner will deliver the food to your table while the cocktail waiter/waitress will bring you your alcoholic beverages. We are trying to discourage people from getting up and moving around. You will not be able to order ahead to get your food for a table seating. Ordering ahead will only be available for takeout. To secure a table for eating while at Barnacle Billy's, you will have to order when you get here. Our menu will also be expanding to include some of our signature dishes from Barnacle Billy's, Etc. The patio area near the garden at Etc. will be available for takeout orders only. In other words, you can get your takeout order and eat it at a table near the garden at Etc.
We have separated tables enough so that there will be the appropriate distance between them. Patrons will be required to wear a mask or face protection while moving about on our property. Once seated at a table, the mask can come off. We are not allowed to let sick individuals on to the premises, particularly those with a temperature and those with any kind of respiratory illness. Restrooms will be available at Barnacle Billy's, Etc.
For those dining at Barnacle Billy's, we will utilize the pay lot across the street from Barnacle Billy's, Etc. You will be assessed a fee of $10.00 which will be reimbursed upon showing the attendant your receipt. Otherwise, you can pay to park and stay there all day if you want without visiting either of our restaurants. There will be no valet parking until we become more normalized.
Our food selection will increase as the different stages of reopening occur. All our ice creams will be back this coming Thursday. We will be offering strawberry shortcakes, chocolate fudge cake and woopie pies. The woopie pies are a new addition from our in-house baker, Heather Betz. If you have never had one of her woopie pies, you are in for a treat.
We will be getting back to a, mostly, full bar. It won't be completely full; that will have to wait until a later phase of re-opening. But alcohol will be much more available in many more forms than it has been.
This coming Thursday we will be open at 11 AM and closing at 8 PM straight through until Monday evening at 8 PM. We will decide on Monday whether to expand our days of being open or remain with two days off (Tuesday & Wednesday). Business, the new regulations and employee status will determine what we decide to do. Eventually, we will be open seven days a week.
Robert Kraft was here on Sunday afternoon. I write about his visit on the Bunny Clark website at the “Fishing Update” link (www.bunnyclark.com/update.htm). He has always been an outstanding individual, even before the Patriots! Check it out.