Denton County Magazine • Nov_Dec 21 • RESTAURANT RENAISSANCE

Restaurants have been to the edge of the cliff and back with the pandemic. We talked with local restaurant experts about the changes in food service that are likely to be permanent.

Social distancing. Sanitizing. Increased takeout. Worker shortages. Robot waiters? The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many eateries to innovate to stay open, and according to these Denton restaurant folks, some of those innovations are here to stay.

Clara’s Kitchen in Denton is an authentic soul food restaurant that opened in September 2018. The eatery has a handful of tables and keeps them spread out for safety. During the pandemic, the restaurant is absorbing skyrocketing food and supply costs with slightly raised costs to customers.

Previously open seven days a week, Clara’s Kitchen now is closed on Tuesdays for deep sanitizing -- a procedure adopted in 2020 that will continue, said co-owner Manuel Gooden.

“I think it’s really important to maintain that cleanliness,” Gooden said.

Takeout always has been an important part of Clara’s Kitchen’s service, but since COVID-19, it has become its primary business -- more than eat-in. Customers often use delivery services such as GrubHub, DoorDash and UberEats. During the pandemic, the restaurant began offering curbside service, and this will continue.

“I enjoy the takeout, where we bring it to the customers in their vehicles. I think it’s a little more personal that way,” Gooden said.

The labor shortage in the restaurant industry has forced a shift in how restaurants staff their businesses, said Jeff Britain, a senior lecturer at University of North Texas College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism.

“You’re going to see a lot of innovation in the back of the house -- machinery doing what cooks have done in the past. I’ve even seen some places use robots instead of servers in the front of the house,” Britain said.

Restaurants are seeking supply chains closer to them, like local farms instead of national food supply companies, he said.

“They have to have someone to rely on, and if any of these big companies can’t supply, sometimes local vendors can step in,” Britain said.

The biggest COVID-19 change at Hannah’s off the Square in downtown Denton is discontinuing weekday lunches, said Phil Shirley, owner. The restaurant also is closed on Mondays now, and has reduced seating capacity inside. These modifications most likely will continue, Shirley said.

While the casual fine-dining restaurant already had a beautiful patio, Shirley took it up a notch with attractive landscaping and plants, as well as additional shade.

The restaurant kitchen was completely remodeled during the pandemic, rearranging stations, installing easy-to-clean flooring and adding hand-washing stations.

“We have spaced our employees out so they’re not crossing over each other as much,” Shirley said.

Food supply chain issues have meant creative re-configurations of Hannah’s menu, Shirley said, but the quality of food offered hasn’t changed.

“It’s been challenging times. I think we are learning a lot from it -- how to operate differently, and I think the good has stuck with us,” he said. “We’re learning how to be flexible and still give guests the experience they’re looking for.”

FOR MORE INFO HANNAH’S OFF THE SQUARE 111 West Mulberry St. in Denton HannahsOffTheSquare.com 940-566-1110

CLARA’S KITCHEN 511 Robertson St. in Denton Search “Clara’s Kitchen” on Facebook 940-514-1554