Adaptation is new business motto for local restaurant owners

Shane Smith, one of the owners of the Red Rooster in Old Town Cottonwood, said they are doing takeout, but their hours are fluctuating and customers should check their Facebook page. VVN/Vyto Starinskas

Shane Smith, one of the owners of the Red Rooster in Old Town Cottonwood, said they are doing takeout, but their hours are fluctuating and customers should check their Facebook page. VVN/Vyto Starinskas

COTTONWOOD - Restaurants in the Verde Valley are struggling with ways to provide takeout food and how to keep customers and staff safe during the coronavirus crisis.

Tough times lead to creativity.

“We’re actually calling it Manzanita Mocktoberfest,” explained owner and chef Randy Hale Friday

The Manzanita Restaurant in Cornville is trying an Octoberfest “to go” every Friday from 4:30 to 7 p.m.

“We’re just seeing what the reception is. It’s still unclear to us how many people are really going out taking advantage of ‘to go’ things,” Hale said while cooking in his kitchen Friday. “So we just want to start it on a limited basis and see what the reception is,”

Hale and he and other Arizona restaurants closed their restaurants last Friday due to state and county orders, he said. But take-out orders are still allowed.

“It’s not a real Octoberfest,” Hale explained. One of the things the restaurant is known for is German food, so they wanted to offer a memorable dining experience in the to-go menu. It’s a nice alternative to typical to-go menus. “I don’t think many people are cooking pork shanks at home” either, Hale said. There’s also Salmon crepes and cornmeal-crusted cod.

It’s a shortened menu, but it includes wiener schnitzel, sauerbraten, Swiss-style veal bratwurst, salmon crepes, and French dip with a thin slice of prime rib. They also have desserts, and sealed bottles of beer and wine for takeout.

Hales said people should understand that restaurants have always followed a very stringent health code as far as hand washing sanitation and wiping down surfaces with sanitizers.

The Hilltop Deli owner Victor Lucero of Jerome said their takeout and deliver has been getting a good response. He opened the deli with his brother in Jerome seven years and two more delis in Cottonwood and Sedona more recently.

He was working at the Jerome deli Friday “It’s going pretty good. There are still a few tourists walking around town.”

And the locals are ordering delivery and “they all seem very appreciative,” Lucero said. “They’ve been wanting to chat a little bit. They seem really happy that we are doing this.”

Some people want the deliveries set down, wiped down, but they take the proper precautions, he said. They are one of three businesses doing the “take out thing” in Jerome. Hilltop has always done delivery and is doing delivery at all three of its restaurants. They are keeping their normal hours.

Bill Murray, owner of Verde Lea Market Deli and Grill in Cottonwood, is doing takeout seven days a week with his whole menu available.

He said business is “not crazy, but we’re holding our own.” It’s sad but as more restaurants that close, the more people are turning to his deli.

He said people are thanking him for being open, but his main concern is to keep his employees healthy. He is cleaning and sanitizing more and following CDC and health department guidelines.

Murray said he is doing deliveries through DoorDash but has not brought on a new delivery person. He said he has kept his employees working, just with less hours.

Sergio Tadeo, who has been operating the popular Mexican food truck called Sonora Tquenria in Bridgeport, said he is not adjusting his traditional Mexican food menu. “Yes tacos, tamales, menudo.”

“People understand it’s only to-go, but they are still coming,” Tadeo said. “Yesterday was a very good day.”

He said his business is about fifty percent of normal.

He will close Sunday after many years in Bridgeport and reopen Thursday in the laundry parking lot on Main Street in Cottonwood at a new location. This has been in the planning for a while.

“People understand it’s only to-go, but they are still coming,” Tadeo said. “Yesterday was a very good day.”

Tadeo said everybody is afraid, but happy when they ¬come by to get food.

Shane Smith, one of the owners of the Red Rooster in Old Town Cottonwood, said they are doing takeout, but their hours are fluctuating and customers should check their Facebook page.

Smith said they began doing delivery themselves during the crisis and they also use DoorDash.

“If people call, and they want food, and they want to pay for it, we’ll will get it to them.”

They are doing breakfast to-go on Saturday and Sunday, and will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

“People have been great. Our locals have been so supportive,” he said.

“It’s brought tears to my eyes multiple times,” Smith said. “Every day is a new day. One foot in front of the other."


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