The Importance of Restaurant Month 2021
Never has there been a more important year for Cayman’s Restaurant Month to take place. With the borders predominantly closed off to the world and no official date on when we will fully reopen, many small businesses are unsure how much longer they can keep their doors open. Thinking back to the beginning of the pandemic, over 18 months ago, we had just locked down our country to the world and introduced strict regulations locally. Our Caymankind community rallied together to support our favourite restaurants and small businesses through food deliveries, online shopping and even purchased gift certificates hoping they could be used in the near future. When we were finally able to visit restaurants & bars there was an outpouring of support, and a sense of relief, from residents who could once again socialise with friends at happy hour and enjoy a civilised meal out on the town. But that was September 2020, and a year later the restaurants that we fought so hard to keep open are feeling the pressure of closing week by week, day by day. With the rest of the world returning to normalcy and the expectation that our borders would reopen this Fall, many businesses invested their funds to upgrade their facilities or hire new staff to take on the expected surge. Unfortunately, due to the small community outbreak, some restaurants that took the initiative to be prepared were the ones who ultimately closed because of the continued uncertainty that lay ahead.
Our support from a year ago to now is less for many reasons. Perhaps you’ve been able to travel overseas, restarted online shopping in the U.S. or just simply had to tighten your purse strings because of the sudden rise in Cayman’s cost of living. Even I couldn’t support small businesses as much as I wanted too, as we bought a townhouse and my husband’s new business went through severe construction delays. Now that there is no guarantee on when Cayman will open I feel reinvigorated for the cause and want to encourage the Cayman community to do the same.
The timing couldn’t be more perfect as we embark on a month-long journey celebrating the longest epicurean event of the year, Restaurant Month. With over 30 restaurants participating, most of them small in scale or new to the scene, diners can expect a discounted 2-4 course meal for lunch or dinner across the island. Of course you should always support your favourites, but my personal take on Restaurant Month has always been that it’s the perfect time to dine at a restaurant that you’ve never been to before, to try a new dish that’s outside of your comfort zone or visit a place that’s typically outside of your budget. With prices for a multi-coursed lunch or dinner ranging from CI$15-45, there’s no reason not to try somewhere outside of the norm. And who knows, you could be pleasantly surprised by your experience and become their next regular customer. A win-win for both you and the restaurant!
I’ll be trying a variety of Restaurant Month menus throughout October and along with the newly launched CaymanRestaurants.com I will be highlighting a different restaurant each week. Be on the lookout for my restaurant finds and feel free to tag me in your Instagram stories at (@island_epicurean) so I can share your positive experiences with others in our foodie community. Let’s make the most of this opportunity and continue to #SupportLocal as best we can.
Arepa 345’s Pabellón Arepa
Caboose’s 1/4lb Lunch Special
UNION Grill & Bar’s Pan-Seared Red Snapper
