After being closed for over two months due to the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent stay-at-home order, La Voute Bistro + Bar has re-opened. On May 15, the restaurant re-opened for curbside pick-up and on Friday, May 29, staff welcomed their first guests for outdoor dining.
The menu has been altered with more French fusion specialties, and some family meals have been offered to serve a family of four — entrees like braised brisket, smoked applewood bacon wrapped meatloaf and beef bourguignon with potato, soup or house salad and dessert.
Beer and wine to go is available and there will be drink specials each day on the patio. The new menu can be found at lavoutebistro.com and the family meals and daily specials can be viewed on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
After opening on Friday and Saturday, May 29 and 30, civil unrest in the area caused the closure of the patio on Sunday, May 31.
Friday, June 5, brought in a full house of customers, seated in groups of no more than six with tables six feet apart per current Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines. Although Saturday’s weather wasn’t as pleasant as the day before, there was still a steady stream of customers. Improved sanitation practices, masks and gloves for staff and disposable paper menus are some of the changes being made for customer and staff safety.
Currently, the plan is to have the patio open Tuesday through Saturday.
“We’ll see how it goes. It’s a big decision. Will it be worth it to be open every day? It depends a lot on the weather,” said manager Meg Sakka. The weather and staffing are proving to be big challenges as restaurants move forward with still many unknowns, according to Sakka.
The hotel the restaurant sits within, La Banque Hotel, is open. The staff have been shutting off lights and closing overnight when there are no guests, but Sakka said they’ve been happy to serve customers — from railroad workers, construction staff and other contractors, to the staycationers there for a social distance getaway — while following Illinois Hotel and Lodging guidelines for cleaning.