Playa Del Rey’s Bacari PDR told by county health department that people cannot come into restaurant to buy groceries
By Kerry Slater
After public health officials closed down the market section that a Westside restaurant had set up, a petition is circulating asking the county to reopen the store to shoppers.
Danny Kronfli, who co-owns the Bacari group of restaurants with his brother Robert and chef Lior Hillel, told Westside Today that an inspector for the Los Angeles Department of Public Health (Public Health) came into their Playa Del Rey Restaurant restaurant on Friday, March 27 and shut down the market that had been set up offering groceries.
Like many restaurants in Los Angeles, Bacari set up the market after health officials ordered all restaurants in Los Angeles to restrict their operations to take out and delivery only.
Danny says that the inspector did not give them many details about why the closure was ordered. Their operation was completely closed on Saturday and it was not until calling Public Health did the brothers learn why their operation has been shut down.
On Sunday, Bacari opened up again for groceries, take out and delivery, albeit some changes.
Whereas before people would go into Bacari PDR to pick out their groceries, now patrons must either order online or fill out a form at the entrance and have staff get their groceries.
While Danny says this system works, he says that Bacari is hoping Public Health will allow costumers to come into the restaurant and choose their own groceries. Danny told Westside Today that for things like fresh produce shoppers like to have a choice of what they picking out.
According to Danny, Public Health should issue its decision in the next few days.
In response to the closure, a petition circulating calls on Public Health to allow Bacari PDR to reopen its market section for shoppers.
“They have a restaurant license and a liquor license and are regularly inspected by the Health Dept with no violations,” reads the petition to Janice Hahn County Supervisor and other health officials. “They have been supplying much-needed groceries to the community for the past few weeks.”
Sam Catanzaro contributed to this report
