where everyone knows your name

Running a restaurant is always a risky business.

Running a restaurant that caters to northerners during a viral infection is even riskier.

Before I moved to Barra de Navidad, I lived in Villa Obregon for six years. When I lived on the other side of the bay, I ate most of my meals in restaurants. Because I was new in town, I wanted to meet as many people as I could in a short period of time. Restaurants seemed to be a good place to start.

So, I frequented The Red Lobster, Froy's, La Rana, Scooby's, Rooster's, and El Patio on a regular basis. My first criteria in choosing places to eat was not the food. I could cook for myself. What I was looking for were proprietors and staff who were open to conversation and who were willing to share their perspectives with me. 

I suppose what I was looking for was a living version of the attitude embedded in the "Cheers" theme song. You know:

Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name
And they're always glad you came

One of my go-to guys back back then was Aaron. Even though he was young, he was a fellow Oregonian. That gave us a basis to start conversations. He also had a parade of interesting tales to share.

In the summer of 2009, he was running a bar-restaurant above a pharmacy on the plaza in San Patricio -- where the Santa Rosa disco is now located. But he had big plans of opening his own place. Complete with a brick oven to bake wood fire pizzas.

The pizza idea soon fell off of the plans, but he did open his own place -- and a business compound complete with bungalows. He and his newly-acquired wife Juliana named the restaurant side of the business La Oficina.

It soon became one of my regular stops. Juliana prepared pleasant pub food dishes (both sandwiches and full meals) and they both played charismatic hosts to their primarily northern patrons. Live music was an additional draw -- for other customers.

When I moved to Barra de Navidad, I stepped out of the restaurant circuit for two reasons. The first was health-related. I wanted to start eating better. A constant barrage of restaurant dining was having obvious effects on my Alfred Hitchcock shadow.

The second reason was the architect-designed kitchen in my new house. The kitchen was supposed to be hers -- and it had that look. Both attractive and efficient. It was a far more pleasant place to spend time than in a restaurant dining room.

As most of you already know, the vast majority of northern visitors to Navidad Bay are Canadian. Last year, at the request of their government, a large portion of them left early. That left businesses who depend on their custom short of revenue.

This year, far fewer tourists returned to the area because of the virus. Once again, the Canadian government has urged its citizens home with some rather draconian measures if they do not return soon. A lot have. Once again, businesses reliant on northern trade are feeling the pinch.

I decided to visit Aaron and Juliana last week to get a feel for what is happening with their business. (I had already talked with three other restaurant owners who have seen a drastic drop-off in revenue -- even those restaurants who have successfully attracted Mexican tourists. Mexican tourism is down, as well.) It was obvious that La Oficina was feeling the same pinch. I was the sole customer the afternoon I visited.

The food was as good as it always is. Better yet, my conversations with Aaron and Juliana picked up as if we had seen one another the day before. In an attempt to diversify, Juliana has developed a series of condiments and dressings customers can take home to use in their kitchens.

I suppose the virus is at the crux of the empty restaurant syndrome. There are still quite a few northerners in town who have decided they would prefer to ride out the virus here rather in their home countries. But "riding out the virus" tends to keep a person housebound.

Here is my suggestion, and it is worth every centavo you have paid for it. By nature, I would prefer staying home whether or not there is a virus riding herd on our immunity. It is my way.

But, I have forced myself to get up and out of the house to meet new people and to talk with people I have known for years. That means visiting restaurants I have not been to for some time. I intend to do that. And to spend generously.

If you are not inclined to eat at your favorite dining spots, most restaurants are now providing take-out service. That may be a better option for you. Personally, I prefer dining out. I would rather cook than eat take-out.

My point is that there are plenty of good eating places in the area. If you have enjoyed those restaurants, either pay a visit or, if you wish to avoid contact with other people, order a meal to take home or to eat at the beach. You will enjoy it -- and the owners will appreciate your business.

And, I suspect, wherever you go, everybody will know your name.