WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – For almost two years, Paul Kalt has been providing a high-end resort experience in the heart of West Hollywood at his restaurant Conservatory.
“A place that when you came up here you left the worries of the city behind,” said Kalt.
And now he wants guests to leave the worries of coronavirus behind when coming to dine in at the completely outdoor facility. Along with social distancing and COVID safety measures, you won’t see four walls here.
“Having protection and safety is one thing, but also the experience of giving people a sense of normalcy where they don’t have to constantly be thinking about COVID,” said Kalt.
This also helps the restaurant stay open amid restrictions Los Angeles County has put on indoor dining for at least three weeks.
“The industry has been hit in a way that it never has before and it’s a very difficult and challenging time; however, we are fortunate in a way that we do have all this outdoor space. We are trying to provide the community with a place where they can come and feel secure with a lot of fresh air and spaced away from people,” said Kalt.
The owner goes a step further in separating guests by building partitions to keep tables private, while blocking groups from each other. But he didn’t want to just put up plexiglass or plastic curtains, he wanted to continue to offer an elevated experience.
“Conservatory has always been known for being a place that has been architecturally and design forward. We wanted to do something to incorporate the beauty of the restaurant,” said Kalt.
His intention is for guests to feel safe and relaxed while dining on their cafe, high-end menu. Kalt says he has seen more customers coming out since the indoor ruling was announced.
“Business is good under the circumstances, but it’s not to the levels it was pre-COVID. I think people like to go out in the day rather than the evening,” said Kalt.
So, Conservatory has been focusing on a new café menu with breakfast and lunch dishes to accommodate the current restaurant climate, while complying with health guidelines.
“Everyone has their own comfort level and needs to do what’s best for them, but what I can tell you is that here at Conservatory we are doing whatever we can to provide a safe and comfortable environment,” said Kalt.