Wednesday, October 09, 2013

They even closed the Cliff House.

Landmark SF restaurant on government land closes.

I've lived here most of my life - I didn't know the Cliff House was on Federal Land. I've even been there a few times and I didn't know. It's just a restaurant at the edge of a cliff like many others in Santa Cruz or Monterrey or even Half Moon Bay. It's pretty swank actually. Look at the hit they are taking.

A landmark restaurant that has been a San Francisco fixture for 150 years has become a casualty of the federal government shutdown, putting more than 170 people out of work.

Cliff House, a private establishment, is perched atop the cliffs overlooking Ocean Beach and Seal Rocks. It has drawn tourists and locals alike since it opened in 1863 with its spectacular views and menu items like spinach ricotta pine nut ravioli and baked Alaskan halibut filet.

But as a concessionaire of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area, which is operated by the National Park Service, it has been forced to shutter its doors for the duration of the gridlock in Washington.

Last week, the restaurant closed for four days but defiantly reopened Monday. On Tuesday afternoon, however, federal authorities again ordered it to close.

"We just have to follow the orders from Washington," said Kevin Weber, Cliff House's executive chef.

The restaurant's owners, Dan and Mary Hountalas, said they are going to suffer losses of $10,000 per day for each day that the shutdown is in effect.

2 comments:

  1. In light of the fact that PMB's powers-that-be have orders to hurt people as much as possible (never let a good crisis go to waste!), I'm not surprised. Cessation of death benefit payments to families of fallen soldiers, tourists temporarily held like prisoners in Yellowstone Park by armed park rangers, and now the Cliff House forced to close -- it's a PRIVATE f*cking business, for Pete's sake. It's infuriating.

    PM

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  2. Yeah. It really is. I try to make myself feel a little better by thinking most of the staff probably voted for President Money Bags.

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