23 restaurants certified compliant with anti-COVID-19 measures

A total of 23 restaurants are now allowed to offer dine-in services in the CNMI after being inspected and obtaining Bureau of Environmental Health certificates that allow them to do so.

The bureau, which is under the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., inspected these establishments and granted them certification of compliance on Monday, June 1, 2020. These inspections were in response to Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ latest amendment to the CNMI Emergency Directives of 2020. BEH credited the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisers and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce for their partnership in planning the certification requirements.

The certificate of compliance is a necessary measure to prepare restaurant and food service workers to deliver safe dining experiences for their customers, while also keeping themselves safe, and boosting consumer confidence to dine out.

Restaurants now certified for compliance during Community Vulnerability Level Yellow are:

• Aiko’s Ramen, Susupe
• American Pizza & Grill, Garapan
• Bistro Marianas, Chalan Kanoa
• Canton, Garapan
• Cha Café & Bistro, Garapan
• Godfather’s Bar (Restaurant Only), Garapan
• Gold Ribbon, Chalan Piao
• Latte Café, Garapan
• McDonald’s, Garapan
• McDonald’s, Chalan Lau Lau
• Naked Fish Bar & Grill (Restaurant Only), Garapan
• Nam Dae Moon, Garapan
• Jang Won, Garapan
• Kinpachi, Garapan
• Oleai Beach Bar & Grill, Oleai
• Piggy House, Chalan Lau Lau
• Pepoy’s Café, Chalan Kanoa
• Salty’s, Garapan
• Subway, Gualo Rai
• Subway, Chalan Piao
• Surf Club, Chalan Kanoa
• Zoom Café, Susupe
• Zoom Chicken, Susupe

Restaurants offering take-out services can operate with valid food handlers and sanitation permits. Restaurants looking to open for dine-in services are required to have additional certification of compliance issued by BEH.

A listing of restaurants open for dine-in service will be updated daily at the CHCC’s COVID-19 page on its website chcc.gov.mp.

While bars remain closed in level Yellow, restaurants and bars during all community vulnerability levels must adhere to the following:

• Enforce hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and use of face coverings by employees when near other employees and customers.
• Ensure adequate supplies to support healthy hand hygiene practices for both employees and customers.
• Provide physical guides, such as tape on floors or sidewalks to ensure that customers remain at least 6 feet apart in queues or ask customers to wait in their cars or away from the establishment while waiting to pick up food.
• Post signs on how to stop the spread of COVID-19, how to properly wash hands, provide notice that no one with symptoms will be permitted inside, and how to properly wear a face covering.
• Sample signage is available for download at https://www.chcc.gov.mp/coronavirusinformation.php
• Post “one-way” flow signs for entrance and “one-way” flow signs for exit to maintain crowd control.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
• Wash, rinse, and sanitize all surfaces which come in contact with food after each use.
• Send employees with symptoms home.
• Discontinue preset tables- condiments, utensils, and tableware removed from table.
• Ensure that all staff complete online ServSafe trainings specific to COVID-19 transmission reduction within one week of offering services.
• Restaurants which offer dine-in services during level Yellow must adhere to the following additional rules:
• Limit occupancy to 25% of their originally permitted occupancy limit.
• Require that patrons make reservations to control volume, and maintain records of one point ofcontact for each party for contact tracing purposes.
• Limit parties dining in together to no more than four people. All parties must remain at least six feet apart, and are encouraged to use outdoor seating whenever possible.
• Not offer self-service food or drinks, such as buffet style dining or beverage refill stations.

Restaurant owners can request an inspection for compliance certification online at the CHCC’s COVID-19 page at chcc.gov.mp or can call the CHCC BEH at 664-4870/2/3 between 7:30am and 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.

Restaurant patrons should look for posted certification of compliance with level Yellow requirements. Valid certificates of compliance are signed by BEH inspectors and include the restaurant’s sanitation permit number for reference. If you believe a restaurant is operating out of compliance with the rules, you may contact 664-4677 to alert regulators. The BEH may order an establishment to close if it is found to be non-compliant.

Restaurant patrons should plan to make reservations for dine-in service, limit parties to four people, and respect a 6-foot distance from other parties dining in. CHCC recommends that restaurant patrons choose outdoor seating if it’s available, and see if the restaurant will accept food orders ahead of time to reduce your wait time. (PR)