By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Dining in Greater Dandenong’s famous world-food precincts returned in a limited form on Wednesday 28 October.
Under the Covid-19 restriction’s Third Step, cafes, restaurants and pubs resumed indoor dining for up to 20 people and outdoor dining for up to 50.
The announcement came two days earlier after a Dandenong restauranter threatened to defy the lockdown.
Minid Khan, of Indian vegetarian eatery Honest Restaurant, was facing a $9913 fine by opening his restaurant doors despite the dining ban at the time.
“I will not jeopardise the hard work of all Victorians and the sacrifice of all those who have lost a loved one,” he said after the announcement.
“In the end it was the whole of Victoria that was suffering.
“I am going to have a good sleep tonight.”
The restaurant, which opened on 1 January, was Mr Khan’s long-held dream that turned sour when Covid-19 hit in March.
During months of serving just take-away orders, Mr Khan was making as little as $280 a week.
Since re-opening for dining, he was relieved to be “very busy”.
Initially, Mr Patel will be allowed to add three tables outside, on top of 20 patrons inside.
He’s applied but yet to receive money from City of Greater Dandenong and State Government grants totalling up to $7500.
They would barely cover the $30,000 bill for outdoor dining essentials such as umbrellas, partitions and heaters, he said.
Mr Patel said the council should build outdoor dining areas with either a roof or marquee such as in Chapel Street Prahran.
Springvale Central candidate and likely councillor-elect Richard Lim has proposed a similar idea in Buckingham Avenue, Springvale.
Baryalai Rahimi, who owns Rahimi Afghan Restaurant, has kept staff hibernating on the federal Jobkeeper program for months until he re-opened on 28 October.
It was a joy to welcome back customers, who were like “family”, he said.
Since March, he briefly served takeaway but it didn’t work. The restaurant has been closed 90 per cent of the time since.
“My concern was not about the business – it was that we were safe, secure and happy.”
Mr Rahimi praised City of Greater Dandenong and the state and federal governments for protecting people during the pandemic.
“This is not only something that’s just happened to the Australian public, it happened all over the world.
“Australia is the luckiest country and Australians are the luckiest people.”
