For those looking for Vietnamese or Thai food, local favorite Basil’s Cafe has reopened after being closed for nearly a month due to a shortage of staff.
The reopening was announced on February 17 on the restaurant’s Facebook page to much fanfare. Their first day back was Thursday.
“Praise the Lord because I definitely missed my red curry,” one commenter said.
“That made my day,” said another.
The restaurant at 5130 Beatline Road in Long Beach was named one of the Sun Herald’s Top 15 New Restaurants for 2021 and has a 4.5/5 star rating on Google.
“Basil’s Cafe is hands down THE best restaurant I’ve ever eaten at,” one review read. “We will definitely be back for more of this absolutely amazing dining experience.”
Basil’s Cafe was one of many restaurants across the country that has faced a shortage of service industry workers since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Even as the pandemic has waned in recent months, restaurants have struggled to fill vacancies. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in November, a record one million restaurant and hospitality workers quit their jobs, reflecting a nationwide trend of American workers quitting their jobs. On the last day of December, there were just over 10.9 million job openings.
