The renowned seafood restaurant from Rhode Island, Matunuck Oyster Bar, has reopened more than a month after being forced to close due to a horrific fire, although with a temporary tent.
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According to The Providence Journal, the soft reopening was held Monday in an outside area with high-tops, bar seating, and numerous tables. The actual location of Mantunuck, which restaurant owner Perry Raso stated he expects would reopen in May of next year, is located only across the street from the outdoor dining establishment.
Several state and municipal leaders attended the soft opening, including Governor Dan McKee, who signed legislation for Matunuck Oyster Bar, or MOB, to temporarily function as an outdoor dining establishment. According to the Rhode Island Current, the Take It Outside rule permits all restaurants in Rhode Island to operate outdoors for a minimum of 18 months in the event that their main building is damaged by a fire or flood. To do so, the eateries would have to obtain municipal approval and adhere to health and safety standards.
In a statement sent to Boston.com, Raso said, “The community’s support has encouraged me to rebuild as quickly as possible while maintaining our goal of providing excellent food and service and continuous improvement.” I hope to see you all under the tent this summer, but I’m looking forward to opening MOB 2.0 next year.
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For the outside dining setup, Raso managed to retain 75 of his 300 employees; nonetheless, aGoFundMe continues to generate funds for both restaurant recovery and unemployed staff.
Reservations can be made in advance, and meals are served at the temporary location every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Ordering takeout is an additional option.
In order to market the fresh oysters from his Matunuck Oyster Farm, Raso founded MOB in 2009. The South Kingstown eatery has since won multiple awards, including a spot on USA Today’s 2024 list of the greatest restaurants. It has also been included in best-of lists from various national magazines, such as Time Out and The New York Times.
For Boston.com, Katelyn Umholtz writes about cuisine and dining establishments. In addition, Katelyn writes a weekly food newsletter called The Dish.
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