Court Rules That LA County’s On-Site Dining Ban Can Stay in Place Until February 2021

California’s Second District Court of Appeal allowed LA County officials to continue its ban on outdoor dining yesterday, stating they can do so until at least early February. This decision leaves the decision up to county officials and supersedes the state rules, writes the Los Angeles Times.

The last two months saw busy activity concerning indoor dining in LA. As cases began to surge throughout the region, LA County rolled back outdoor dining for three weeks on November 25. A lawsuit by the California Restaurant Association and local restaurants followed, who hoped to block the ban.

But on December 2, L.A. County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant gave public health officials one week to make a data-driven case as to why restaurants should temporarily cease on-site dining. That early December period also saw considerably fewer coronavirus infection rates. As of December 29, the daily number of infected LA residents was 11,806.

The appellate court also noted that LA County is also no longer required to conduct Judge Chalfant’s risk-benefit analysis to prove that restaurants caused a spike in COVID-19 cases. LA County officials are applauding the decision. The next hearing is on Februrary 10.

In other news:

• In Covina, a confrontation between Bread & Barley owner and a county health inspector was caught on camera. Owner Carlos Roman blocked the inspectors car while police got involved. It’s all captured on the Bread & Barley Facebook page.

• LAist interviewed the owners of Boyle Heights thriving new queer bar Noa Noa Place.
• Dave Beran’s Pasjoli launched a new subscription service. Bakery boxes with pastry start at $35, a $38 French spirits club includes three two ounce pours of French spirits, while $65 gets two French wines every month. Subscribe here.
• La Scala — the restaurant that was blasted for hosting an underground New Years Eve dinner — backtracked yesterday, claiming the outdoor event was a misunderstood joke, according to the LA Times.
• For New Years Eve, Tsubaki has prepared a take-home soba dinner kit. The $140 for two meal includes a sashimi salad, shumai with scallop and black truffle, buckwheat noodles with sea urchin, salmon roe, and soba broth, and of course, mochi. Order online.
• Appeals court allows L.A. County dining ban to remain in place until at least February [LAT]