Fairfield's Flipside Burgers & Bar Is Thriving In The Pandemic

FAIRFIELD, CT — It's no secret that the coronavirus pandemic has been devastating to a lot of small businesses, particularly restaurants.

But some are thriving, such as Fairfield's Flipside Burgers & Bar, which faced challenges during the early weeks of the pandemic, but has "figured out a rhythm for serving take-out only." The restaurant also has a location in Milford.

Patch interviewed owner and operator Mike Baffa to get a handle on what has worked during the fight against COVID-19, and what advice he would give other restaurants that might be struggling.

Overall, how was business this summer during the pandemic?
Back in early March we started to learn that there might be some interruptions to our business due to the onslaught of COVID-19. However, we did not anticipate that overnight we would have to figure out how to support our staff and keep them and their families safe from contracting the illness, pay bills and feed our customers – all at the same time.

We adapted as quickly as possible to the guidelines set out by Governor Lamont and the health department and began serving curbside take-out. This was made possible by the incredible support of our loyal customers and hardworking staff that went above and beyond the call of duty. My business definitely took a hit in March and part of April, but once we figured out a rhythm for serving take-out only, the business started to run more smoothly.

Did you encounter any problems with patrons who refused to adhere to social distancing/mask protocols?
The health and safety of our employees, customers and vendors remain our top priority. We have been fortunate enough to have our customers follow the rules as it pertains to mask wearing and social distancing guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. There have been rare instances where a customer showed defiance of the rules and we would ask politely to comply and that usually took care of the issue. We also stipulate that a patron has to wear a mask whether they are inside or outside if they stand up and walk around. They are only allowed to take off masks while sitting at the table.

With inside capacity increasing, how many tables/patrons will be allowed inside Flipside after Oct. 8?
I do not think our indoor dining experience will change much as a result of Phase 3 allowing for an increased capacity at restaurants like ours. The reason being that we still have to comply with the 6-foot social distancing rules. So, although prior to the pandemic we could legally host up to 140 people in our restaurant and bar, there is still no way to increase table space when we all need to stay further apart.

Did the pandemic spur you to create any new dishes? What were the restaurant's most popular dishes during the pandemic?
We did not create a new dish specifically for the pandemic but we have noticed that people are ordering more of a variety of our specialty sirloin burgers than before the pandemic hit. The most popular burger on the menu since lockdown has been the Mac 'N Cheeseburger with grilled mac 'n cheese, bacon, cheese sauce and fresh Pico de Gallo. I think that's popular because people are looking for comfort food that they normally wouldn’t cook at home.

Another fan favorite is our Monterey Blue Burger with Monterey blue cheese, caramelized onions, and apricot chutney. That is another burger that is in high demand.

What advice would you give other restaurants that might be struggling to weather the pandemic?
My advice to other restauranteurs is make sure to keep your quality of food service up and work at keeping your staff safe and happy. Our success right now boils down to keeping our staff happy and their willingness to work in a job that could possibly expose themselves to the virus because we are serving people who are not wearing masks while at the table and the servers are conversing with them. If I have an employee who says they are not comfortable serving people without masks, I find them something else to do in the back or have the busboys serve the food if they are willing to do it. I am grateful for having a dedicated staff and we make sure the food is always fresh and prepared daily and fight the good fight.