FOOD WITHOUT FLICKS

Eden Bar’s Food and Beverage Manager Darren Shakespeare (left) says, “Everyone is pushing for outside dining — and Eden Bar obviously fits right into that niche since we’re exclusively outside.” Chef Marcus Mahone (right) has added a handful of elevated menu options available only outdoors.

FOOD BOLSTERS A CHERISHED CINEMA

During the pandemic, Enzian’s Eden Bar found just the recipe to keep the art-house theater vibrant: Offer outdoor dining for those who aren’t also seeing a flick.

BY RONA GINDIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAFAEL TONGOL

Admit it. You fretted about the potential impact of COVID-19 on your health — as most all of us did — then worried about how the virus would impact your job. Would you still have a job? And if so, would you be required to work from home forever?

Peripheral concerns also crossed your mind, such as what the persistent pandemic would mean for your favorite local hangouts — particularly Maitland’s cherished Enzian Theater. Well, it certainly crossed my mind.

The charming art-house cinema is universally acknowledged as a Central Florida treasure, with its off-center films and restful Eden Bar. But, like most businesses and nonprofits, Enzian — which closed from late March to early June last year — has struggled to offer new ways to deliver content and remain viable.

Watch-at-home options and limited in-person seating have allowed a return of the eclectic flicks for which the theater is known — although it may be a while before 200 guests at a time can once again gather at their favorite tables for a screening and a meal.

Enzian is alive and well not because people are suddenly flocking to movies — but in large part because of the food. Those flatbreads and chicken fingers we ordered showing after showing? Such familiar staples, plus spirited beverages and a few new menu items, have allowed fans of the theater to contribute to its coffers without ever stepping inside the building.

Enzian is located on three acres, and its open-air Eden Bar has occupied part of the hilly outdoor expanse since 2008. Moviegoers have long met up around the bar and at outlying tables, before films or after, for drinks or meals in a congenial and relaxing environment.

Now, the alfresco food service establishment is a destination on its own, regardless of what’s on the marquee. Many guests show up for the express purpose of eating, attracted by the outdoor setting and the sprawling space that allows for easy social distancing. The restaurant, for now, is the tail wagging the dog.

“Everybody’s pushing for outside dining — and Eden Bar obviously fits right into that niche since we’re exclusively outside,” says Food and Beverage Manager Darren Shakespeare. “We were very fortunate to have enough space on the property to spread everything out very quickly.”

Still, we won’t call Eden Bar a hot spot since the term connotes unseemly crowds, which you’re unlikely to encounter as of now. Yet, the eatery is emerging as a beacon of sorts for those who simply can’t stand another night at home but remain uneasy about indoor dining.

Naturally, then, the food operation is getting steadily busier. And why wouldn’t it? It’s just so darned pleasant — especially when the weather is temperate, as it is now.

Settle in and keep your mask handy for when the server approaches; that’s the only time you’ll need it. Other precautions: touchless menus accessed via QR codes and smart-

The drink vibe at Eden Bar is tropical, using infusions and fresh fruit juices. So why not throw caution to the wind and swap your pinot for a fruity Birds of Paradise, an Old Fashioned made with Kirk & Sweeney 23-year aged rum or a Freaky Tiki (front right), which consists of vodka infused with fresh jalapeños blended with guava, apricot, demerara sugar and lime juice?