Iowa City police have been spending more time in local restaurants — but not necessarily for dinner.

Although restaurants typically see fewer police checks for underage drinking than bars, many eateries have experienced an increase in police visits so far this year. Still, the restaurants’ numbers don’t reach the legal limit on PAULAS, the point at which police can start serving them trouble.

The PAULA policy, which went into effect July 1, requires Iowa City Police Chief Sam Hargadine to recommend that the City Council deny the liquor-license renewal if an alcohol-selling establishment exceeds a ratio of 1.0 underage-drinking ticket per police visit.

This rule, though, only applies to those establishments that have police checking them 18 times.

Takanami Restaurant, 291 Iowa Ave., has seen police dole out three PAULAs — leaving the establishment with a 1.5 ratio. But it has only had two visits.

During the same eight-month period in 2008, the restaurant saw no police visits.

Similarly, Formosa Asian Cuisine and Sake Bar, 221 E. College St., saw zero visits in 2008, but police have swept the restaurant six times so far this year, handing out five PAULAs.

They’ve also checked other restaurants — including Sam’s Pizza Inc., 414 S. Gilbert St., and Sanctuary Restaurant & Pub, 405 S. Gilbert St. — numerous times this year, but records show no activity within the same time frame last year.

George Etre, who owns Takanami, said he hasn’t noticed more customers wearing badges.

Nevertheless, in his restaurant, he tries to separate the food from the drink.

“We try not to do anything bar-orientated,” he said. “We try to not to have people there too late and focus more on the food aspect of the business.”

But the restaurant also sells alcohol.

UI sophomore Dave Myers said drinking is just as easy to do in a restaurant as a bar.

While underage drinkers may find it less difficult to get served at a restaurant, some students say they stay away from eateries because bars are cheaper.

“Fewer people go to restaurants because we’re poor college kids who don’t have money to go out and eat,” said UI sophomore Jake Winter.

And though some restaurants may be seeing a jump in police visits, bars remain the primary targets of Iowa City’s finest — some of whom were undergoing training this week and were unavailable for comment.

For example, the Union, 121 E. College, had 51 police visits in the past year.

Some bar owners think the discrepancy between alcohol-establishment and restaurant visits could be the effect of an understaffed police department.

“I don’t know if they have the man power to do every establishment eighteen times,” Etre said.

Such a feat would amount to roughly 2,000 sweeps to account for every licensed liquor vendor.

“In a perfect world, everything should be checked fairly,” Etre said.

His bar Et Cetera, 118 S. Dubuque St., along with another establishment, 3rd Base Sports Bar, 111 E. College St., were the first to face city councilors under the license-renewal guidelines on July 28; both were denied.

Next week, though, they will appeal they city’s nonrenewals to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverage Association when state officials will decide their fate.