Restaurant Week
Posted by in FoodLast night Mr. MarthaAndMe and I went out to dinner to take advantage of Restaurant Week. This is a wonderful Buffalo-area promotion (also happening in Pittsburgh) that encourages people to get out and try restaurants they normally would not go to. Dinners are $20.10 per person (some restaurants are even doing 2 for $20.10) and most include 2-3 courses. Each restaurant puts together a special restaurant week menu. We went to Le Metro, a restaurant we’d never tried before. It was completely filled on a Thursday night so I think restaurant week is working. We were given some restaurant made bread and a garlic and white bean spread for it which was tasty and light. Mr. MarthaAndMe started with the salad which had green beans, hardboiled egg, purple potatoes, red onion and olive in it. Very nice. I had corned beef soup which tasted mostly like beef soup. For entrees, he had lobster mac and cheese which was served in a hot skillet. Elbow mac with white cheeses and pieces of lobster made it very rich and delicious. I had spring roasted chicken with strawberry champagne sauce. This was lovely and came with rice and green beans. Dessert was creme brulee for the Mr. and chocolate mousse for me. The brulee was very nice with a crunchy top. My mousse was a disaster and had to be sent back. It was grainy and thick. I asked if there was another batch and fortunately there was, so my replacement mousse was excellent. For $40.20 plus tax and tip, this was a very affordable meal and a fun weeknight outing. I’m just upset that we don’t have time to try out more options – however restaurant week runs through Sunday. Wouldn’t this be a great idea to drive business to restaurants in your area?
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I love restaurant week – it always gives me a chance to explore new places that I wouldn’t ordinarily go to. sounds like you had a yummy dinner!
They do this in Denver, except dinner for 2 at various places is $52.80 (because Denver is one mile or 5280 above sea level). We’ve never done taken part, but it is a great idea.
We really need this on the Outer Cape. Restaurants have been hurting bad during the recession this winter.
You’re connected out there – you should suggest it. It just started here last year here and the price was $20.09. Next year I assume it will be $20.11. It’s causing quite a buzz in our area and it helps that there is a web site with most restaurants listed with their menu. I have noticed some other area restaurants advertising a $20.10 special on their signs but they didn’t make it onto the web site. I suspect they caught on late and wanted to be on the bandwagon. I preferred being able to browse the menus online and decide what I wanted so I could make a good choice. From what I’ve heard, the restaurants have been packed all week. It ends on Sunday and I’m going to talk Mr. MarthaAndMe into taking me to the Dessert Deli, which has a dessert buffet for $20.10 for two. Oh my! They might want to rethink that bargain price after I’m done there!
Cool concept & not one I’m familiar with. Do you know if it’s happening in the San Francisco Bay Area?
No, I don’t. The web site that our local restaurant week is on has Pittsburgh as another city, but I don’t know about other locales. I think it’s a great idea though and one that I hope takes hold in other areas.
Neat idea. We rarely eat out, but will if we have a chance to try somewhere new for a good deal.
We also have this program in Denver – and it’s become so popular, they extended it to two weeks this year. Still, I tend to stick with old favorites. Thanks for the reminder to try new places to eat!
Hello everyone, Thank you for all the kind comments. We got behind this concept to celebrate the great local restaurants that contribute to our local culture. We run the event every spring and fall during traditional slow weeks to help spur traffic to the restaurants. We have created a “turn Key”package to help other cities do the same if they are so inclined. The cost fot the restaurants is minimal and we had a couple small sponsors to help cover the costs. Hope this helps.
Thanks Rick. I didn’t realize it was spring and fall. I can’t wait to do it again in the fall!
We tend to have a handful of places we frequent too, but lately I’ve been trying to go new places. Last weekend we went to a terrific very old restaurant that kind of epitomizes old Buffalo, called Eckl’s. (they don’t have a web site, but here’s the newspaper review: http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/03/05/977621/beef-up-at-eckls.html). It was such fun and great food. I felt like I was eating at my grandma’s when the relish tray came out! I never would have tried the place we went to for Restaurant Week, but now I would definitely go back there.
they don’t do it where I live, but I’ve come across it in other cities when on the road — Boston comes to mind, and I think Baltimore and/or DC. seesm as though it’d be a great idea for any size town or city, really.
Do you know about the 3/50 Project? http://the350project.net They’ve just launched an “eat down the street” campaign: http://www.the350project.net/eat_down_the_street.html
Thanks for sharing! I didn’t know about this, but it is a great idea.
We have Restaurant Week in Bosotn, it’s $20.09 for lunch and $30.09 for dinner. Once you had on tax, tip, and drinks, it can get pricey, but I do enjoy checking out new-to-me restaurants!
That is a lot pricier! Many of the dinners here include a drink with it.
We do have restaurant week where I live, I need to try it. Great idea. By the way, I love the idea purple potatoes–and the lobster mac ‘n cheese. Sounds heavenly.
Restaurant Week happened in OC a few months ago. I liked hearing about new restaurants and what others had to say about them.
what a fantastic idea! I want to share this with city officials and restauranteurs in my town in Oregon.