WINED & DINED » Restaurant Year

200 Restaurants Extend NYC Restaurant Week Through Sept. 5th

Andy — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:28:17 +0000

In what is surprising news for exactly no one, close to 200 restaurants have extended Restaurant Week ($24.07 lunch/$35 dinner) through Sept. 5th. Do you think these extensions dilute the appeal of Restaurant Week? Our best bets of those extending for dinner include 21 Club, The Capital Grille, Colicchio & Sons Tap Room, David Burke Kitchen, David Burke Townhouse, Le Cirque, 10 Downing, Pera Mediterranean Brasserie and SHO Shaun Hergatt. Our best bets of those extending for lunch include Aldea, Ai Fiori, DBGB and Lincoln Ristorante.

Restaurant Week May Be Over, But the Fixe is In

Andy — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:44:46 +0000

Though many restaurants extended their menus through Labor Day, Summer Restaurant Week is officially over. But by the looks of this list, the Unofficial Autumn Restaurant Week Season has only just begun:

21 Club — Offering three-course prix-fixe lunch ($24) and dinner ($35) thru at least October 31st.

Allegretti – Offering a 3 course prix-fixe for $39 everyday.

Apiary — 3-course prix-fixe for $35 Sun-Thurs and Monday nights are BYO

Aroma Kitchen & Wine Bar – 5-course Chef Tasting Prix-Fixe Menu for $35 (an additional $25 for wine pairings) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Asiate (a Zagat “House Special”) — $45 three-course prix fixe “Taste of Fall” menu through December 21st on Mon-Sat from 6-7:45pm ($30 additional for wine pairing)

Aurora – 3 course $40 prix fixe with wine pairing included on Monday nights.

Bar Bao – Offering a $28 3-course prix-fixe dinner every Sunday starting at 5pm.

Bar Boulud – Offering “Endless Weekend” Sunday night 2-course prix-fixe for $35. Wines from $8 by glass or $24 by bottle.

Beacon — Featuring some new menu items on a 3-course prix-fixe lunch for $29 and a 3-course prix-fixe dinner for $42.

Belleville Bistro (Park Slope) — Offering a 5-course tasting menu every night of the week for $30.

Bondi Road — Offering the Beach Blanket Special everyday – 2 courses and glass of wine for $20.

Brasserie – To celebrate 50th anniversary, offering a special 3-course prix-fixe “$19.59 After 9pm” menu. Also, get a bottle of Bordeaux wine to go with your dinner for just $19.59.

Compass — Offering a $35 3 course Fall Prix-Fixe menu.

DB Bistro Moderne – Offering 3-course prix-fixe Sunday brunch for $39 — comes with complimentary mimosa or bloody mary.

Del Posto — Offering an off-the-menu $35 4-course prix fixe in the Enoteca every night but Saturday. Have to ask for it.

Dovetail — Offering a $38 Sunday Suppa.

Eighty One — Eco(nomy)-Friendly Menu gets you an appetizer + entree for $30.81 (extra appetizer just $8.10).

The Four Seasons — Still offering the 50th Anniversary 3-course $59 prix fixe menu.

Grimaldi’s (Queens location) — Offering 3-course lunch special for 2 for $18 — comes with 2 Beers/Wines/Sodas, 1 Small Salad to Share, 1 Small Pizza w/Topping, 2 Coffees, and 2 Small Cannoli.

Hearth — Offering an Autumn tasting menu (3 courses for $35). The tasting menu is 3 set items, no choices. Don’t forget about their 3-course pig roasts for $42 that will be taking place every Tuesday night through the Fall.

La Grenouille – This could be the deal of the century! Before 6:30 and again after 9pm on Mon-Sat, La Grenouille is offering a 3-course prix-fixe for just $49 and it is just an additional $21 to add a 3-wine pairing.

La Sirene — Offering a $27, 3 course prix-fixe from 5-7PM (BYOB & cash-only)

Les Sans Culottes — Offering a 3-course lunch prix-fixe for $16.50 and a 3-course dinner prix-fixe with free glass of wine for $25.

Knife + Fork — Offering a 3-course tasting menu for $24 ($45 with wine pairing) and a 6-course tasting for $45 ($85 with pairing).

Jo’s – Offering a Sunday Supper $21 for three courses and a featured wine for $21 a bottle.

Jo Jo — Offering an Autumn Promotion — a $38 4 course dinner prix fixe and a $26 lunch prix-fixe. (Sun-Thurs from 5:30-6:30 and after 9:30)

Lupa — Special late-night dining $26 3-course prix fixe that comes with a glass of wine.

Marea — Offering a Le Collezione prix fixe menu at the Crudo Bar — six crudi, five small portions of pasta, and dessert for $125.

Matsugen – Offering a $38 multi-course dinner prix fixe and a $26 lunch prix-fixe.

Megu Midtown — Offering $24 lunch prix fixe 365 days a year.

Mercer Kitchen – Offering an Autumn Promotion — a $38 4 course dinner prix fixe and a $26 lunch prix-fixe. (Mon-Thurs at 6pm and again from 10-12am; Sun from 5:30-6 and 9:30-11pm)

Milos Estiatorio — Offering a $24 Restaurant Week-esque 3-course prix fixe all year long.

Momofuku Noodle Bar -- Offering a 4-course prix-fixe dinner for $45 and 2-course prix-fixe lunch for $20.

Momofuku Ssam – Offering a 3-course lunch prix-fixe for $25.

Nougatine (front dining area of Jean-Georges) — Offering a $38 4 course dinner prix fixe.

The Oak Room – Offering a $45 3-course Pre-Theatre menu prix-fixe which is available Sun-Sat between 5:30-7pm.

Olana — Offering a four course pasta tasting menu for $35.

Ouest – Offering 2 course prix-fixe dinner for $29 or 3 course prix-fixe dinner for $34 Mon-Fri before 6:30pm and after 9pm.

Palo Santo (Park Slope) — Offering a 3-course prix-fixe menu for $25 every night.

Parlor Steakhouse — Offering a 3-course prix-fixe menu w/ steak for $35 Tuesday-Sunday 5:30-7:00pm and Monday all night. Also, select bottles of wine are 50% off on Monday nights.

Perry St. — Offering a $38 4 course dinner prix fixe and a $26 lunch prix-fixe. (Sun-Fri 5:30-6:30 and after 9:30)

Po — Offering a 3-course prix-fixe for $28 until 7:00pm Mon-Thurs.

Porter House NY — Offering 3-course $24 lunch prix fixe and $35 dinner prix fixe year round.

Sapori d’Ischia – Offering a White Truffle 3-course tasting for just $50 beginning Tuesday, October 6th.

SHO Shaun Hergatt – Offering a $30 3-Course Lunch Prix-Fixe with signature items that will be changing weekly.

Sojourn – Offering a 3-course $35 prix fixe dinner special Sun-Wed that includes a wine pairing with every course.

Spice Market — Offering 5-course, 10-Flavors Tasting Prix-Fixe for $48.

The Sunburnt Cow — Offering the “Counter Meal” 3-course prix-fixe everyday for $16.

Tao – Offering $24 Restaurant Week lunch prix-fixe all year long.

Telepan – $39 for 3 course prix-fixe (served until 6:30 Mon-Thurs).

Tony’s di Napoli — Through October, offering 3-course prix-fixe for 2 people for just $19.95. Monday-Thursday 3pm-5pm. Includes Caesar salad, entree, coffee and dessert.

Vamos! — Offering a tasting menu for $15.

Via Emilia — Offering a 4-course prix-fixe for $25 on Wednesday nights (plus you get 4 glasses of Lambrusco).

Vong – Offering an Autumn Promotion — a $38 4 course dinner prix fixe and a $26 lunch prix-fixe.

The Water Club – Offering a 3-course lobster feast prix-fixe for $35; Lobster Bisque or Lobster Salad, Whole Lobster – steamed or broiled (deshelled tableside), Key Lime Pie or Ice Cream.

Bar Boulud Introduces “Endless Weekend” $35 3-Course Menus

Andy — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:39:05 +0000

Just got an email from Bar Boulud in our inbox about their “Endless Weekend” 3-course menus offered on Sunday and Monday nights. Last week, Bar Boulud extended its Restaurant Week lunch menu along with everyon else. So, what this basically means is that Bar Boulud is now offering Restaurant Week for dinner, too, but just on Sunday and Monday nights. Also nice that they are offering bottles of vino for as little as $24 a pop and glasses of vino for $8.

Some Non-Extending Restaurant Week Spots Are Offering Their Own Special Menus & Deals

Andy — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:02:54 +0000

I think we’ve found a reason that some restaurants decided not to extend Summer Restaurant Week through Labor Day with the rest of the pack. It’s because they had some other, perhaps more imaginative, ideas up their sleeves. Take August (Bleecker b/t Charles & w. 10th) for example. August is celebrating the late summer harvest and regional European culinary and cultural festivals with a month of special menus and beverage selections it is calling “August at August”. This week (Aug 3-9) it’s London, Great Britain and the celebration of the Great British Beer Festival, the biggest beer festival in the world. August is featuring grilled bangers, braised lamb shoulder pie, monkfish n’ chips and several special beer selections. Check out the menu here (scroll down). Then there’s A Voce (Madison @ 26th), who in lieu of Restaurant Week, has come up with a prix-fixe lunch series based on the diverse regions of Italy. The 3-course, $29 menu will change every two weeks to cover a different region’s cuisine. First up, Sicilia, with menu items such as tonno crudo, rabbit sausage with cous cous, almonds and golden raisins and spaghetti with sardines. More specials, including Rock Center Cafe, Asiate and The Oak Room….Rock Center Cafe is taking advantage of tomato season by offering a special Tomato Festival menu, and is also offering a Nova Scotia Lobster Festival menu and a BBQ Dinner menu. While Asiate (The Mandarin Oriental) is no longer offering its Restaurant Week lunch menu, it is offering between 6-8pm through September 21st a special three-course Taste of Summer menu for $45, together with an optional $30 wine pairing. And while The Oak Room has decided to extend their Restaurant Week lunch prix-fixe, they didn’t stop there. The Oak Room in The Plaza Hotel is also offering a $45 3-course Pre-Theatre menu which is available Sunday through Saturday between 5:30-7pm. It features some great menu items, such as tomato & fennel soup with a robiola “grilled cheese” sandwich and a madai snapper with heirloom tomato salad & watermelon-crab beignets.

Perilla Extends $35 Special Summer Prix-Fixe Menu Through 9/7

Andy — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:55:15 +0000

While not an official Summer Restaurant Week participant, we got news today that Perilla (Jones St b/t 4th and Bleecker) is extending the offer of its special summer prix fixe menu Sunday-Friday evenings until Labor Day- Monday, September 7th. They are offering a 3-course prix fixe menu for $35 per person. Check out the menu here. We’ve been hearing great things from people who have been recently. Call 212-929-6868 to make reservations.

So, Who’s Not Extending Restaurant Week Through Labor Day?

Andy — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:43:13 +0000

It was made official this past Friday, but we all pretty much knew it was coming — Summer Restaurant Week ’09 has been extended through Labor Day. NYC & Co. tells us that 215 restaurants have signed on for the extension, but some of the Restaurant Week stalwarts, like Park Avenue Summer and The Modern (Bar Room), decided not to extend – here are the others:

A Voce / August / Convivio / Alfama (because it’s closing) / Asiate / Bice / Central Park Boathouse / City Crab & Seafood / Craftbar / Dawat / DBGB / Del Posto / EN Japanese Bistro / ‘Esca / Gotham Bar & Grill / Japonais / Le Colonial / Maloney & Porcelli / Mesa Grill / Park Avenue Summer / Payard (because it’s closing) / Quality Meats / Rock Center Cafe / Ruby Foo’s / Smith & Wollensky / Tabla / The River Cafe / Vento / Wildwood BBQ / 5 Ninth

Confirmed: Del Posto Offers a Year-Round, Off-the-Menu $35 4-Course Prix Fixe Dinner (Except Saturdays)

Andy — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:07:24 +0000

I was a bit confused yesterday after reading this piece on Gael Greene’s Insatiable Critic website about her recent Summer Restaurant Week dinner at Del Posto. A quick glance at the official NYC & Company Restaurant Week website shows that Del Posto is only participating in Summer Restaurant Week for lunch. Was the Insatiable confusing Del Posto’s surreptitious $35 4-course prix fixe served in the Enoteca with Summer Restaurant Week? A call to the restaurant confirmed my suspicions. Del Posto offers a $35 4-course prix fixe menu year-round in the Enoteca on every day but Saturday (some websites have it only on Wed-Fri), but it’s not a Restaurant Week menu. We had previously heard about the Enoteca $35 deal on Eater back in February, but there was some confusion about when it was offered and for how long. I guess the thing is if they “officially” participated in Summer Restaurant Week for dinner then they wouldn’t be able to get away with failing to inform diners about the $35 prix fixe option. The way it works is that (i) everyone in your party has to order off of the prix fixe menu, (ii) everyone selects their own appetizer, entree and dessert from the options, and (iii) everyone jointly agrees upon one pasta selection for the table to share. If you’re looking for “bang for your buck” value during these tough times and don’t mind a glare or two from your server, then this has to be one of the best deals in the city. To keep up with Del Posto’s updates on Twitter, click here.

Union Square Cafe Offering an Under-the-Radar ‘Pseudo-Restaurant Week’ $24 Prix Fixe Lunch This Week

Andy — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:26:59 +0000

We previously reported that certain of the Union Square Hospitality Group restaurants (Eleven Madison Park, Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern) were not officially participating in Summer Restaurant Week. We just learned that each of these restaurants is actually doing their own version of a Restaurant Week prix fixe lunch and is contributing $1 to City Harvest for each guest that orders off of the $24 three-course prix fixe menu. This week it’s Union Square Cafe’s turn. Through July 24th, USC will be offering the Union Square Cafe City Harvest Lunch for $24. We hear Eleven Madison Park will be offering the $24 3-course City Harvest Lunch from July 27-31. The full menu for Union Square Cafe appears after the jump…

Appetizers

Chilled Melon Soup with Basil and Mascarpone

Housemade Mozzarella and Tomato Bruschetta

Chopped Summer Vegetable-Toasted Farro Salad with Citronette and Aged Feta

Orecchiette with Migliorelli Farm Broccoli Rabe, Garlic, Chili and Pork Fennel Sausage

Main Courses

Broiled Florida Shrimp & Sweet Corn Grits with Warm Bacon, Green Onion and Red Pepper Vinaigrette

Seared Tuna Involtini

Niçoise with Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad

Chicken Milanese, Tuscan Summer Squash-Arugula Salad with Rosemary, Pecorino and Toasted Walnuts

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

Desserts

Flourless Lemon Cake with Greenmarket Berries and Mascarpone

Blueberry Ice Cream Soda with Sugar Cookies

Mint Chocolate Chip Semifreddo

Peach Tart with Almond Gelato

alla Porchetta with Braised Market Greens

Several Non-Restaurant Week Participants Are Stepping it Up With Some Under $35 Prix-Fixe Dinner Deals

Andy — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:16:23 +0000

With so much attention on the 250+ Summer Restaurant Week participants, several non-participating RW restaurants are offering fantastic prix-fixe deals to make sure they don’t get overlooked:

Smorgas Chef (all 4 locations) — Through August 9, offering a 4-course prix fixe for $35 that includes your choice of aquavit, a glass of wine or Carlsberg beer. Check out the menu here.

Aroma Kitchen & Winebar – Offering its “Frugal Feast” on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for $25 for three courses.

Broadway East — Through Labor Day, offering a $26 Greenmarket prix fixe special: 3 courses and a re-usable bag for market shopping.

Knife + Fork – Offering a three-course tasting menu for $24 (add $21 for wine pairing) in addition to a six-course menu for $45 (add $40 for wine pairing).

Gonzo — Offering a 3-course prix fixe for $30. And we hear the portions are huge.

Momoya — Offering a $23 3-course prix fixe dinner

Sofrito — Offering a “Summer Under Twenty” special Mon-Wed between 5 and 8 pm for the rest of the summer – includes a cocktail, entrée, and dessert for $20.

Paris Commune — Offering 3-course prix fixe dinner (Sunday–Thursday, three courses, $25, Friday–Saturday, $30)

iCi (Brooklyn) — Offering a 3-course menu for $26.

The 20 Most Intriguing Summer Restaurant Week Menu Items

Andy — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:54:43 +0000

Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since the days of the typical, mundane varieties of salmon, chicken and beef prix-fixe menu options. We’ve taken a look at most of the Summer Restaurant Week menus out there, and here our picks for the 20 most compelling menu offerings for Summer Restaurant Week:

1. Dovetail’s Veal Schnitzel w/butter lettuce, mustard vinaigrette, summer pole beans (lunch entree)

2. DB Bistro Moderne’s Traditional Moroccan Couscous w/ roasted chicken, lamb stew, merguez sausage, chickpea ragout and harissa jus (lunch entree)

3. Park Avenue Summer’s Dr. Pepper Baby Back Ribs w/ fresh peach slaw (lunch/dinner entree)

4. Montenapo’s Saltimbocca — baked free range boneless young chicken filled with Parma ham potato, truffle onion confit and fava beans (dinner entree)

5. The Bar Room at The Modern’s Gaeta Olive-Crusted Quail w/ chorizo, barley, toasted almonds and pickled pearl onions (dinner entree)

6. Any of the 3 lunch entrees at Bar Boulud: Moules Belge (mussels steamed in wheat beer, lemon, coriander cream, onions and herbs), Coq Au Vin (red wine braised chicken legs, lardons, mushrooms, and onions), or Ravioli de Boeuf (black angus beef short rib ravioli w/ summer peas and rainbow carrots)

7. Butter’s Homemade Charcuterie Plate of house made salami, duck mortadella, chicken liver on toast w/ aged balsamic and a salad of local greens (dinner appetizer)

8. Brasserie 8 1/2′s Roasted Skate Stuffed w/ Lobster w/ wood ear mushrooms, sauce sorel and patty pan squash (dinner entree)

9. Gotham Bar & Grill’s Grilled Chicken Sausage w/ market vegetables, crimini mushrooms, and fingerling potates w/ chicken jus (lunch entree)

10. Alto’s Garganelli con Ragu di Vitello e Pecorino (imolese pasta quills, braised veal ragu, pecorino cheese) (lunch entree)

11. Asiate’s Wagyu Beef w/ creamy grits, pickled ramps and wasabi jus (lunch entree)

12. 21 Club’s Green Tea-Rubbed Pork Chop Green w/ roasted corn, potato purée, smoked shitake mushrooms (dinner entree)

13. Blue Water Grill’s Crab Crusted Mahi-Mahi w/ marinated artichokes, piquillo peppers, andalucian tomato vinaigrette (dinner entree)

14. Isabella’s Soft-Shell Crab BLT w/ sweet potato fries (lunch entree)

15. The Harrison’s Bacon-Crusted Bluefish w/ poblano cream and beefsteak tomatoes (dinner entree)

16. Atlantic Grill’s East & West Coast Oyster Tasting w/ bing cherry-sake salsa (lunch/dinner appetizer)

17. Pera’s Signature Lamb “Adana” (lunch/dinner entree)

18. Bar Artisanal’s Skate Milanese w/ basil tzatziki and raw tomato coulis (dinner entree)

19. August’s Spanish Mackerel a la Plancha w/ grapefruit, fennel and saffron salsa (dinner entree)

20. SushiSAMBA’s Panko and Shisho Crusted Lobster w/ peruvian corn and oshinko (dinner entree)