Check out the Summer DC Restaurant Week Menus.
The much anticipated DC Restaurant Week is back! The 16th Annual DC Restaurant week will be from August 16 - 22, 2010 sponsored by Cadillac and American Express.The prices are the same as Winter's Restaurant Week: Lunch: $20.10 for a three-course fixed-price meal. Dinner: $35.10 for a three-course fixed-price meal; Beverages, gratuity and tax are not included. DC Restaurant Week occurs twice a year usually during the slow restaurant season in the winter (usually January) and the late summer (usually August). Now other cities around the DC area are jumping in on the action with their own restaurant weeks, such as Alexandria, VA and Bethesda Chevy Chase , MD.
With so many restaurants participating, how does one chose where to dine? Well here are some tips from your resident native Washingtonian Restaurant week pro! Here are some guidelines: Restaurant Week (RW) is an excellent opportunity to try a restaurant that you have never dined before, one that has just opened up or have not ever participated in Restaurant Week before, such as Trummer's on Main, Birch and Barley, J&G Steakhouse at the W hotel, and Lyon Hall or those that you simply could not afford otherwise. To get the most “bang” for your buck, choose really expensive restaurants with superior reputations, for example, I choose restaurants that have been on the Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurant list consistently that I haven’t tried. Or perhaps your dollar would be best trying a place that serves a cuisine that you've always wanted to try, but were too timid to risk shelling out good money for.
Restaurants that offer their full menu are considered the best deal, such as Jackson 20 in Old Town, Alexandria. The restaurants that offer prix fixe menus or pre-theatre menus all year long you can take advantage of anytime. Other tips:
- Those that offer any small-plates/tapas/mezze, such as Zaytinya, Jaleo, Oyamel, all great, but already generally offer good deals year-round, so are generally not considered best RW picks.
- Some restaurants offer only limited selections, or include various upcharges (sometimes called supplemental fees) for some of their better dishes – these should be avoided.
- While dinner prices have increased over the last several years, three courses at a very nice restaurant for $35.10 could still be a great deal. Lunch is even a better deal at $20.10, depending on the main course options. Some restaurants will offer their full menu while others will have a special designated Restaurant Week menu.
- Some restaurants like Dino will throw in a special bonus. For example, in Winter Kora by Morou in Crystal City extended their special restaurant menu for the entire month and offered a complimentary bottle of wine (for every two guests). Morou says, "If you are a party of six and you all order the restaurant week menu than you can have three bottles of wine for free. The wines you may choose from will be some what limited but we are giving the guests 6-8 bottles to choose from."
- So interested in my TOP PICKS or where did I book my own reservations? Bibiana, Willow, Birch & Barley, J&G Steakhouse at the W Hotel, and Bourbon Steak.
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