Though densely populated in areas, Howard County still has plenty of agriculture. They've got a lot of suppliers to help make a farm to table restaurant week actually possible. Farm to table is another way of saying hyper-localvore, to say that the chef is using seasonal, local produce and meats to create the menu. It's good for the environment and healthier to eat things that haven't been on a refrigerated, sunless truck for days on end. Plus, you are supporting local family farmers, always a good thing.
Here's the 411 on their Farm2Table Restaurant Week -- I suggest you make reservations quickly, because realistically, these spots fill up fast.
SAVE & Savor the LOCAL Flavor…July 26, 2010—August 8, 2010
Farm2Table Summer Restaurant Weeks
Howard County’s independent restaurants partner with Maryland farms to feature local products on special Chef’s menus for every budget $10.10--$40.10
Ellicott City, MD (June 2010)– Howard County Tourism & Promotion invites you to SAVE and Savor the LOCAL Flavor with its newest promotion, Farm2Table Summer Restaurant Weeks, July 26 –August 8, 2010! This summer, Howard County’s finest restaurants are serving up savings and locally grown products to help your budget and the environment. With over 25 participating restaurants, residents and out-of-town guests will appreciate a chance to visit their favorite restaurants and try new restaurants, all at great new prices while supporting local farmers and wineries. Participating restaurants will offer fabulous prix fixe chef’s menus from $10.10 to $40.10 (beverages, tax, gratuity not included, promotions and menus varies) featuring local produce, products, cut flowers, herbs, meats, eggs and game often paired with Maryland Wine or local beers.
QUOTES
“Farm2Table Summer Restaurant Weeks is a terrific way for local farmers and restaurateurs to partner so that visitors and residents enjoy the freshest foods and our chef’s most creative menus at unbeatable prices” said Joe Barbera, co-owner, AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar, President, Howard County Tourism & Promotion’s Board of Directors.
“Howard County has always been home to dozens of working farms that are open to the public and an assortment of Mom & Pop bistros, cafes, taverns and upscale restaurants. Creating the Farm2Table Summer Restaurant Weeks promotion is a perfect way to lure foodies from D.C. and Baltimore to Howard County’s exciting dining scene!” said Rachelina Bonacci, Executive Director of Howard County.
PARTCIPATING RESTAURANTS
A full list of participating restaurants and farms is available at www.VisitHowardCounty.com …and behind the scenes YouTube videos of our top chef’s preparing their Farm2Table feasts!
Columbia
AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar
Azul 17
Café de Paris
Coho Grill
Donna's Café
Iron Bridge Wine Co.
Morgan's Grill at the Hilton Columbia
The King's Contrivance
The Waterside at Sheraton Columbia Town Center Hotel
The Melting Pot
Union Jacks British Pub
Victoria Gastro Pub
Historic Ellicott City
Portalli's
Pure Wine Café
Tersiguel's French Country Restaurant
The Diamondback Tavern
The Trolley Stop
Ellicott City
The Crab Shanty
The Friendly Inn
Elkridge
Elkridge Furnace Inn
Mamma Lucia
Glenelg
Bistro Blanc
Lisbon
Town Grill at Lisbon Citgo Auto Center
Maple Lawn
Ranazul
Venegas Prime Filet
Marriottsville
Mangia Italian Grill and Sports Café
LOCAL FLAVOR (Agritourism + Culinary Tourism = Ecotourism)
Howard County Tourism & Promotion is excited to have this opportunity to bring together two local and vital industries: our independent restaurants and local agriculture. Today, when consumers realize it’s more important than ever to be aware of where our food comes from, we wanted to create opportunities for food to take the shortest route from farm – or the Bay – to the table.
THE BUY LOCAL CHALLENGE
The Buy Local Challenge, also being supported by the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Maryland Office of Tourism, is a significant way that citizens can eat healthier food, make an important contribution to the local economy, and a positive impact on the environment. We all benefit from eating locally produced or harvested foods, and our restaurants have stepped up to the challenge by seeking out local food sources and creating unique and tantalizing menus for Restaurant Weeks. They have invested the time and effort to get to know local farmers and form relationships, and seek out ways to create best practices that will benefit the restaurants, the producers, and ultimately the dining public.
Together, we are working to create new initiatives to help Howard County enhance its reputation as a truly Green Community!
LOCAL RESTAURANTS…generous community partners…
”Restaurants in Howard County are very generous with their time, treasures and talents. Each year, we donate tens of thousands of dollars worth of food, gift certificates and personal time to charities. These net out to many more tens of thousands of dollars to local charitable organizations. Our collective support helps to maintain local charities.” said Joe Barbera of AIDA Bistro & Wine Bar.
RISE OF CULINARY TRAVEL IN AMERICA…Stats…
The first-ever national culinary tourism report from the U.S. Travel Association states that culinary tourism is a growing travel trend, with 27 million travelers, or 17 percent of American leisure travelers, engaged in culinary or wine-related activities while traveling within the past three years. The new U.S. Travel Association report surveyed more than 2,300 U.S. leisure travelers.
RESTAURANT WEEK… A Brief History…
In 1992 the nation's eyes were focused on New York City as it prepared to host the Democratic National Convention. It was the perfect time to demonstrate that NYC was indeed the restaurant capital of the world, and so a promotional campaign was devised. One hundred participating restaurants offered a prix-fixe, three-course lunch for $19.92. The promotion was successful beyond anyone's expectations, and "Restaurant Week" became a Big Apple yearly event. As its popularity grew, it was extended to two weeks and is now done twice a year. The idea of Restaurant Week soon caught on across the country. Boston, Atlanta, San Diego, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore --all have their own Restaurant Weeks, now proudly we can add Howard County, MD to that list!
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