Getting out into the vibrant D.C. food scene can be taxing on a student's budget, but D.C.'s 12th Restaurant Week, held from Jan. 14 to Jan. 20, provided an opportunity to venture beyond the monotonous campus fare and get a taste of what the city really has to offer. About 180 of D.C.'s finest restaurants participated in the event by offering fixed-price multicourse meals at a fraction of their usual cost.
Hosted biannually by the D.C. Convention and Tourism Corporation and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, the event's participating restaurants showcased the quality and vision of their venue on a considerably reduced budget, this year offering lunch and dinner specials for only $20.08 and $30.08, respectively.
"It was really nice to get out of TDR," said Rebecca Nuzzi, a freshman in the School of International Service.
The concept of Restaurant Week originated in New York. It began as a summer week of "prix fixe" (fixed-price) lunch specials in the 1980s. Since then, similar promotions have sprouted in cities like Philadelphia, San Diego, Montreal and Denver.
In D.C., the restaurant industry promotion began during the late fall of 2001 to encourage people to return to D.C. dining rooms after Sept. 11. The promotion has since continued, usually taking place in January and August (traditionally slow months for the industry) with great success. An article in The Washington Post reported restaurants have seen anywhere from 15 to 200 percent increases in business in the past.
Those who missed out on the week's festivities need not worry - selected restaurants are extending their promotions. Corduroy's entire menu of simple but perfectly executed American cuisine will be available until Jan. 26 at Restaurant Week prices. Spanish tapas bar Jaleo and Asian-Mediterranean fusion venue Mie 'N Yu will also extend their promotions for another week. Farrah Olivia, a restaurant by former "The Next Iron Chef" contestant Morou, along with Domaso Trattoria and Mio, will continue its Restaurant Week menu until the end of the month.
For those free to travel beyond the confines of the Metro area, Bethesda Chevy Chase Restaurant Week runs Jan. 28 through Feb. 3 with lower fixed prices but considerably fewer selections.
Restaurant Week is as much about value and quality for the customer as it is about increasing business for the restaurant. Zaytinya, which offers Mediterranean-inspired dishes, upped the ante by providing an extra course in the set price. Restaurants like Dino and Ardeo offered their regular menus at Restaurant Week prices - a deal considering an entrée at Dino averages around $25.
OpenTable.com, a Web site used for making and confirming reservations online, provided a near complete listing of participating restaurants as well as menu offerings. Checking blogs and forums on the Internet, like DCFoodies.com, provided invaluable insight on food and service quality throughout the week.
Still, students had some complaints. David Biggs, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, commented on how full the restaurant he visited was and questioned whether the staff could handle the increase in customers.
D.C. Restaurant Week provided the unique occasion to dine among District power brokers and local celebrities at their favorite locales. With continuing promotions, similar opportunities remain. For the price of a couple of meal swipes, go indulge in a delectable portion of D.C. culture at the locations still participating.
