No hospital talk here, just dining news. Yes, it’s true, we are eating out less and spending even less. We are looking for VALUE. Yet, all those wonderful home-cooked, budget cutting meals deserve a little sideways performance every once in a while. The money you save from packing your lunch and not eating out as frequently deserves a little reward strategy.
Hard to know who started the upsurge in prix-fixe dining, but this week we credit Smith & Wollensky for bringing a smile to our faces. As I continue to search daily for good dining deals, they may have demonstrated some real panache this week. Watch for imitators, that’s OK. The more the merrier who join the “let’s eat more economically bandwagon”.
The Smith deal, available in most of its cities but not New York, works like this: $45 a person entitles you to an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert. Yes, it is a lot of money, but it is an expensive steak restaurant that could easily cost you almost twice that much. The offer is available daily from 5-7 PM and does not include tax and gratuity.
So what if you eat a little earlier. So what if the filet mignon is a little smaller, you get to enjoy the dessert as compensation! Actually there are three appetizers to choose from including the famous steak accompaniment, a tomato & mozzarella salad, three additional entrees for the non-filet lovers (that is a little difficult to fathom from a restaurant that once tried to promote itself with a big steak knife taunting vegetarians–oh, times have changed!), and three desserts. It’s still expensive; I’m not denying that. I am admitting we need to still dine out. Now it is up to you to have restraint and not order a bottle of wine. Drinks drive the bill. This is a finely priced dinner reward for all those mac ‘n cheese nites.
Another way to treat yourself is to take advantage of one of the many Restaurant Week promotions. Baltimore is having one this week, New York City has exteneded theirs from one week to two, and Washington, DC has an upcoming one in February. Check out the online reservation service Open Table for restaurants throughout the country that have a specially priced menu for a one -week period. Many restaurants continue the special restaurant week menu for a longer period of time. Betcha that happens a lot this year!
Some restaurants just participate for lunch with a 3-course $20 menu; some offer both lunch and dinner menus; dinner for three courses is frequently $35. Prices vary by location and many neighborhoods have their own interpretation of Restaurant Week.
Keep those programs coming. people will eat out when they think there is a deal worth having. It’s a good balance: eat at home some of the time, and then reward yourself while helping the restaurants stay afloat.
Bon Appetit.
