Restaurant Weeks in the Heartland

[ulterior epicure]

Okay - so enlighten me folks - NY's got a couple per year (one this upcoming week), L.A. and Frisco too - even D.C.'s got a restaurant week (usually in the summer)... does Chicago? Minneapolis? K.C.? If so, when?

U.E.

[edited to add]: If not, then why the heck not?

Edited January 25, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[stuart_s]

Okay - so enlighten me folks - NY's got a couple per year (one this upcoming week), L.A. and Frisco too - even D.C.'s got a restaurant week (usually in the summer)... does Chicago?  Minneapolis?  K.C.?  If so, when? 

U.E.

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Well, I ran off to get information about Cleveland's restaurant week. Imagine my surprise when I couldn't turn anything up. I had a great time with Cleveland's "Dine Originals" week in 2004. I went to 4 restaurants that week. In fact, I was so excited about the event that I went to several OTHER restaurants before the event even started.

That was November of 2004. I didn't even notice that nothing happened in 2005. What happened?

[joiei]

IF Dallas can have one, why not KC? Interested minds want to know!

[Brad Ballinger]

You mean a city-sponsored, city-promoted thing, right? The Twin Cities have no such thing.

Every February, we have the Twin Cities Food and Wine Experience -- lots of pipe and ribbon in the Convention Center with workshops and classes. There are dining events at some of the local establishments.

I think there was something a little while ago that was sort of sponsored and promoted by certain restaurants to dine out to benefit some cause. I forget the cause, and I foget if it was a one-time thing or something that will be done annually.

[sapient]

Taste of Chicago!

yes, I'm kidding.

Sort of.

[JWest]

Denver has one every year. It's $52.80 for two people for a multiple course meal. Most restaurants will also have it for $26.40 for single diners. Restaurants, city-wide were packed full of reservations for that week, great way of getting some business during the slowest business times of the year.

[ulterior epicure]

Taste of Chicago!

yes, I'm kidding.

Sort of.

←

I sure hope you're kidding!

[joiei]

From doing a little exploring, there is not a Restaurant week anywhere in the Heartland. Both coasts, Texas and Denver. It appears that most of them are put together by the local CVB's probably as a way to get people out to eat during slow times of the year. The one in Dallas is by the local NPR TV station. So if you have connections with your local CVB, then get them on the ball to support their local restaurants. I have driven down to Dallas a couple of times during their special week.

[Jaymes]

How about Taste of Kansas City, a "Food festival celebrating the wonderful flavors of Kansas City. Sample specialties from over 40 KC restaurants, shop at one of the largest Midwest arts and craft shows and enjoy local, regional and national entertainment at Shawnee Mission Park. (913) 268-0333," held every August.

Maybe not an official "Restaurant Week," but still sounds fun.

Kansas City Events

Edited January 25, 2006 by Jaymes (log)

[ulterior epicure]

Uh....how about Taste of Kansas City, a "Food festival celebrating the wonderful flavors of Kansas City. Sample specialties from over 40 KC restaurants, shop at one of the largest Midwest arts and craft shows and enjoy local, regional and national entertainment at Shawnee Mission Park. (913) 268-0333," held every August.

Kansas City Events

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Perhaps we should define "Restaurant Week." To clarify my initial post: by "Restaurant Week," I meant a week in which restaurants in a city offer a prix-fix lunch and/or dinner option. Usually, these are three courses and quite affordable - thus motivating diners to get out and try new venues (or just to get out and eat, period) at places they might not otherwise visit.

While a similar reasoning may motivate "Tastes of's..." events, I don't consider them in the same league as Restaurant Weeks. Restaurant Weeks are more about letting diners enjoy all of the benefits of eating in a restaurant without having to shell out the normal bucks... these "benefits" include service, atmosphere, and of course, a (hopefully) cooked-to-order meal. For example, see here for information on the upcoming NY Restaurant Week.

U.E.

[ronnie_suburban]

Uh....how about Taste of Kansas City, a "Food festival celebrating the wonderful flavors of Kansas City. Sample specialties from over 40 KC restaurants, shop at one of the largest Midwest arts and craft shows and enjoy local, regional and national entertainment at Shawnee Mission Park. (913) 268-0333," held every August.

Kansas City Events

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Very cool but not quite the same in its nature as Restaurant Weeks, where participating restaurants offer variations of their regular menus, under their own roofs, at a special price point for a given period of time. At fests like Taste of <insert given city here>, food is served from booths or kiosks in one central location. Most places offer only a few items and many times, they're not even items which are served at the participating restaurants. For example, Taste of Chicago is often, jokingly referred to as Funnelcake Fest, etc.

=R=

[ulterior epicure]

Uh....how about Taste of Kansas City, a "Food festival celebrating the wonderful flavors of Kansas City. Sample specialties from over 40 KC restaurants, shop at one of the largest Midwest arts and craft shows and enjoy local, regional and national entertainment at Shawnee Mission Park. (913) 268-0333," held every August.

Kansas City Events

←

Perhaps we should define "Restaurant Week." To clarify my initial post: by "Restaurant Week," I meant a week in which restaurants in a city offer a prix-fix lunch and/or dinner option. Usually, these are three courses and quite affordable - thus motivating diners to get out and try new venues (or just to get out and eat, period) at places they might not otherwise visit.

While a similar reasoning may motivate "Tastes of's..." events, I don't consider them in the same league as Restaurant Weeks. Restaurant Weeks are more about letting diners enjoy all of the benefits of eating in a restaurant without having to shell out the normal bucks... these "benefits" include service, atmosphere, and of course, a (hopefully) cooked-to-order meal. For example, see here for information on the upcoming NY Restaurant Week.

U.E.

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Ron - we must have been posting at the same time!!

[moosnsqrl]

How about Taste of Kansas City, a "Food festival celebrating the wonderful flavors of Kansas City. Sample specialties from over 40 KC restaurants, shop at one of the largest Midwest arts and craft shows and enjoy local, regional and national entertainment at Shawnee Mission Park. (913) 268-0333," held every August.

Jaymes,

As you suspected, more like Taste of Chicago (only hotter and more humid, and in the suburbs, but who's counting?) than restaurant week.

This is a good idea. I will pitch it to the powers that be at KC Originals. It's too late to bolster January's doldrums for this year but certainly bears consideration for future slow times.

[ChefCAG]

How about Taste of Kansas City, a "Food festival celebrating the wonderful flavors of Kansas City. Sample specialties from over 40 KC restaurants, shop at one of the largest Midwest arts and craft shows and enjoy local, regional and national entertainment at Shawnee Mission Park. (913) 268-0333," held every August.

Jaymes,

As you suspected, more like Taste of Chicago (only hotter and more humid, and in the suburbs, but who's counting?) than restaurant week.

This is a good idea. I will pitch it to the powers that be at KC Originals. It's too late to bolster January's doldrums for this year but certainly bears consideration for future slow times.

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I hope i am not off topic! After talking to restaurant people over the last few days it seems we are all having a good January.

After Valentines day is when it starts to slow. Especially during tax season. Maybe you can talk to the people at KC Orig. about spring. BTW I think Alex Pryor is out of town.

Colby

[ulterior epicure]

This is a good idea.  I will pitch it to the powers that be at KC Originals.  It's too late to bolster January's doldrums for this year but certainly bears consideration for future slow times.

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This is great!! Let's get something organized for sure! Let me know if there's anything I could do!! I'll even fly back to K.C. to participate, if my schedule allows!

U.E.

[lesfen]

We went to the "Taste of Cleveland" back in '03. July or August, if memory serves. A lot of restaurants came out but it was really expensive! You paid for tickets and then each restaurant charged a few tickets for a taste of their wares. Hubby and I figured it out and it came out to be about $6-8 per taste, depending on what you were tasting. Now, I don't care how good they are... $6 for a pierogi is a little steep.

If it weren't for George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars, I probably would have left. The concert was GREAT... the rest of the show wasn't all that.

[joiei]

Here are a couple of sites with info about Restaurant weeks in other places. If KC can get one together, I will drive up to taste a restaurant or two that I had been considering going to.

NYC Restaurant week

Philadelphia Restaurant Week

San Diego Restaurant Week

Norfolk Restaurant Week

Atlanta Restaurant Week

Open Table listings

If I missed your favorite location, I appologize. But it is a fun thing for everyone involved. The patrons get an incentive to eat out. Restauranters get full dining rooms.

I don't go to "Taste of ______" events, those are not truly reflective of what a restaurant serves.

My preference is to go to a place with a reservation, sit down and have a marvelous pre-fixe meal. That way, I am getting a feeling of what a certain restaurant is about.

Edited January 25, 2006 by joiei (log)

[moosnsqrl]

ChefCAG,

I've heard the same about January revenues and happily so. I dread the dregs of the year for many reasons (post-holiday blues, short days, bad weather) and fearing the inevitable loss of a restaurant or two adds to the winter angst. It's been relatively mild and apparently people didn't go on a wild spending spree in December. That, coupled with the continual immigration of SoCal to JoCo add up to much more pleasant retail doldrums .

That said, it looks like we could draw-in some foreign $$ from Tulsa, Springfield, Cleveland and Detroit and it's always fun to relieve them of their hard-earned wages (plus there is the ripple affect of hotel nights and rental cars to help pay for the 'big dig' downtown).

[ulterior epicure]

I don't go to "Taste of ______" events,  those are not truly reflective of what a restaurant serves.

My preference is to go to a place with a reservation, sit down and have a marvelous pre-fixe meal.  That way, I am getting a feeling of what a certain restaurant is about.

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joiei, we finally find common ground!!

[edited to add:] thanks also for that very comprehensive links to other restaurant weeks! hopefully, we'll have our very own in kansas city soon!

cheers.

u.e.

Edited January 26, 2006 by ulterior epicure (log)

[joiei]

I don't go to "Taste of ______" events,  those are not truly reflective of what a restaurant serves.

My preference is to go to a place with a reservation, sit down and have a marvelous pre-fixe meal.  That way, I am getting a feeling of what a certain restaurant is about.

←

joiei, we finally find common ground!!

[edited to add:] thanks also for that very comprehensive links to other restaurant weeks! hopefully, we'll have our very own in kansas city soon!

cheers.

u.e.

←

Me too, that would be just another reason to go up and dine. KC is a great town for weekend getaways.

[Jaymes]

I don't go to "Taste of ______" events,  those are not truly reflective of what a restaurant serves.

My preference is to go to a place with a reservation, sit down and have a marvelous prix-fixe meal.  That way, I am getting a feeling of what a certain restaurant is about.

Hummm....

I absolutely love "Taste of _______" events. The best of them are fun, lively, even raucous. And while indeed it may be difficult to "get a feeling of what a certain restaurant is about," I can decide if what they've brought as a sample is tasty and well-prepared. I can chat up the folks staffing their booth and decide if they seem simpatico. I can visit with other people waiting in the lines and screen for future dining buddies.

Of course, I agree with Joiei that my "preference is to go to a place with a reservation, sit down and have a marvelous prix-fixe meal." Obviously, I'd rather do that. Who wouldn't? And an official "Restaurant Week" is a great way to do it.

But frankly, my life is not so jam-packed that I have to choose one over the other. I have plenty of time and opportunity to do both. And can easily see, understand, and appreciate the differences and merits of each.

Here where I am currently living, Springfield MO, the local magazine, "417," runs the same sort of "Best of 2005" polls that you see everywhere at the end of the year. And "417 Magazine" hosts a kind of "Taste of Springfield" event wherein everyone that won one of the "Best of 2005" polls shows up and takes part.

In addition to various restaurants offering "best hamburger" and "best pizza" and "best cashew chicken," "best fine dining," "best coffee shop," "best happy hour," "best Thai," "best Mexican," "best BBQ," etc., the folks that won "hairdresser" and "news anchor" and "barber" and "women's clothing boutique" will also participate. This year, it's Feb 19th: Best of 417

I can hardly wait.

Life is short, you know. Grab all you can is my motto. I don't want the parade to pass me by while I'm standing there waiting for something 'preferable' to come along.

Edited January 26, 2006 by Jaymes (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

Hey Jaymes, I don't disagree with you. I was just splitting hairs between the 2 types of events. The fests can certainly be fun but they can also be a relative drag. Let me elaborate . . .

Taste of Chicago, which has been going strong for 25 years, started out as something truly fantastic -- an event where actual chefs served small bites of food which were actually also served at their restaurants. Pricing was low and portions were small enough that one could consume a large variety of tastes without filling up.

Over the years, the bulk of noteable places faded away from Taste, personal care was replaced with assembly-line service and the smaller places bowed out because the permitting, staffing and other costs made it nearly impossible to participate without incurring substantial losses. I attended Taste of Chicago this past year and I had a really nice time. But I no longer consider it a to be a food event. It's a day in the park with my family during a time when some extraordinary food concessions are offered.

There's certainly no reason why both categories can't co-exist. My question is why, in a city with the critical restaurant mass like Chicago's, is there no Restaurant Week or similar-type program?

=R=

[ulterior epicure]

There's certainly no reason why both categories can't co-exist.  My question is why, in a city with the critical restaurant mass like Chicago's, is there no Restaurant Week or similar-type program?

=R=

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Hence, my initial posting...

I suppose my "question" was more rhetorical than curiousity-driven... I know that Chicago and K.C. are without - but I wasn't sure on Minneapolis... and is Denver in our region? Oh, and St. Louis was an obvious NO.

U.E.

[ronnie_suburban]

There's certainly no reason why both categories can't co-exist.  My question is why, in a city with the critical restaurant mass like Chicago's, is there no Restaurant Week or similar-type program?

=R=

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Hence, my initial posting...

I suppose my "question" was more rhetorical than curiousity-driven... I know that Chicago and K.C. are without - but I wasn't sure on Minneapolis... and is Denver in our region? Oh, and St. Louis was an obvious NO.

U.E.

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Colorado is part of our Southwest & Western States forum.

=R=

[tetsujustin]

when I was in chicago a couple years back there was a "restaurant week" of sorts. I forgot what it was called but it was sponsored by pellingrino. A few of the names that I remember off the list of restaurants that participated were tompolabampo, Le Lan, Coco Pazzo, and Cafe Spiaggia. I don't remember exactly when it was, but it was in either July or August. They offered prie fixe menus and you got a bottle of pellengrino free with your meal. I suppose this doesn't help much, but I heard about it through chicago.citysearch.com. I'm not sure if that was a one time thing or a yearly thing.

Anyway, I hope this helps at least a little