Friday, August 20, 2010

Don't sleep... it's Restaurant Week!

Twice a year the DMV becomes a wonderful place where the average schmuck can eat like a king. Well mazal tov because your time has come...

This year's summer Restaurant Week is August 16-22, meaning this weekend is the perfect time to try that restaurant you always pass but have never been to or revisit an old (but expensive) favorite. Most participating restaurants offer a three-course meal, chosen from a limited menu for an EXTREMELY reasonable price (about $20 for lunch and $35 for dinner). Some spots, like the delectable Acadiana on 9th and New York Avenue in NW, allow customers to chose their entree from the full dinner menu.

On the 16th, I was treated to a FABULOUS birthday dinner at Jeff Tunk's Acadiana, a Louisiana style restaurant that is all a girl could ever want for her 27th. Acadiana is magical, with its beautiful dining room, great service, music that I had to fight hard not to sing along to, and a bottomless helping of the BEST biscuits I've ever had served with butter and a spicy homemade jelly.

From the special restaurant week menu, we ordered the trio of deviled eggs and the sweet corn and blue crab soup as appetizers. Since it was a special occasion we also got the charbroiled oysters which were not part of the limited menu but oh, so worth it. Each oyster was topped with garlic butter and parmesan romano cheese and broiled until bubbly. They are then served with fresh french bread that leaves no doubt that you will sop up every last bit of butter and cheese.

Next we enjoyed the
"grillades and grits" - sauteed veal served over cheesy grits in a wild mushroom gravy - along with the New Orleans style barbecue shrimp. By the time this course arrived, we were thoroughly stuffed, but we tried are hardest as it was too good to waste. Doggy bags were ordered almost immediately so that we could save room for dessert: vanilla bread pudding and almond creme brulee.

This wasn't my first trip to Acadiana and it definitely won't be my last. If you're in town I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant for restaurant week. If you can't get a table before Sunday, check out the happy hour which includes decent drink specials and a stellar bar menu (you must have the "gas station" park boudin balls... trust me).

Other sure bets for restaurant week are Capital Grille in DC or Tyson's Corner, 701 Restaurant and Ten Penh downtown and Hook in Georgetown. For those of you in MoCo, there are a few participating restaurants in Bethesda (including Jaleo, Persimmon, and LIA's), Gaithersburg (Pasha Lounge in Kentlands), and Rockville (La Tosca and Againn Tavern).

Now, go eat like a King you schmuck!


1 comment:

  1. Also peep HStreet's own Restaurant week list... http://capitolhilldc.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/the-deets-on-h-street-eats-august-16th-22nd-20-10fixed-price-meals-capitolhill-hst/

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