Restaurant Week
Yolanda Pineda, an owner of Mariachi's Restaurant, believes that Rehoboth's Restaurant Week will bring new customers to her nine-month-old Wilmington Avenue eatery that features Spanish, Mexican, Peruvian, Portuguese and Tex-Mex dishes.
While Pineda said business has been "amazingly good, we're still very new." Paella and shrimp jambalaya are among the discounted dishes Mariachi's is offering during Restaurant Week.
Planning what to serve is part of the process. Not every entree is available at discounted prices. Restaurants create special Restaurant Week menus.
Bill Robbins, executive chef at Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant on the Wilmington Riverfront, said the kitchen staff has to determine the best dishes to serve when the restaurant is faced with a high volume of customers.
"It's got to be easy to plate," he said. One dish Iron Hill is offering at both lunch and dinner is toasted sesame tuna tartare in a ginger-miso broth with citrus crème fraîche and wonton crisps.
Wilmington Restaurant Week menus are posted on the Web site, www.cityrestaurant week.com. Visit www.reho main.com for information about Rehoboth restaurants.
If the weather is good during Wilmington Restaurant Week, Robbins expects a full house. "People love to eat outside," he said.
John Conley, an owner of Conley Ward's Steakhouse on the Wilmington Riverfront, said that patrons often dine out three to four times during Restaurant Week.
And that can lead to packed houses at both lunch and dinner.
Reservations are highly recommended at most venues. (In other words, pick up the phone pronto and reserve tables.)
"People have to be patient during restaurant week," said Alysha Garyantes, a co-owner of Wilmington's 821 Market Street Bistro. The Market Street restaurant has only 80 seats.
"We're doing our best to be accommodating, but people need to understand the restaurant is going to be full."
IF YOU GO TO REHOBOTH BEACH
WHAT: Rehoboth Restaurant Week. Three-course $30 or $20 prix-fixe dinners will be available at many of the 26 participating restaurants. Some restaurants also will have a $15 lunch and Cinco de Mayo parties.
WHEN: Tuesday through May 6
WHERE: Adriatico, Aqua Grill, Back Porch Cafe, Cafe Zeus, Catchers Seafood, Celsius, Chez La Mer, Cloud 9, Confucius, Cultured Pearl, DISH!, Dogfish Head, Dos Locos, Eden, Espuma, Finbar, Fins Fish House & Raw Bar, Irish Eyes, Jake's Seafood House, Mariachi's Restaurant, Pig & Fish Restaurant Company, Planet X, Purple Parrot, Stoney Lonen, Summer House and Victoria's.
FYI: Some restaurants are open only Thursdays through Sundays. Visit www.rehomain.com for more information.
source: delawareonline.com
