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Click here for 2007 Restaurant Week information
For foodies who consider dining out a contact sport, KRLD Restaurant
Week is the Super Bowl, World Cup and Tour de France rolled into one.
The annual opportunity to dine at top restaurants for bargain prices, to
the benefit of local charities, makes staying in town worthwhile during
the otherwise unbearable month of August.
The dates for the 2007 event are Aug. 13-19, but it's already
getting late to snag prime reservations. Here's a quick deconstruction
of a phenomenal week of dining; read quickly and then start dialing.
WHAT IT IS
File 2005 / DMN
Abacus' menu during Restaurant Week will be similar to what it usually serves. "We want people to see what we have to offer and come back," says Abacus' Donna Tanner.
NEW THIS YEAR
Some restaurants offer a free fourth course to diners who bring along
certificates available with a purchase at Central Market stores through
Aug. 12.
WHO'S WHO
Several spots are on board from Guide's most recent list of best new
restaurants: Trece, Craft, Shinsei , the Grill on the Alley and, in Fort Worth, Duce. Guide five-star restaurants are on the list: Abacus, Bijoux and Stephan Pyles.
HOW TO RESERVE
Call the restaurant and ask – specifically – for a Restaurant Week
reservation. Know the time and date you want, but have backups in mind
if your first choice isn't available.
STRATEGIES
High-profile restaurants such as Abacus and York Street always get booked
early. But there are ways.
• Accept an early-bird or late-night reservation.
• Reserve for a weeknight; the earlier in the week, the easier to get a
table.
• Accept "first available" at a place you really, really want to try.
• Some restaurants extend Restaurant Week for a second, even a third
week. When you call, ask if the restaurant has added any days.
• Reserve in pairs or groups of no more than four. Larger parties are
more difficult to accommodate.
File 2005 / DMN
The North Texas Food Bank will receive $7 from each tab at participating Dallas-area restaurants. At right, food bank workers including Chester Weyand (front) pack bags of food
for hungry schoolchildren.
• To avoid confusion and disappointment, find out what's on the
Restaurant Week menu before you make the reservation. The regular menu
may also be available; ask.
• Tip generously, at least 20 percent on the whole tab, including wine.
• Don't "no-show" a reservation. Call and cancel if you aren't going.
• Don't book at multiple restaurants for the same time just so you'll
have a choice.
• Because restaurants will be crowded, there may be a wait, even with
reservations. Be patient and courteous.
• Expect the same from the restaurant staff; let a manager know about any
problems.
MILK IT FOR ALL IT'S WORTH
• Since dinner is a deal, consider a splurge on a bottle of expensive
wine.
• Visit a restaurant that you might otherwise consider only for a special
occasion.
• Take a chance on a place you've only heard about.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR THE RESTAURANTS?
Says Dee Lincoln of Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse:
"It's good for the community and good for exposing new guests to Del
Frisco's. I look at it as a loss leader." (The typical tab at Del
Frisco's is considerably higher than $35.) In previous years, Del Frisco's Restaurant Week
menu has included a 6-ounce fillet or salmon, a salad and choice of dessert.
Says Donna Tanner of Abacus: "For two weeks, all we do is
the Restaurant Week menu," similar to what Abacus serves the rest of the
year, when tickets average $100 per person. "We want people to see what
we have to offer and come back. We're not trying to get out cheap." The
restaurant's signature lobster shooters are the Central Market "fourth
course" freebie. They're discounted to $6 without the coupon.
Says Marianne Howells of sponsor KRLD-AM (1080): "Restaurants see
this as a way to do something really creative ... to serve something
cutting-edge." Chefs and sommeliers compete for best menu and wine
pairings to win a week at the Culinary Institute of America's campus in
Greystone, Calif. "The restaurants have so bought into
this," she adds.
"There are a lot better deals if all you want to do is dine cheap,"
cautions Ms. Howells. Restaurant Week is "good for those who want to
discover a new place and dine well in a good atmosphere." Also, to make
a charitable contribution that counts.
BACKGROUNDER
This is the 10th year for Restaurant Week in Dallas. The event began in
New York City more than 10 years ago and now takes places in cities all
over the United States, including Chicago; Washington, D.C.; and Atlanta.
Ms. Howells launched the project in Dallas after experiencing it in New
York.
In 2005, diners made 55,000 reservations last year, and restaurants donated
nearly $350,000 to charity. Last year's event had 65,000 reservations and raised nearly $400,000.
