Tomorrow is the beginning of Downtown Dining Week, where you can enjoy some incredible multi-course meals at fabulous restaurants for $20.22. I’ve been through all the menus and my picks for the best spots are below. First, though, a few tips to help you, as well as other diners and people serving you, have the best experience possible:
If you can’t make a reservation, call and cancel it. Don’t just not show up. No-showing a reservation is rude to both the restaurant and to fellow diners who could have had that empty table.
Be patient with your servers. Many restaurants will be booked solid this week, and servers will be running around trying to keep up. Be understanding if it takes them an extra couple of minutes to get you what you need.
Tip well. A lot of places Downtown add 20% to the bill (it’s called autogratting) just to make sure servers are well-compensated in this post-pandemic era. Ask your server if their restaurant does this. If not, please add 20% or more to your bill. In this day and age when everyone has a calculator on their phone, there’s really no excuse for not knowing what a good tip is.
All right! On to the picks.
- Arcade: Breakfast for dinner and drink specials! Get the Elvis sandwich (peanut butter and banana) as your appetizer.
- Automatic Slim’s: That ribeye topped with Old Dominick sweet bourbon butter sounds amazing. They have some yummy appetizers too.
- Edge Alley: Smoked pimiento appetizer followed by fresh panzanella loaded with blackened shrimp. Creative!
- Feast & Graze: 2 sandwiches 2 sides for $20.22 is a heck of a value. Perfect for you and a co-worker to bring back to the office.
- Majestic Grille: You can always count on Patrick & Deni to knock it out of the park for Downtown Dining Week.
- Mesquite Chop House: The barramundi and the New Zealand lamb sound interesting.
- Rendezvous: Sampler platter for 2 comes with beef brisket, pork shoulder, sliced BBQ chicken strips, beans, and slaw. Good way to explore several of this legendary restaurant’s offerings.
- Sabor Caribe: Excellent opportunity to try a variety of Venezuelan foods for a reasonable price. I’m going to call this my number-one overall Paul’s Pick.
- Slider Inn Downtown: Argentinian-style sliders have my curiosity piqued. You get an app of fried pickles too.
- Slim & Husky’s: Two signature pizzas for $20.22 is quite a deal. Probably my number-two pick behind Sabor. The Edge District is stepping up for DDW this year.
- South of Beale: A curry item on the menu? Speakin’ my language! The Jack & Coke – a dessert not a drink – sounds interesting too.
- Stix: Ginger salad, either the Riverside or Downtown sushi roll, and teriyaki chicken or hibachi shrimp for $20.20. That’s a good value.
- Westy’s: I’d have trouble deciding between the #4 Dos Mex Tamales and the 4 rib basket. One thing’s for sure, though, if I chose the rib basket, the tots would be my side item.
So there you have it. Many outstanding options to try new things this week.
On an unrelated note: CONGRATULATIONS to my friends Randi & Robert who are getting married today. Two of the nicest people I know and I am honored to be included in their celebration.
Unless there’s time-sensitive news, I’ll probably take tomorrow off from posting. Back Tuesday.