Restaurant Week Underway

Trying a new restaurant can be a tricky proposition. Eating in unfamiliar surroundings without knowing the chef’s skill level or the dining room’s talent in hospitality can leave some diners nervous. Costs can also be a factor; dropping large sums of money on the unfamiliar can make the best of us queasy at the thought.  

Newtown Restaurant Week, which starts today and goes until Thursday, can take some of the risk out of trying the unfamiliar. At $35 a person for a three- or four-course sampling, it's is the perfect way to try the unfamiliar. If that is not enough, the "five for four" promotion sponsored by the Newtown Corporation makes it even more of a bargain. The promotion works like this: when a patron dines five times at five different restaurants during restaurant week, the fifth dinner is on Newtown Corporation. 

The diner gets a card to fill out at the first restaurant and will receive a duplicate check to attach to the card.  Each restaurant will subsequently do the same.  At the fifth restaurant, the diner hands over the duplicate receipts and card and gets a free dinner.

Twelve restaurants are participating this year, each offering diners a great way to sample their best dishes. From white tablecloth to casual dining, the best of Newtown’s dining choices are opening their doors and welcoming both regulars and first-time guests.

The Black Horse Tavern is offering selections from their new tapas-style menu. The beautiful refurbished interior of the old Jean Pierre’s is casual on its lower floor bar area and more formal in its upstairs dining room and martini bar.

The Brick Hotelis offering a choice of three appetizers, three entrees and three desserts showcasing its almost 250-year history in Newtown borough.

Cafe con Leche has selections from Argentinean-born Daniel Lucci’s South American influenced menu. The intimate downstairs bistro is perfect for informal dining with restaurant week the perfect forum to try.

Dolce Carini offers a large restaurant week menu that is the best of their Italian American influenced menu. The causal Friends grill and more formal Dolce Carini restaurant and pizzeria gives diners a great choice of formal or informal.

At Florentino’s chef Francisco Argueta is offering an extensive selection of fresh pasta, seafood, chicken and even a steak for the prix fixe $35.

Piccolo Trattoria has four courses: appetizer, soup or salad, pasta and entrée for $35 -- a bargain.  

At Palate Chef Justin Kaplan is giving guests a taste of his locally-grown, expertly cooked food with a menu created exclusively for restaurant week.

Rouget’s Brian Held is using restaurant week to introduce diners to the best of his menu. Three courses of some of the best French inspired food in the county for $35.

The Saloon is offering diners a choice of four entrees with a soup or salad and a dessert.

LaStalla offers four courses of Italian-inspired food served in an historic 1929 Lovett barn.

The Temperance House has a choice of seven appetizers and ten entrées for diners to try. Historic surroundings and even a cigar bar make “the Temp” a great choice for first timers and regulars. 

At Vecchia Osteria Chef /Owner Pasquale Palino and his family are putting together a sampling of rustic Italian family style food.

From formal to rustic, restaurant week offers something for everyone and the chance to add a new favorite to your list of Newtown restaurants. The event supports the community, too: $5 from each meal will benefit Newtown’s First Fourth fireworks..