Washington, DC Winter Restaurant Week

Indulge in your favorite dish, relax at your local spot or try something new - with over 180 restaurants on the list - You can find your place! This week is Washington, DC's 16th Winter Restaurant Week. Where one can dine on lunch for $20 and dinner for $35 for a three-course fixed-price meal at some of the finest restaurants in the area.Yesterday I had a wonderful meal at Westend Bistro by Eric Ripert. (Unfortunately this particular restaurant only offered lunch)- but I still had a wonderful dinner of Shrimp and Grits with good spice and flavor. And I also got Beignets for dessert! My favorite! They have good Happy Hour Cocktail List for $6 a drink, which is worth going back for.

Trent's office is above the The Prime Rib...so we ventured over there for lunch today. Figured a good steak for $20 was a good deal and we have been talking about going for months now. I enjoyed the prime rib (their famous aged prime beef, which is roasted slowly in their ovens and served in their natural juices.) My prime rib came with creamed spinach and classic mashed potatoes. With my three-course meal I also had Caesar Salad and Creme Brulee.

Checking out the list for one more restaurant for tomorrow..not sure what I am in the mood for. There are tons of options! Next week I will definitely head to Bangkok Joe's. They have the menu posted online and they are also extending the deal until January 31st. I cannot wait to eat their Traditional Pork Bao (Cantonese BBQ pork bun steamed in a bamboo basket.) I haven't had Cantonese BBQ since Vancouver. Here is an example of a menu:

Fine Thai cuisine and Washington’s first dumpling bar

2010 Winter Restaurant Week
January 11th – 17th

Inspired by the ancient philosophy of the Five Elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water), Chef Aulie Bunyarataphan invites balance into our lives with her prix fixe menu. Indulge in a contemporary version of a feast fit for Qin Shihuangdi, China’s first emperor, who commissioned the terra cotta warriors now on display at the National Geographic Museum.

Three-Course Lunch $20.10

First Course

Warrior Dumplings
Crispy dumplings stuffed with black forbidden rice, shrimp, chicken, ginger, scallions, and served with sweet-chili sauce.
(Shaped to resemble ancient gold ingots, these dumplings symbolize hope for a year of prosperity and good luck.)
or
Traditional Pork Bao
Cantonese BBQ pork bun steamed in a bamboo basket

Main Course

Emperor Chicken
Chicken breast stuffed with gingko nuts, Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, sticky rice, and served with ginger-black bean sauce
or
Kang Pao Shrimp
Shrimp with chili paste, rice wine, cashew, snow pea, carrot and ginger,
served with jasmine rice
or
Beef Chow Fun
Beef stir-fried with fresh rice noodles, mushrooms, Chinese broccoli

Dessert

Sesame-Caramel toffee apple, finished tableside

Three-Course Dinner $35.10

First Course

Warrior Dumplings
Crispy dumplings stuffed with black forbidden rice, shrimp, chicken, ginger, scallions, and served with sweet-chili sauce
(Shaped to resemble ancient gold ingots, these dumplings symbolize hope for a year of prosperity and good luck.)
or
Traditional Pork Bao
Cantonese BBQ pork bun steamed in a bamboo basket

Main Course

Emperor Chicken
Chicken breast stuffed with gingko nuts, Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, sticky rice, and served with ginger-black bean sauce
or
XO Scallops
Seared sea scallops with XO Cognac, crispy noodles and baby spinach
or
Xi’an Steamed Fish
Chilean sea bass steamed with ginger-ginseng broth, gingko nuts, box thorn berries, mushrooms, baby spinach and jasmine rice

Dessert

Sesame-Caramel toffee apple, finished tableside

Thanks to a local blog: Here are the Restaurants that are extending restaurant week.

1789 - January 11th through the 31st
2941 - January 11th through January 29th
Art and Soul - January 11th through January 24th
Bastille - January 11th through January 23rd
Bangkok Joe's - January 11th through January 31st
Chima Brazilian Steakhouse - January 11th through January 21st
Circle Bistro - January 11th through January 24th
Co Co. Sala - January 11th through January 20th
Darlington House - January 11th through January 24th
Kinkead's - January 11th through January 22nd
Kora - January 4th through January 31st
Nage - January 11th through January 24th
Notti Bianche - January 11th through January 24th
Oyamel -January 11th through January 24th
Policy - January 11th through January 24th
Jaleo - January 11th through January 24th
Cafe Atlantico - January 11th through January 24th
Perry's - January 11th through January 31st
Redwood - January 11th through January 24th
Restaurant 3 - January 11th through January 24th
Spezie - January 11th through January 23rd
Tuscana West - January 11th
Willow - January 11th through January 23rd
Zaytinya - January 11th through January 24th
Zengo - January 11th through January 24th
Zola - January 11th through January 24th