Local restaurants offer prix fixe menus for Restaurant Week

Port’s biggest culinary celebration promotes businesses in town

The week of Oct. 15 to Oct. 22 was an exciting time for Port Washington foodies. During Port’s third annual Restaurant Week, participating restaurants offered a price fixed menu that included an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert for twenty-five dollars.

Port Washington has a reputation for being the restaurant capital of Long Island and has over fifty restaurants throughout town.  A wide variety of restaurants were involved in this promotion, such as Finn MacCool’s, Toscanini Ristorante Italiano, and Ayhan’s Shish-Kebab Restaurant.  Restaurant Week is one of the biggest culinary events in Port Washington, and many people use this weeklong event as an opportunity to go out and enjoy food for low prices.

Restaurant Week was created by the Greater Port Washington Business Improvement District, or BID, for the purpose of increasing commerce in locally owned restaurants in Port Washington.  The BID organizes community events like Restaurant Week in the hopes of encouraging people to become more interactive with the community.

Moreover, they are simultaneously improving economic relations in Port Washington.  Restaurant Week was originally created to help improve the overall success of business in town.

“My family never really goes out, but when my parents heard about Restaurant Week, they decided the prices were too good to pass up on.  We all went out to eat at one of my family’s favorite restaurants, Gino’s,” said sophomore Katie Winter.

This year, Restaurant Week was considered a huge success.  Many Port residents ate at a variety of restaurants that offered diverse cultural cuisines, including Latin American, Italian, and Irish dishes.

“Out of all the weeks I had been working at Finn’s, this week was definitely the busiest,” said junior Francisca Ortiz.  “We offered a prix fixe menu that most customers ordered from this week.  The customers really enjoyed the prices along with the food and it was a hit this year.”

This tradition has continued for the past three years because so many people see the importance of supporting local businesses.  All restaurant workers benefit from Restaurant Week, and so does the general economy of Port Washington.

Hundreds of people ventured into town to try something new this Restaurant Week. Restaurant Week will also be happening next year, allowing the tradition to continue.  Most of the restaurants that participated this year will likely take part in 2018, and they will be joined by a number of new businesses.  This weeklong event allows Port Washington citizens to realize why our town is known as such a popular dining destination.