Eat, drink and save money
Five years ago, many restaurants in the Hudson Valley watched business drop as winter exhaustion set in. Then, Hudson Valley Restaurant Week came into being, courtesy of The Valley Table.
Its publisher, Janet Crawshaw, worked with PR firm The Gold Standard to put together a way for area restaurants to promote themselves and their culinary creations during their slowest time of year. Now in its fourth season, Hudson Valley Restaurant week, will begin March 15 and run through March 28.
“This year, restaurants will run the $20 lunch special and $28 three-course dinner special throughout, which is the first time we”™ve had it run the entire weekend,” said Crawshaw. She expects to sign up more than 100 restaurants.
Crawshaw says the $800 entrance fee, which includes a kickoff event where all participants can sample each others”™ fare, meet local food vendors and discuss whose dish is the tastiest, will benefit from arrangements Hudson Valley Restaurant week promoters have worked out with Metro-North and area hotels to bring more business and more exposure to the region.
“When I got called by the Sonoma County, Calif., economic development corporation to learn more about Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, I was flattered,” said Crawshaw. “But more than flattery, I realized what an economic driver a program like this can be for not just restaurants but our entire tourism industry. We are a destination. The fact that Metro-North and our local hotels are working with us to make this a weekend getaway makes it all the more attractive.”
Crawshaw said calls from satisfied participants only helped encourage her to keep up the promotion. “Susan and Jerry Crocker of Backyard Bistro in Montgomery were hesitant about committing the money to come into Restaurant Week last year, so you can imagine how thrilled I was and how thrilled they were to see their 18-seat restaurant had the best week of their entire year when they took part.”
For other restaurants, however, they will have to pass, though the possibility of coming in to Hudson Valley Restaurant Week “certainly sounds attractive and a possibility next year” said Panajot Gjonbala of his northern Italian restaurant, Tres Angelina, in Monroe. “It”™s certainly something we”™d consider. We”™ve been open for two years, and we will be watching to see the results for the restaurants that take part.”
Last year”™s Restaurant Week attracted 125,000 diners to the 87 participating restaurants. “We also had 2.5 million hits on our website,” said Crawshaw.
From Restaurant 42 to Legal Seafood to Il Pessoro, you”™ll have the opportunity to get out and enjoy a meal and perhaps, if you”™re a weekend warrior, take advantage of the special promotions Hudson Valley Restaurant Week has put together for those hungry for a special meal in a beautiful destination to beat those midwinter blues.