Downtown hosts restaurant week with special rates

Winchester — Downtown restaurants are planning a special promotion next week in hopes of enticing patrons to eat out before the weekend.

The Old Town Winchester Business Association is helping to present Restaurant Week from Monday to Thursday, with at least 15 downtown eateries offering meals at special prices, president Charlie Fish said.

The promotion is designed tobring patrons into restaurants on nights that are traditionally less than busy, she said.

The restaurants will offer: a three-course dinner for $25 per person; a dinner for two for $25; or lunch for four people for $25. Each restaurant has created a special Restaurant Week menu, she said.

“It is also an opportunity for people who don’t normally go into some restaurants to take advantage of the promotion because the pricing is a little lower than normal,” said Fish, co-owner of Murphy Beverage Co. on the Loudoun Street Mall.

At La Nicoise Cafe (12 S. Braddock St.), the three-course meals for $25 that owner Frederic Boukaia is offering would normally cost about $45, so it is a significant savings, he said.

Patrons will have a choice of appetizers such as the soup du jour or a salad, a main course such as a stuffed pork loin with mashed potatoes and vegetables or a filet of tilapia in a white butter sauce, and a dessert choice such as chocolate mousse or cheesecake.

Boukaia hopes the promotion will show people the diversity of offerings in the downtown area, and he would love to see Restaurant Week repeated and even extended. He will open on Monday, when he is normally closed, and participate for all four days.

“I want for the people of Winchester to realize there is more than big chain restaurants,” he said. “Downtown, we try to bring something extra to the people of Winchester.”

Since it is not open for dinner, Red Fox Creamery (146 N. Loudoun St.) will offer a lunch special. Four people can get the restaurant’s special of a half sandwich, a bowl of soup and a small ice cream for $25, said Kathy Lewis, co-owner.

Because the eatery included the ice cream, the saving is about $18, she said. “We rarely do that. Our ice cream is the highest-priced thing we have in the store.”

Downtown leaders hope promotion will bring in some sorely needed business for restaurants on weekdays, Lewis said.

All of the downtown restaurant owners Lewis has talked to have said business is very slow since the mall reconstruction started, although she added the workers are doing a good job and that the project is needed.

If the promotion does well downtown, organizers hope to expand it in the future to include other restaurants, Fish said.

The participating restaurants will be offering one of three options:

Three courses for $25

La Nicoise Cafe, 12 S. Braddock St.

One Block West, 25 S. Indian Alley, Tuesday to Thursday only

Piccadilly’s Brew Pub, 125 E. Piccadilly St.

Thai Winchester, 24 S. Loudoun St.

The Dancing Goat Restaurant, 138 N. Cameron St.

The Union Jack Pub & Restaurant, 101 N. Loudoun St.

Village Square Restaurant & Piano Bar, 103 N. Loudoun St.

Village Market & Bistro, 2 S. Loudoun St.

Violino Ristorante Italiano, 181 N. Loudoun St.

Meal for two for $25

147 North, 147 N. Loudoun St.

Bonnie Blue Southern Market & Bakery, 334 W. Boscawen St.

Brewbaker’s Restaurant, 168 N. Loudoun St.

Italian Touch, 229 S. Loudoun St.

Lunch for four for $25

Patsy’s  Pastry Pizzas, 158 N. Loudoun St.

Red Fox Creamery, 148 N. Loudoun St.

— Contact Laura McFarland at lmcfarland@winchesterstar.com