Food and Wine Events: February 2010 Archives

By Deirdre Bourdet

The tradition of local "restaurant week" promotions dates from the last recession, post dotcom crash, when the nouveaux poor's continued need for high end dining and the high end dining establishments' need for continued business found common ground in a beautiful, prix-fixed way.  New York and San Francisco restaurants enjoyed such success with their Restaurant Week programs that they kept them in place even after fortunes were again flying high.

By Deirdre Bourdet

Adding to the list of delicious off-season promotions, Yountville continues to buzz with the excitement of the first annual Moveable Feast--a self-styled "Seasonal Gastronomic Gallop" through the town's luxurious lodging, spas, and eateries.  Eleven hotels and ten restaurants have put together value-focused packages and prix fixes to lure visitors into the charming little foodie mecca.

Most participating restaurants offer either a massively discounted prix fixe menu (about $24-25 per person for lunch, $28-55 for dinner) or a special price on some of their greatest hits.  Bouchon Bakery hands away free chocolate bouchons with the purchase of any coffee, while Bouchon Bistro next door promotes its late-night scene after 10:00p.m.with a $20 two-course supper of oysters or French onion soup, and croque madame sandwich.  Bistro Jeanty offers one dollar oysters and foie blond paté during happy hour Monday through Thursday (3:30-6:30pm).