For those new to the South Sound, a fun fall event is Tacoma Restaurant Week, which is actually two weeks in October, Sunday through Thursday, 21-25 and Oct. 28-Nov. 1. Many of the top restaurants in Tacoma take part offering three-course lunches at $15 and three-course dinners for $30. This is a great opportunity to try out a new restaurant or hit a special occasion place at a less expensive price. Here are some tips to make the most of your week(s).
Tip 1. Once the restaurants and menus are posted HERE (click) - spend some time going through the list. Some menus give you more bang for your buck. I actually went to the Lobster Shop for lunch twice during last spring's Tacoma Restaurant Week because there were so many items on the menu I wanted to try. Thoroughly go through each menu and make a list of the places you want to eat at. Some memorable lunch dishes from last spring include Ahi Nachos made with crisp wontons from the Lobster Shop and a Southwestern Prawn Salad from Boathouse 19. I didn't make it to Stanley and Seaforts, but they offered rock salt-crusted prime rib, which I wish I had been able to try.
Tip 2. Choose your companions. My first pick is the hubby for date night. There will definitely be some splurge restaurants on the list. Some restaurants will be offering drink specials and additional add-ons or upgrades to the meals for an additional fee. Next, think of all the "we need to get together" people you know. Tacoma Restaurant Week is a perfect excuse to catch up over lunch. I text the dates to friends and we pick a date that will work for us all. We'll lock in the meetup and then pick the restaurant once the menus are posted. My last pick is my groups. Do you belong to a book club, lunch bunch or other group that meets? Tacoma Restaurant Week makes for an easy get-together. Just be aware that you may need to limit your group to 15 or make two separate reservations. Some restaurants require a catering menu if you have more than 15 people.
Tip 3. Make a reservation. Tacoma Restaurant Week is extremely popular and you don't want to be disappointed by a long wait. A reservation is essential with the group. Many of the local restaurants are on opentable.com. It is a quick, convenient one-stop way to make all your reservations.
Restaurants and menus will be posted on the website by Oct. 1. In the meantime, the Spring 2018 Tacoma Restaurant Week is still posted and you can take a look to get an idea of what types of meals are offered. I love the fact that it is three courses giving you a variety of food to try at each restaurant. So all you foodies out there get your calendars out and start planning for two weeks of culinary delights.