CELEBRATION OF THURSTON COUNTY'S CULINARY SCENE >>>

Ten restaurants are now accepting reservations for Olympia Restaurant Week, which will take the greater Olympia culinary scene by storm mid-April, 2013. The two-week foodie event held April 7-18, Sunday-Thursday, allows diners to experience the variety of Thurston County's restaurants at a fraction of the normal cost. In addition to their regular menus, participating restaurants will offer pre-selected three-course dinner menus - with three options per course - for $25 per person not including alcoholic beverages, tax and gratuity. Selected restaurants will also offer three-course lunch menus for $15 not including tax and gratuity.

During Olympia Restaurant Week, locals and visitors alike may dine their way through Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater, socializing over delicacies from Adesso, Budd Bay Café, Dockside Bistro & Wine Bar, Mercato Ristorante, Oly Rockfish Grill, Pellegrino's Italian Kitchen, Ramblin Jack's, Ricardo's Restaurant, Swing Wine Bar and Cafe and Trago Mexican Kitchen.

The list of participating restaurants, along with sample menus, restaurant descriptions and updates, can be found below.

The public can follow comments about Olympia Restaurant Week on Facebook as well as Twitter using hashtag #OlyRestWeek.

Diners can enjoy Olympia Restaurant Week at the following restaurants (*offers lunch option too)

LINK: Fancy Olympia Restaurant Week 2013 Menu Guide

Adesso

109 Legion Way SW, Olympia
360.705.2529
Website
Olympia Restaurant Week $25 3-Course Dinner Menu

Budd Bay Cafe

525 Columbia St. NW, Olympia
360.357.6963
Website
Olympia Restaurant Week $25 3-Course Dinner Menu 

Dockside Bistro & Wine Bar

501 Columbia St. NW, Olympia
360.956.1928
Website
Olympia Restaurant Week $25 3-Course Dinner Menu (coming soon)

Mercato Ristorante*

111 Market St. NE, Olympia
360.528.3663
Website
Olympia Restaurant Week $15 3-Course Lunch Menu
Olympia Restaurant Week $25 3-Course Dinner Menu 

Oly Rockfish Grill

700 4th Ave. E., Olympia
360.753.5700
Website
Olympia Restaurant Week $25 3-Course Dinner Menu 

Pellegrino's Italian Kitchen

205 Cleveland Ave. SE, Tumwater
360.709.9020
Website
Olympia Restaurant Week $25 3-Course Dinner Menu 

Ramblin Jack's*

520 4th Ave. E., Olympia
360.754.8909
Website
Olympia Restaurant Week $15 3-Course Lunch Menu
Olympia Restaurant Week $25 3-Course Dinner Menu 

Ricardo's Restaurant

5211 Lacey Blvd. SE, Lacey
360.413.9995
Website
Olympia Restaurant Week $25 3-Course Dinner Menu 

Swing Wine Bar and Café

825 Columbia St. SW, Olympia
360.357.9464
Website
Olympia Restaurant Week $25 3-Course Dinner Menu 

Trago Mexican Kitchen*

625 Black Lake Blvd. SW, Olympia
360.338.0515
Website
Olympia Restaurant Week $15 3-Course Lunch Menu
Olympia Restaurant Week $25 3-Course Dinner Menu 

There's something appealing about viewing the cut of meat before it arrives on your plate, especially when you're dealing with prime cuts of Wagyu beef and dry-aged, marbled slabs of steak. Ricardo's Restaurant in Lacey, which underwent a transformation a few years ago when they started focusing less on pasta and more on meat. The Bone "in" Fillet, one of the chef's favorites, will leave carnivores wiping tears of joy from their eyes and if that's not enough, the delicate Maytag Blue salad with just enough dressing and the ideal amount of pistachios will definitely complete the picture perfect meal. Read the Weekly Volcano's review of Ricardo's here. You'll read why Ricardo's was no doubt voted Best Steak in the 2013 Best of Olympia issue.

However, this is Olympia Restaurant Week, which is about three courses for $25 — a chance to dine at Ricardo's for much less than you normally would be allowed. Nice.

To reserve your space at Ricardo's Restaurant during Olympia Restaurant Week, call 360.413.9995

Below is Ricardo's Olympia restaurant week menu.

Most people desire food prepared at a locally owned restaurant where the proprietors had some role in creating what they're hawking. At a barbecue place, you should be able to smell the smoke and picture the manager toiling over the coals in a sweaty, stained wife-beater. At a French restaurant, the host should be so snotty that you want to punch him in the mouth, even though he'll probably surrender before you can. And at an authentic Italian joint (not one named for the infamous Olive Garden crime family), the owner should be from Italy - but also know that you're in for a hell of a meal, just because the ownership so damn passionate about the food. Pellegrino's Italian Kitchen is one of those joints.

Owner Sam Pellegrino is 100 percent Sicilian from the town of Palermo. Although semi-retired, his big personally is always there - whether in the photographs leading up the stairs, Italian dishes passed through generations of Pellegrino's or via his daughter and house manager, Jennifer Pellegrino.

Pellegrino's is one of 10 restaurants participating in Olympia Restaurant Week, which means it will offer three courses for $25, Sunday-Thursday April 7-18.

To reserve your space at Pellegrino's during Olympia Restaurant Week, call 360.709.9020.

Below is Pellegrino's Italian Kitchen's Olympia Restaurant Week menu. The cozy Italian joint in Tumwater offers more than the required three options per course, including a Tour of Italy entree.

For ambiance, it's hard to beat Swing in Olympia. It's located in a cute bungalow perched above Capitol Lake. The wine list includes a balance of local choices with international ones, and the menu is large with a definite ritzy air to it. Entrees can be ordered as small plates, which is a nice touch. Wednesdays bring live music.

Swing was voted "Best Creative Cocktails" and "Best Wine Selection" by Weekly Volcano readers in the 2013 Best of Olympia. The Weekly Volcano named it "Best Seat to View Capitol Lake."

Swing Wine Bar & Cafe is one of 10 restaurants participating in Olympia Restaurant Week, which means it will offer three courses for $25, Sunday-Thursday April 7-18.

To reserve your space at Swing during Olympia Restaurant Week, call 360.357.9464.

Below is Swing Wine Bar & Cafe's Olympia Restaurant Week menu.