Indecision is a tough personal trait to possess as the second leg of Olympia Restaurant Week kicks off today. Today through Thursday, the vacillators, waverers and second-guessers will have to strain their brains to pin down which meal deals are right for them.

As they say in biz speak, if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. Don't succumb to indecision; spend a moment strategizing your personal approach to the wonders of Olympia Restaurant Week. Check out the list of restaurants; or flip through the menus. Ten Thurston County restaurants will be serving up special $25 three-course dinners, with some eateries offering a three-course lunch menu for $15.

Should you try a new place you've always wanted to visit but somehow never made it there? Ever been to Pellegrino's or Dockside Bistro?

Another useful strategy is to use your Olympia Restaurant Week visits to support longtime favorites; just ask legions of Mercato, Budd Bay Café and Swing Wine Bar devotees.

You might dispense with the restaurant and let the food itself call to you. Mercato is making an amazing bread pudding, Ricardo's is serving Pork Filet Mignon, Adesso has Chippino, and Oly Rock Fish has a Lamb & Pistachio Ragu with your name on it.

Intrigued? You should be. Olympia Restaurant Week is the perfect time to explore new restaurants, support local businesses and best of all, enjoy great food and a night on the town for much less than it would normally cost. Budget-minded diners are able to sample some of the best cuisine the area has to offer. Whatever your Restaurant Week strategy, don't forget to make reservations, if possible - it works out better for everyone.

Follow the Olympia Restaurant Week blog for updates. Also visit the Olympia Restaurant Week Facebook and follow @OlympiaRestWeek on Twitter.

LINK: Fancy Olympia Restaurant Week 2013 Menu Guide

Some of Thurston County's best restaurants, establishments that define the art of the county's cuisine, are participating in the inaugural Olympia Restaurant Week. Ten unique Thurston County eateries will offer special prix-fixe menus with dishes sure to impress all types of palates. The special menus will dinner options - and a free lunch options - priced at $25 and $15, respectively, for three courses - with many options per course.

The Weekly Volcano constructed a nifty Olympia Restaurant Week flipbook of the menus. Click here to flip.

South Sounders: Get ready to celebrate Thurston County's unique fine dining scene. Following in suit with its neighbors to the north, the inaugural Olympia Restaurant Week is happening April 7-18, Sundays-Thursdays. Ten Thurston County restaurants will be serving up special $25 three-course dinners, with some eateries offering a three-course lunch menu for $15.

Intrigued? You should be. Olympia Restaurant Week is the perfect time to explore new restaurants, support local businesses and best of all, enjoy great food and a night on the town for much less than it would normally cost. Budget-minded diners are able to sample some of the best cuisine the area has to offer.

Participating restaurants include 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.  

Read my full feature on Olympia Restaurant Week in the Weekly Volcano's Restaurant section.

LINK: Fancy Olympia Restaurant Week 2013 Menu Guide

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.

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