One of my favorite ways to try a restaurant and get a good deal are prix fixe menus. There are many different ways to experience this delight of a 3 course meal for around $30 a person. There are various groups that sponsor these meals as well as individual restaurants having special tastings. Looking for these options allows for almost anyone to afford an expensive restaurant or to try something new. Today's blog will discuss a recent attendance at a prix fixe meal in Youngstown and this week's Patio Week downtown.
On Saturday September 10, 2011, I attended an amazing meal in Youngstown at Joe's Restaurant. It was a 4 course dinner for $38 prepared by Chef Joe Marsco, a Youngstown native, who currently runs 2 prestigious restaurants in Las Vegas. He is an amazing chef and the food and driver were worth it. The meal could be paired with wine for an additional $12. (I passed on the wine because I had to drive back to Cleveland that night). The dinner started off with an antipasto which included tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella, roasted peppers, and roasted eggplant served with garlic crostini. The vegetables were perfectly roasted and seasoned and the mozzarella was drizzled with a bit of pesto. For the primi, or pasta course, we sampled the Fritzulli with broccoli rabe and chili toasted bread crumbs and the Agnolotti with swiss chard and a sage and brown butter sauce. Again the pasta was perfectly cooked and seasoned and the accompaniments were fresh and delicious. I was delighted by the chili breadcrumbs as I love anything with a bit of spice! La Corsa Secondi was also absolutely amazing. The branzino with olive oil, summer squash, carrots, and fingerling potatoes was the perfect blend of flavors. The fish was cooked perfectly and melted in your mouth. The roasted fillet with mushroom, caramelized shallots, Barolo sauce and fried mashed potatoes were beautiful on the plate. Each bite was better then the prior. The meal was finished off perfectly with a trio of dolci! There was a baba with limoncello, cannolo a strati, and a budino di amaretti. The chocolate, lemon, and ricotta all blended together even as each was an individual bite. The meal was perfect and a great value at only $38 per person.
So for those of you looking for future prix fixe events, you can experience these meals and deals this week at the Downtown Cleveland Alliance Patio Week. There are 23 participating restaurants serving lunch and/or dinner for $15/$30 per three course meal. Some of the restaurants have 2 for $30 3-course meals. The website list the participating restaurants and menus for many of them. http://downtownclevelandalliance.com/events/patio-week-/participating-restaurants--special-events.aspx In looking at the list here are a few of my favorites that I am looking to try this week. Johnny's Downtown dinner menu including an heirloom tomato salad, smoked bacon wrapped fillet with Gorgonzola cheese, and bananas foster. Chinato's dinner menu including Roasted corn and arugula salad, roasted cod with beets, and lemon polenta cake. For lunch I would love to try the $15 meal from Lola including spicy tomato bisque, mac and cheese with chicken, and panna cotta for dessert.
I am hoping to write about some other great events coming in October and November including my favorite...Cleveland Independent's restaurant week. These prix fixe menus allow dinners to try new restaurants for a good deal. Many of these restaurants would cost easily upwards of $50 per person for these same menus on a normal night. A great way to stay on top of these deals is to sign up for newsletters from groups such as the Downtown Cleveland Alliance and Cleveland Independents.
Happy eating and dealing!
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