Restaurant Week returned to Center City this week, bringing $35 prix
fixe menus to downtown's hottest restaurants. Well, at least the hottest
restaurants within a 20-block radius of City Hall. But for the
restaurants that don't claim a Center City zip code, there's
Philly's Neighborhood Food Week, an outlier's answer to Restaurant Week, offering
access to some of the best food in town, just a bit out of town.
Neighborhood Food Week is the brainchild of Charisse McGilll, veteran
event planner with Philadelphia conference organizers
Ardent Management.
As the economy slowed last year, so did the conference game, and McGill
began hearing from restaurants looking to compete with Restaurant Week.
"This
event will bring exposure to neighborhoods that have been overlooked as
dining destinations," says McGill. "At first, we heard from restaurants
near Penn's Landing and Roxborough, and we looked into doing events in
each of those neighborhoods. But we thought it might not have the impact
we wanted. So we included all the neighborhoods outlying Philadelphia
to see how far we could get."
The Second Annual restaurant week
has added new neighborhoods, new restaurants and new tastes, all of
which will be on display when Neighborhood Food Week kicks off October
10. With many prix fixe menus coming in cheaper than Restaurant Week,
Neighborhood Food Week participants can sample fare from City Avenue,
Ogontz Avenue or East Passyunk. They will try tapas in NoLibs or Thai
food in Manayunk or Italian food in Darby. Expanding horizons never
tasted so good.
"Last year, we had five neighborhoods
participating and, with the success of last year, we have nine
neighborhoods participating this year," says McGill. "I am excited to
return to
Blue Bananas on South Street for their four course menu for
$30. Also
Mango Moon, a Thai restaurant in Manayunk is doing three
courses for $20. I shop by price so I am looking forward to the event
myself."
Source: Charisse McGill, Ardent Management
Writer: John Steele