Money-saving restaurant specials
With people eating out less, I'm noticing more press releases from restaurants about specials designed to lure customers in. Some of these are very good deals; the caveat is to watch the extras. (I'll never forget the time my husband spent $10 for an entree at Tuesday's with Gertie in the BMA -- and $11 when he asked for a glass of merlot to go with it.)
Anyway, when I get specials that sound enticing, I'll pass them along. And if you know of any (or you're a restaurateur and want publicity), please post below. In fact, if I could come up with 10 good ones, I would make them my vacation Top 10.
Here are two that arrived in my inbox yesterday: ...
Sotto Sopra in Mount Vernon now has an Aperitivo Hour, or rather two hours. (OK, it's like a happy hour.)
From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday you can get $10 pastas and "light bites" for $6 or under (such as arancini di riso, fried risotto stuffed with mozzarella cheese, for $4 and spiced almonds seasoned with chiles and sea salt for $3). Also there are drinks for $1. For all of these, you have to sit at the bar.
The Prime Rib is introducing a Sunday Night Lite! menu starting tomorrow night. Hate the name, love the concept. It's a three-course, fixed-price menu for $33.
Roasted tomato soup, house salad, prime rib, crab imperial (and to think I forgot the Prime Rib when we were talking about crab imperial) prime rib and house-made key lime pie are some of the Sunday Night Lite! specials.
A half-price wine list featuring selected bottles is also available on Sunday nights.
(Chiaki Kawajiri/Sun photographer)
Comments
I'm getting regular emails from Brasserie Tatin and Cinghiale about specials.
Cinghiale, btw, was featured in the new issue of "Food & Wine" that just arrived in my mailbox. I wouldn't consider it a bargain restaurant, but they are now offering a $29 Sunday Supper in the Enoteca with three courses of antipasti, pasta and dessert. Wine, of course, is extra.
Posted by: Dahlink | June 7, 2008 7:56 AM
I wasn't really paying attention, (because I STILL can't afford it anyway, ha ha) but Ruths Chris apparently is still running their 3 course fixed price special ($35?) on certain days. Actually, from the little that I did hear, it's a great deal, it's just that together with the bar tab, it becomes a vacation instead of a dinner. It may be a good time to become non-drinkers!
Posted by: Joyce W. | June 7, 2008 8:52 AM
Those $1 drinks are, well, sort of $1. There is a two drink minimum per person. The fist drink is $1, the second is full price. That makes it more like buy one get one free with the condition that you have to stick around long enough for two drinks. With their normal price of drinks, that bring the price back into the sane range, but not very "special".
Sotto Sopra's ad campaign is misleading in this regard, IMO.
Posted by: KAZ | June 7, 2008 9:52 AM
I think I mentioned this under a previous post, but Ryan's Daughter has half-priced burgers on Thursdays after 7. Combined with Golden West's half-priced burgers on Mondays and Cooper's on Tuesday, I wonder if we could come with a special every night. Obviously, Friday and Saturday will be the hardest,
Posted by: matt hudock | June 7, 2008 10:05 AM
Pazza Luna offers $10 pasta nights on Wednesdays and many other specials duringt he week. www.pazzaluna.us is the link. The special at Cinghale is GREAT! Was there last week for it and enjoyed everything!
Posted by: It's all good | June 7, 2008 10:59 AM
Prime Rib also advertises a 'lite-fare' menu on Thursday nights ...
Posted by: Liz Kay | June 7, 2008 1:30 PM
Matt Hudock:
I'm pretty sure Wednesday is 1/2 price burger night at Duda's.
Posted by: mitzi | June 7, 2008 2:37 PM
The Alonso's Burger is $5 off on Mondays and Tequila & Tortilla Tuesdays feature deals on half-price margaritas, $9.99 cabo tacos, $11.99 beef, chicken or veggie fajitas, burritos, chimichangas & enchiladas or $13.99 for seafood fajitas, burritos, chimichangas & enchiladas.
Posted by: Mags | June 7, 2008 2:52 PM
I have to say that $29 for a three course dinner that doesn't include a main course still seems pricey to me. Add in three glasse of wine and it totals about $59. There are lots of places my wife and I can split an appetizer, both have a main course, dessert and my three glasses of wine for less than $100. I have to admit I haven't tried Cinghiale and it may be that much better than places I eat now. I'll have to give it a try.
Posted by: Mark | June 7, 2008 3:00 PM
Dunno quite where to post this, so here goes. The New York Times Travel section has an article on the best and worst ballpark food at a bunch of major league ball parks. Shame on us. The best item the writer found at Oriole Park was the soggy French fries. He trashed the crab cake. Read for yourself:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/travel/08baseball.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
Posted by: Federal Hill Jim | June 7, 2008 3:28 PM
Federal Hill Jim, I admit I don't think much of Camden yards crab cakes; but, I think ANY crab cake in Maryland is better than any crab cake anywhere else. I wouldn't dream of even ordering a crab cake in New York knowing already that those idiots would probably put green peppers and onions in it and none of my beloved Old Bay!
Having said that, and back OT; I noticed that Micho's is advertising daily (during the week) specials and recall reading somewhere in this blog that their prime rib deal is something worth investigating.
Posted by: Joyce W. | June 7, 2008 4:36 PM
Joyce - I ordered a crab cake in San Francisco once just to see what they did with it - and it had green peppers and onions in it! Tasted more like Thanksgiving stuffing than a crab cake. I wonder what the west coast folks think of ours, if they hate ours as much as I hated theirs.
Posted by: LJ | June 7, 2008 7:55 PM
LJ, when my mother comes out from California, all she really wants is a Chesapeake crab cake. We've taken her many different places and cooked our own (that is to say, cooked some from Eddie's), and she has eaten them all with a big smile on her face.
Posted by: Dahlink | June 8, 2008 3:13 PM
LJ and Dahlink, when we were in Orlando a couple of years ago I asked the waiter in the Fulton Crab House how the crab cakes were. He said, "well, normally, I guarantee if you don't like them, you get 'em for free but you're from Baltimore, so forget it"! I was thinking "even they know they're doing it wrong!"
Posted by: Joyce W. | June 8, 2008 8:02 PM
I was thinking "even they know they're doing it wrong!"
Or perhaps they were thinking we're too damn opinionated. :-)
Posted by: Hal Laurent, VoR, Your Slogan Here | June 8, 2008 8:46 PM
Laughing over here Hal! Imagine Baltimoreans thought of as opinionated! :)
Posted by: Joyce W. | June 9, 2008 5:33 AM
Liberatore's 20th Anniversary Dinners have started and run through August 28..Sundays-Thursdays..Three Course Italian Dinners for $24.95(plus tax/tip)..with great selections of appetizers, entrees and desserts. Had an amazing dinner there the other night.
Entrees on the special include Shrimp Scampi, Chicken Parmigiana, Broiled Salmon and more.
www.Liberatores.com
Also, their Timonium location has an outdoor patio..very nice for dining. See the full Anniversary menu on their site under Events.
Posted by: Diane | June 9, 2008 4:58 PM
Golden West has a half priced burger on Monday, but it will be Tuesday before it is brought to your table.
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | June 9, 2008 9:59 PM
Clyde's has half price bottles of wine on Mondays. If you don't mind eating early, order before 5:30 pm on Mondays and they'll take 20% off your tab!
Posted by: Stew | June 10, 2008 8:43 AM
Tuesday's at Little Havana you can get prime rib for $1 an ounce! Its the only night of the week they prepare it and its quite tasty.
Posted by: Mather | June 10, 2008 10:21 AM
Special night - careful -
Tried Desantis' Perrry Hall last inight $12 pasta special w/ garden salad, Apps- Clams casino were burnt & dry. Calamari and salad good. Entrees- got charged $12 for a $9 pasta dish, pasta sauces sorta like alfredo - were tasteless and gloppy. 1st time that we never got offered bread at a Italian place. Server didnt care - too bust talking to her fellow servers - no revisit planned
Posted by: pops | June 10, 2008 11:23 AM
RoCK, you're the BeST.
Posted by: chez G | June 10, 2008 9:16 PM