On Jan. 18, they did just that with 15 restaurants on hand.
Basil’s on Market, Chappys Social House, Coco’s Bistro, ele Cake Co. Bistro & Wine Bar, El Meson, Firebirds Wood-Fired Grill, Lily’s Bistro, Meadowlark, Nibble’s Restaurant, 937 Grill and Taproom, Park City Club, Roost Modern Italian, Station House, Wandering Griffin and Wheat Penny Oven & Bar were all on hand at White Allen European Auto to give guests a taste of what's to come next week.
Here are a few things we loved about this year's event:
Credit: Alexis Larsen
Credit: Alexis Larsen
1) THE VARIETY
Different cooking styles, ingredients, flavors and presentations were on hand, highlighting some of what diners can expect when they head out to eat during Restaurant Week.
If you are looking to eat a medley of more than a dozen dishes for the price of one meal, the sneak peek event is a winning proposition.
Our favorite dish of the evening was courtesy of ele cake co Bistro & Wine Bar, which served up beef short rib ravioli provencale served with fresh peas, cherry tomatoes, carrots, garlic, onion and topped with a creamy tomato basil sauce.
We would definitely like to have more of that soon.
2) THE NEWCOMERS
New participants to the Restaurant Week, which began 12 years ago, include Firebird’s Wood Fired Grill, Mills Park Hotel, 937 Grill & Taproom, Smith’s Boat House, The Wandering Griffin and Caddy's Taphouse in Beavercreek and Miamisburg.
Three of those were on hand for the sneak peek:
• Firebird's Wood Fired Grill: A healthy tequila glazed shrimp over a red quinoa and kale pilaf salad that tasted fresh and bright.
• Wandering Griffin: Beef and IPA chicken sliders that were very generously stacked with meat.
• 937 Grill: A tater tot bar! Complete with homemade chili, cheese, tomatoes, onions, jalapeños and sour cream. It's simple, but effective and ran strong all night long.
Credit: Alexis Larsen
Credit: Alexis Larsen
3) THE SOUPS
Soups can prove challenging to eat at events like these, but when they are this delicious, they are worth it.
El Meson's Mayan Chicken Enchilada Soup, a hearty soup of chicken, rice, tomatoes, chiles, carrots, corn, celery, black beans, sour cream and cheese was spicy and delightful with flavors that warmed and tantalized the tastebuds.
While Park City Club's French Onion Soup, which was made with caramelized onions slowly over 48 hours, was a rich, savory, salty surprise.
4) THE MEAT
Basil's on Market had short ribs, Chappy's had beer brined grilled pork chops, Meadowlark had el pastor tacos, Station House had short ribs, the Wandering Griffin had sliders piled high with your choice of chicken or beef and Wheat Penny had pork tenderloin. There was enough meat onhand to set the stage for a good meat sweat if you went back for seconds.
5) THE DESSERTS
From soups to salads to the main course, there wasn't a part of the meal that wasn't covered by at least one of the restaurants at this event. And that was true for desserts as well. Coco's Bistro had a Creme Brûlée on hand, with quite a line toward the end of the evening to get it, and Roost Modern Italian had a chocolatey Tiramisu Bread Pudding.
Nibble's rolled out Steve’s Favorite Carrot Cake, made with pineapple and walnuts and topped with whipped orange-cream cheese frosting. We can see why it's his favorite and now it's ours too.
BONUS: THE DRINKS
You don't go for the drinks, but it sure is nice they have them. We loved the specialty Buckeye vodka cocktail they cooked up called "The Vixen" made with fresh squeezed grapefruit and rosemary simple syrup. It was definitely a winner and paired nicely with many of the dishes.
RESTAURANT WEEK
Mark your calendars for next week! Winter Restaurant Week runs Jan. 22 through Jan. 29 at various Dayton-area restaurants. For more, visit the Miami Valley Restaurant Association's web site at dineoutdayton.com.
Contact this contributing writer at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com.