Winter Restaurant Week event highlights delectable food dishes

The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

Credit: Natalie Jones

The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week, presented by Buckeye Vodka, gave foodies the opportunity to try something new and meet the chefs and owners of some of their favorite establishments in the Dayton area.

12 restaurants participated in the sneak peek on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at The Steam Plant including:

  • Amber Rose Restaurant and Catering, 1400 Valley St. in Dayton, served Wienerschnitzel, Reuben Chowder and Cherry Almond Bread Pudding
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. Pictured is Reuben Chowder, Bread Pudding and Schnitzel from Amber Rose Restaurant and Catering in Dayton. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • Coco’s Bistro, 250 Warren St. in Dayton, served Clam Chowder
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. Pictured is Clam Chowder from Coco's Bistro in Dayton. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • Condado Tacos, 4482 Glengarry Dr. in Beavercreek, served Purple Haze Tacos
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • Corner Kitchen, 613 E. Fifth St. in Dayton, served Tuna Crudo and Meatballs
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. Pictured is Meatballs and Tuna Crudo from Corner Kitchen in Dayton. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • El Meson, 903 E. Dixie Dr. in West Carrollton, served Pork Pozole Rojo and Mussel Medley
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. Pictured is a Mussel Medley and Pork Pozole Rojo from El Meson in West Carrollton. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • The Florentine Restaurant, 21 W. Market St. in Germantown, served Shepherd’s Pie and French Onion Soup
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. Pictured is the Shepherd's Pie and French Onion Soup from The Florentine Restaurant in Germantown. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • Greek Street, 101 E. Alex Bell Road Suite 186 in Centerville, served Baklava
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. Pictured is Baklava from Greek Street in Centerville. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • Manna Uptown, 61 W. Franklin St. in Centerville, served Beouf Bourguignon and Mashed Potatoes
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. Pictured is Beef Bourguignon and Mashed Potatoes from Manna in Centerville. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • Primo Italian Steakhouse, 6 S. Broad St. in Middletown, served Strip Steak and Mashed Potatoes
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. Pictured is a Strip Steak and Mashed Potatoes from Primo Italian Steakhouse in Middletown. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • Rip Rap Roadhouse, 6024 Rip Rap Road in Dayton, served Fried Green Tomatoes with Corn Salsa
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. Pictured is a Fried Green Tomato with Corn Salsa from Rip Rap Roadhouse in Dayton.NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • Roost Modern Italian, 524 E. Fifth St. in Dayton, served Duck Confit and Atlantic Salmon
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. Pictured is a bite of duck confit, butternut squash, ricotta, crespelle with blood orange deli glaze and parmigiana from Roost Modern Italian in Dayton. Chef Dana Downs also offered a bite of roasted Atlantic salmon and beets with horseradish and gremolata and soy and coconut caramel. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

  • Salar Restaurant and Lounge, 400 E. Fifth St. in Dayton, served Barramundi and Stir Fried Quinoa
The Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s Sneak Peek to Winter Restaurant Week at The Steam Plant in Dayton featured 12 establishments serving unique dishes for foodies to try. NATALIE JONES/STAFF

Credit: Natalie Jones

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Credit: Natalie Jones

As embarrassing as it is to admit, this was my first time trying Amber Rose. My dad has raved about their bread pudding for years after he went to the restaurant one time for a Christmas party. The restaurant’s Cherry Almond Bread Pudding was my favorite dish of the evening, followed by their Wienerschnitzel.

I talked with Chelsey Seifrit, the catering manager at Amber Rose, who said the bread pudding is made with Ashley’s Pastry Shop donuts, shaved almonds and white chocolate. The Wienerschnitzel was very traditional. The lightly breaded veal cutlets were served over a herbed spatzel with a lemon dill sauce.

Another favorite of the evening was the Beouf Bourguignon and Mashed Potatoes from Manna. The meat was very flavorful and tender and the mashed potatoes did not disappoint!

I really enjoyed this event because it allowed me to try dishes that I would probably never think to order. For example, at Condado Taco’s I always build my own tacos instead of ordering from their suggested tacos menu. I really enjoyed their Purple Haze Taco featuring a double decker shell with sweet chili sauce, chorizo, cilantro and onion, Thai red cabbage, queso fresco, cilantro and cilantro lime aioli. I would order that the next time I go!

Other dishes that surprised me was the Duck Confit from Roost Modern Italian, French Onion Soup from The Florentine and Meatballs from Corner Kitchen.

Corner Kitchen executive chef Gavin St. Denis said this was their first time participating in the sneak peek event.

“We’ve always participated in Winter Restaurant Week and we thought doing the sneak peek was a good way to give people a taste of what we got going on,” St. Denis said.

He was not wrong! I will definitely go to the restaurant for some spicy, sesame BBQ meatballs served with a carrot and jalapeño pickled slaw.

The Miami Valley Restaurant Association (MVRA) sold 350 tickets to the sneak peek event, said MVRA executive director Amy Zahora.

The sneak peek event started in 2006 as a way for sponsors to meet the restaurants, but after a few years it turned into an event that people in the community looked forward to. Zahora said attendees enjoy talking to the chefs and owners of the participating restaurants and it’s a great way to kick off Winter Restaurant Week.

Winter Restaurant Week runs from Sunday, Jan. 21 through Sunday, Jan. 28 with around 30 establishments participating. Meals range in price from $20.24 to $60.24. One dollar per meal sold will support the Dayton Food Bank. For more information about Winter Restaurant Week, visit dineoutdayton.com.

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