ENTERTAINMENT

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week underway

Geoffrey Wilson
Poughkeepsie Journal
A view of the main dining area of The Bocuse Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

Diners across the region have reason to celebrate, as spring Hudson Valley Restaurant Week brings meals and deals to the area.

The event will run March 6-19 across the region, offering prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus. In its 11th year, the bi-annual event runs for about two weeks every spring and fall.

In the mid-Hudson Valley, 30 restaurants from Dutchess County and 10 from Ulster County will participate in Restaurant Week. A full list of participating restaurants can be found at valleytable.com/hvrw/restaurants, and restaurants can still apply by going to hudsonvalleyrestaurantweek.com.

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The purpose of Restaurant Week is twofold — bring a boost to restaurants during the slow winter season and incentivize customers to go out and try new restaurants.

Mary Alice Monto, 59, of Poughkeepsie, said she sees Restaurant Week as an opportunity to branch out.

"(I) usually look to try a new restaurant," Monto said.

Since opening in October 2015, Baja 382 in Beacon has participated every Restaurant Week. This decision helped the restaurant get its name out there, according to manager Kim Callahan.

Chocolate and toasted pine nut cake, with cactus pear ice cream and caramel sauce, is a dessert available at The Bocuse Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

"It's something that brings people in the door," Callahan said.

The Southwest-style restaurant also uses the event to experiment, offering past specials for lunch and dinner to test whether there's an interest. Dishes will include Southwest egg rolls, chipotle shrimp on rice and fried cheesecake.

The dining room at Monte's Local Kitchen & Tap Room in Amenia, photographed Jan. 27, 2017.

Restaurants' prix-fixe menus feature three-course meals. Lunch will cost $22.95, and dinner will cost $32.95.

This marks the first price increase for Restaurant Week since it started about 10 years ago, with a $2 increase to lunch and a $3 increase to dinner.

"As we all know, food and labor costs have increased dramatically over 10 years, and the small increase will go a long way to preserve the quality of the Restaurant Week experience for diners," said Janet Crawshaw, founder of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.

Geoffrey Wilson: gwilson@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4882, Twitter: Geoff_LW

Participating local restaurants

  • A Tavola Trattoria, New Paltz
  • American Bounty, Hyde Park
  • Amici's, Poughkeepsie
  • Aroma Osteria, Wappingers Falls
  • Baja 328, Beacon
  • Bocuse Restaurant, Hyde Park
  • Brasserie 292, Poughkeepsie
  • Cafe Amarcord, Beacon
  • The Corner Restaurant at Hotel Tivoli, Tivoli*
  • Cosimo's Trattoria, Poughkeepsie
  • Crave, Poughkeepsie
  • Dino's Vigneto Café, Highland
  • Eleven 11 Grille & Spirits, Fishkill
  • Farm to Table Bistro, Fishkill
  • Henry's at the Farm, Milton
  • Hudson's Ribs & Fish, Fishkill
  • Il Barilotto, Fishkill
  • Joseph's Steakhouse, Hyde Park
  • Kitchen Sink Food & Drink, Beacon
  • Le Express, Poughkeepsie
  • Mill House Brewing Company, Poughkeepsie
  • The Mill, Poughkeepsie
  • Monte's Local Kitchen & Bar, Amenia
  • Ole Savannah Southern Table & Bar, Kingston
  • Perch, Marlboro
  • Post Road Brewhouse, Hyde Park*
  • Poughkeepsie Ice House, Poughkeepsie
  • Redwood Restaurant, Kingston*
  • Ristorante Caterina de' Medici, Hyde Park
  • River Station, Poughkeepsie
  • The Roundhouse, Beacon
  • Sapore, Fishkill
  • Shadows On The Hudson, Poughkeepsie
  • Ship Lantern Inn, Milton
  • Terrapin, Rhinebeck
  • Trattoria Locanda, Fishkill
  • Trattoria San Giorgio, Millbrook
  • Tuthill House, Gardiner
  • The Village Tearoom, Restaurant & Bakeshop, New Paltz
  • The Would, Highland

*indicates restaurants new to Hudson Valley Restaurant Week