WILLIAMSBURG-Williamsburg Area Restaurant Association (WARA) will hold its annual Restaurant Week Friday, January 21, through Monday, January 31. Restaurant Week has grown in popularity because it typically offers the opportunity for customers to taste many varieties of discounted food items that may be ordinarily out of their price range.
Though Newport News officially cancelled their annual restaurant week for 2022, WARA Executive Director Debi Schaefer said that Williamsburg’s Restaurant Week is a go.
Schaefer said she usually starts contacting restaurants to inquire about their participation after January 1 of each year and believes there are many factors affecting this year’s comparatively slow response, including covid-19, a recent snowstorm, and restaurant staffing issues.
To date, 14 restaurants have confirmed their participation in this year’s event. “Last year, we had 38 restaurants participate and 43 the year before that,” said Schaefer. “We’re kind of just waiting to see what tomorrow brings, but we’re definitely moving forward.”
WARA’s current lineup includes 1607 Grill, Berret’s Seafood Restaurant & Taphouse Grill, Blue Talon Bistro, Cochon on 2nd for dine in and Moody’s Kitchen for take-out, Craft 31, DoG Street Pub, Fat Tuna Grill, La Piazza, Oceans & Ale, Opus 9 Steakhouse, Sal’s by Victor and The Whaling Company.
Cochon on 2nd’s Proprietor Neil Griggs said his made-to-order upscale restaurant will be participating in Restaurant Week for the first time this year. “We wanted to try it to see if we can bring in some new people that haven’t tried Cochon before,” said Griggs. “Maybe they’ll love it and come back for special occasions.”
Cochon on 2nd’s featured meal during Restaurant Week will include the choice of soup or baby mixed salad; prime beef short rib, grilled Scottish salmon, or pan-seared chicken Provençal; and chocolate mouse pate or Sallie Sue’s pound cake. The cost is $50.22 per person.
Schaefer said she will have a complete listing of participating restaurants, along with their menus, posted on WARA’s website, www.WaraRest.com, by Friday, January 21.