Dine Newport Beach and the Newport Beach Restaurant Association have announced the return of the 15th Annual Newport Beach Restaurant Week, April 19 – May 2.
To say this is a highly-anticipated event is an understatement, especially for restaurants. And foodies have more ways to savor the cuisine from dozens of Newport Beach eateries for two delicious weeks.
Guests can expect the customary prix-fixe menu from full-service eateries along with specialty dishes, exclusive offers and take-out options from a variety of culinary establishments.
I perused the menus and have a few suggestions–but first, a hearty welcome to the seven new participating restaurants this year: Pita Pita, Sugar ‘n Spice, Vista.Kitchen.Bar, Hook & Anchor, Louie’s by the Bay, Mayur Cuisine of India, Blaze Pizza, and Billy’s at the Beach.
And while most restaurants are offering traditional prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner, others have special deals: at Pita Pita: buy one, get one free; at SHOR American Seafood Grill, get 20 percent off and one complimentary appetizer; at the much lauded Sushi ii, get a complimentary glass of wine during Restaurant Week; Thrive Juice Lab offers $5 off any bowl or salad; newcomer Vista.Kitchen.Bar offers two appetizers and two drinks for $45; Blaze Pizza has a “Party of One” bundle (11″ one-top pizza and fountain drink) for $7.95.
Other Restaurant Week deals worth noting:
Billy’s at the Beach has a $25 Lunch and $45 Dinner deal. Experience a tropical evening at Billy’s at the Beach with waterfront dining, Hawaiian-inspired cuisine and aloha spirit. The iconic aloha eatery is offering a $25 Mai Tai and Burger special at lunch and $45 8 oz Filet and Pinot Noir at dinner for dine-in only.
Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens has a $50 three-course menu courtesy of Owner & Executive Chef Rich Mead. Spotlighting the freshest flavors of the season and locally sourced ingredients, the menu presents two entree options: Seared Wild Grouper with asparagus, sugar snap peas, fava beans, cipollini onions and green garlic, sweet pea risotto, and tangerine beurre blanc; and Roast Autonomy Farms Lamb Shoulder with griddled Tehachapi Heritage Grain Project parmesan polenta cakes, swiss chard, shiitake mushrooms and cipollini onions, red wine lamb jus and mint chimichurri.
Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizza Store has a $15 Lunch and $45 Family Dinner deal. Newport Beach’s oldest operating pizzeria, Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizza Store, serves award-winning New York-style pizza and Italian cuisine in a fun, family-friendly environment. For lunch, enjoy three meatball sliders featuring three of Stan’s Famous Meatballs and a side salad for $15. For dinner, enjoy a $45 Family Meal for four to five people and includes one large specialty pizza, one large salad and two slices of Erica’s NY cheesecake. Offers available for dining and takeout.
Avilla’s El Ranchito Mexican Restaurant has a terrific lunch menu for $15 that includes a cup of Mama Avila’s Chicken Soup or Azteca Chicken Salad, plus an entrée of chile relleno served with Mexican rice and beans, or Mahi Veggie Bowl with Blackened Mahi Mahi over grilled vegetables, black beans, avocado, pico de gallo, and tomatillo salsa, or Carnitas Tacos Chunks of lean pork, cooked crispy on the outside, juicy inside. Garnished with tomatillo salsa and pico de gallo in corn tortillas. Served with Mexican rice and beans. Soft drink is included.
Bayside Restaurant has a nice $50 prix fixe dinner menu that includes a choice of starters, a choice of five entrees including pan roasted Scottish salmon, linguine scampi, pork chops, prime filet, and chicken breast, plus dessert.
I was excited to see Louie’s by the Bay participating this year. Their $40 three-course, prix dinner menu includes a choice of starters plus a choice of three entrees: House Made Angel Hair pasta, Pan Seared Salmon Filet, and Mary’s Chicken Parmigiano. Also included is a choice of two desserts.
Woody’s Wharf has a terrific $20 lunch menu that includes a choice of starters and choice of five entrees including grilled salmon, fish and chips, and mahi mahi.
Bluewater Grill has a wonderful $25 lunch menu that includes their signature Hot Fresh Sourdough Bread & Butter and a beverage, plus a choice of starters (salad or chowder), plus choice of entrees (fish and chips, shrimp Louie, calamari steak, cheeseburgers, fish tacos). The restaurant’s $40 dinner menu is also enticing.
Avila’s El Ranchito has a nice $15 lunch menu. It includes a cup of Mama Avila’s Chicken Soup or Azteca Chicken Salad. Entrée choices include Chile Relleno, Mahi Veggie Bowl, or Carnitas Tacos. Soft drink is included.
To access the complete Restaurant Week list of restaurants and their offerings, visit
www.VisitNewportBeach.com/Restaurant-Week to sign up for the NBRW Pass.
For more information, please visit www.visitnewportbeach.com/dinenewportbeach.
