Restaurant Week in NYC: Staten Island eats are represented in the program

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Restaurant Week kicks off this month on Jan. 18 to promote the New York City hospitality industry.

At the moment, Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Bar and Cabaret at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield is the only participating venue for the borough.

Restaurant Week runs from Jan. 18 to Feb. 13, Monday through Friday.

“We love participating in Restaurant Week because the special menu and pricing often attracts new guests to try Lorenzo’s — and we have a large, spacious dining room with an 1893 Steinway piano, delicious food, a fully vaccinated staff,” said Lois and Richard Nicotra, owners of the Hilton’s resident, linen cloth eatery. They pointed out upgrades in ventilation with the addition of the Atmos Air Purification system.

Restaurant Week allows them to show off their menu.

The Nicotras said, “Sometimes people who haven’t dined here yet think a restaurant in a hotel doesn’t have the greatest food. Well, we have a fabulous restaurant — and it just happens to be located in a hotel. We have great short ribs, and they are on the menu.”

Also on the Restaurant Week list of edibles are the restaurant’s most popular dishes, including grilled pork tenderloin and Basil Pesto Salmon. Entrees can be prefaced with the option of a salad or Calamari Padella with sweet cherry peppers, pine nuts, sweet chili-soy sauce and white balsamic vinegar. Bombolini filled with Italian pastry cream is the dessert. Lunch and dinner at Lorenzo’s during Restaurant Week includes a glass of wine and coffee or tea. The cost of the three courses is $39 per guest plus tax and gratuity.

All NYC restaurants in the Restaurant Week program open reservations to the public on Jan. 11 through NYC & Company, the Big Apple’s official tourism organization. Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Bar & Cabaret is located at 1100 South Ave., and can be reached at 718-477-2400 Ext. 4, Lorenzosdining.com.

Restaurant owners can still sign up to participate. It is free as NYC & Company has relaxed the entry charge.

The Nicotras are fans of the Restaurant Week program and said, “We were the first Staten Island restaurant to participate with NYC & Company and we think it’s important that Staten Island is represented on the New York City roster of restaurants. And, quite honestly, it’s time for all of us to enjoy life and we know the best way to do that is with a nice glass of wine, a good meal, in a beautiful setting.”

Earlier this month, NYC & Company also launched NYC Hotel Week. The Hilton Garden Inn is a part of that effort which sees 22% off the best available rate, in celebration of 2022 — www.nycgo.com/hotelweek.

When NYC & Company launches NYC Restaurant Week, it will also launch NYC Broadway Week and NYC Must-see Week. “Must-see” encompasses attractions and museums, and similar to Broadway, will be a two-for-one offer. These are all components of the NYC Winter Outing program and all details can be found on nycgo.com, the official tourism website for NYC).

Chris Heywood, executive VP of NYC & Company said, “Hotel Week is also ongoing so when you combine all four programs, you’ll get extraordinary value in the city. We want visitors to come but we’re also targeting the nearly 9 million New Yorkers who are a captive audience to safely take a staycation.”

He also said the department is emphasizing vaccines/boosters/masking up indoors and making a safe experience navigating NYC.

HOW RESTAURANTS CAN JOIN AND NEW TOURISM PROGRAMS

Restaurant Week is free to participating businesses. Monday to Friday are required offerings, excluding days the restaurant is normally closed. Saturdays are excluded and Sundays are optional. Restaurants may opt in for one, two, three or all four weeks of program. Dates again will overlap with NYC Broadway Week, NYC Must-See Week and the newly created NYC Hotel Week program, all under the umbrella of NYC Winter Outing.

Prix-fixe menus may include lunch and/or dinner for on-site dining (indoor and/or outdoor seating). Takeout and delivery is not promoted by NYC & Company channels, though the proprietor may offer and promote one’s own. Lunch must be a two-course minimum priced at either $29, $39 or $59. Dinner must be a three-course minimum priced at either $29, $39 or $59. Supplemental items and beverage pairings are encouraged, as long as a base offer is available and exemplary of the establishment.

To guarantee inclusion for website launch, a proprietor must email the menu to [email protected] as soon as possible. Only final menus will be accepted.

Diners who pre-register their Mastercard online and spend $39-plus in a single transaction will receive a $10 statement credit at participating NYC Restaurant Week restaurants, at no cost to the proprietor. The customer may receive the $10 statement credit up to five times.

The Mastercard Exclusive Booking Period runs from Jan. 6 to 10. General public booking opens Jan. 11. OpenTable has returned as a booking partner.

Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at [email protected].