New Jersey Restaurant Week, considered one of the most popular and “tasteful” of statewide events, will begin soon. Governor Chris Christie along with the New Jersey Restaurant Association (NJRA) have proclaimed September 16– 22 as the official week. A list of participating restaurants can be found on www.dineoutnj.com and will be updated as the event nears.
The NJRA — now in its 70th year — plans to help establishments dish out the best celebration ever by adding new surprises to the week, especially after a large part of last year’s event was disrupted by Hurricane Irene, forcing many residents to avoid travel and stay inside.
“This is about giving back to our patrons,” said Jack Koumbis, Chairman of the NJRA. “We are celebrating our 70th anniversary and to show New Jerseyans our appreciation of their continued support, we’ve added exciting give-a-ways and special deals throughout the week,” he added.
To expand awareness and promote public attendance, a new sponsor, Sun National Bank, has been named as the “official” bank of Restaurant Week. The South Jersey-based bank is known for its community footprint throughout the state.
Restaurants across the Garden State will offer multi-course price-fixed lunch and dinner menus. Besides giving back to customers, restaurants are also “paying it forward” by supporting a very worthy cause – Share Our Strength’s Dine Out For No Kid Hungry.
Each day of NJ Restaurant Week, a fortunate patron in a participating restaurant will be randomly presented with a NJRA 70th Anniversary commemorative plate, personally signed by the renowned Chef David Burke. The plate will also entitle the lucky recipient to receive a valuable prize.
NJ Restaurant Week features good food and drink and allows patrons to try new establishments at fixed price points. Restaurants with liquor licenses are encouraged to serve the official cocktail of NJ Restaurant Week – The Shawshank. Created by Michael Deeg, an experienced bartender at Salt Creek Grille in Princeton, NJ, The Shawshank was deemed the winning drink at the 2nd annual Mixologist of the Year contest sponsored by Redemption Rye. Ingredients and assembly instructions are posted on www.dineoutnj.com for public viewing as well.
