Restaurant Week: Carrie's Picks

By Carrie Becker in Food on Feb 19, 2010 6:40PM

Everyone should have a strategy when entering a massive, culinary event like Restaurant Week. For me, try restaurants that I have yet to checked off my 'dining out' list then eye-ing the menu for delicious and unique dishes and finally going back to places that I love but can't regularly fit into the weekly dining budget.

BOKA
This has been on my list for some time. Giuseppe Tentori is a Trotter's alumnus and received a nod from Food and Wine magazine as part of their 'Best New Chef 2008' list. I'll likely kick off this meal with the veal cheeks because I always try something at least once then I'll hit up the herb crusted whitefish with brussel sprout leaves. I can't wait for the sticky pudding with toffee sauce (its not typical that I get excited for dessert but since Aigre Doux closed I have been on the search for a comparable sweet treat).

Salpicon
Another one on my 'dining out' list to check off, I'm looking forward to tasting Chef Priscila Satkoff's fresh, authentic Mexican cuisine. For starters, I plan on either the ceviche with blue marlin or gorditas divorciades. The last time I had true, authentic gorditas I was in a small town outside of San Antonio. Unlike the Taco Bell version, these tortillas are stuffed with meat (how you might stuff a pita) then deep fried. Top with mexican crema and salsa and you have a delicious snack. For the main course, Pescado a la Veracruzana, a dish featuring a filet of wild Alaskan halibut with a roasted tomato sauce with capers, manzanilla olives, pickled jalapenos and garlic plus a side of fried plantains.

Naha
Tried and true, I simply cannot miss a perfectly executed meal at Naha at Restaurant Week prices. This time I'm mixing it up by dining at lunch time (the dinner menu too closely resembled last year's menu). I'm lusting after the starter of cured arctic char, Door County golden whitefish caviar, shaved fennel, creme fraiche and candied winter citrus.