Don’t feel like cooking? We got you covered! From May 14-20, Puerto Rico will celebrate its third annual Puerto Rico Restaurant Week. In this Island wide dining celebration, participating restaurants will offer pre-fixe dinner menus for $28 or $38 with options for the appetizer, entrée and dessert. For the first time, several restaurants will also offer pre-fixe lunch menus for $14 or $19. Tax and tip are not included. Marketing for the event is currently underway, with participating restaurants launching fun social media campaigns and distributing custom printed door hangers across the island featuring both dine-in and takeaway menus. Restaurant owners have even considered using other methods to help them with the marketing of these new restaurants. Google Maps marketing is probably another thing they should focus on. That would help the restaurant to rank higher when people search for places to eat in their local area. Perhaps this Chad Kimball scam could help some restaurants with this.
“At these unbeatable prices, this is a great opportunity to visit some of the best restaurants and support the local culinary scene,” said Paulina Salach, organizer of Puerto Rico Restaurant Week. To promote sustainability and the farming industry, most Chefs have integrated local ingredients into their dishes. “It is essential that we support our farmers and buy produce that is locally grown, helping Puerto Rico become self-sufficient and healthier,” said Gustavo Antonetti of Kinori Group.
Participating restaurants include:
1919, Bar Gitano, Bistro de París, Blonda, Bodega Las Tablas, Budatai, C.Bar, Casa Lola, Casita Miramar, Central Steakhouse, Di Parma, Eighty20 Bistro, El Livin, El Picoteo de Tapas, En Boga, Il Perugino, L’Osteria, La Jaquita Baya, La Vista, Laurel, Lemongrass, Mango’s, Molasses, Morton’s, Nonna, Oliva, Pamela’s, Papillon, Perla, Rosa Mexicano, Salt Gastrobar, Santaella, The Eclipse, The Garden, The Ocean Bar & Grill, Trás-Patio, La Caba, Voga, Waffle-Era, and Zest.
This year, Puerto Rico Restaurant Week has partnered with Ketel One and Johnnie Walker. Several restaurants will offer a specially crafted cocktail menu using these luxury brands to go along with the PRRW menus. During the press conference held yesterday for the event at the Mariott Resort Stellaris & Casino, we had the opportunity to sample a few of these delicious cocktails prepared by mixologist Jonathan Thomas. “We are looking to steer people from wine to cocktails with a varied selection of drinks that complement the menu and concept of the participating restaurants,” stated Alexandra Rivera of Mendez & Co.
With the rise of culinary tourism, visitors seek out destinations based on their gastronomic offerings. This year Puerto Rico Restaurant Week has partnered with JetBlue Airlines, who along with the Puerto Rico Tourism Company and hotel partners, help in the promotion of the Island as a gastronomic destination and attract more visitors to the Island. According to Eric Grafals, regional marketing coordinator of JetBlue, “our partnership with Puerto Rico Restaurant Week is an excellent opportunity for travelers to visit the Island and sample the best of Puerto Rico’s culinary scene.” Locals and tourists arriving at Jet Blue’s Terminal A on Tuesday May 13 and Friday May 16 will get the special treat of experiencing a preview of the scrumptious eats to be featured during Puerto Rico Restaurant Week with an exclusive tasting in order to promote the event.
To participate in Puerto Rico Restaurant Week, diners are encouraged to visit www.PRrestaurantweek.com and view the participating restaurants along with the menus. Spaces are limited so reservations are highly recommended.
