Day 527 : How to Save / How to Splurge Dispatch # 24

Whoops, I was so tired last night that I fell asleep with the computer on my lap, oh well, there is plenty of time to catch up on a steamy Friday like today....so let's get right to it!

Restaurant Week?

Heard of it? It is when a variety of New York City's nice restaurants create affordable prix-fixe menus, key word in that statement is affordable! Clocking in at $24.07 for a lunch of three courses or $30 with a glass of wine it is quite a bargain...espeically when some of the dishes available clock in at $15 or $18 or $28 a piece...

So if you still want to enjoy a nice splurge but on a small budget, head over to one of New York's participating restaurants. Yesterday I had the pleasure of dining with a few friends at Park Avenue Summer for lunch, some of us participated in the restaurant week lunch menu and some of us just ordered one appetizer, this weather does not make one famished, that's for sure. We all split two different appetizers, included in the restaurant week menu:

Roasted Baby Beets, Ginger & Labne Yogurt and their Burrata Caprese, Buckwheat Noodle Salad. However the Burrata was also on the regular menu clocking in at $15 just on its own and here it was part of a three course prix fixe for less than ten dollars more!

Next up - two of us got the Mediterranean Bronzino with a Sauce Vierge included in the prix fixe menu and two of us ordered separately, I got the Salmon Tartar with Oven Roasted Tomatoes, basil, and a yogurt coulis underneath and the last person got a tomato and watermelon gazpacho with an avocado spring roll.

Each item was extremely fresh, crisp, and refreshing! What was somewhat of a revelation for me was the idea of a burrata caprese with buckwheat noodles -- cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes, basil, pea shoots, buckwheat noodles or soba topped with a ball of burrata (mozzarella exterior, filled with cream, it is probably one of the most decadent fresh cheeses I can think of out there.) Burrata is perfect for a special occasion, prepared simply like a caprese pairing or my summertime favorite, paired with strawberries, basil, and sea salt.

Ok back to the end of the meal....because two people ordered the restaurant week menus, we also had the pleasure of splitting two desserts: Peach Panna Cotta with Basil Foam and Lemon Cakes and a Pistachio Finacier with a strawberry coulis.

Definitely more food than one person needed for lunch with the restaurant week menu if you ask me but everything was delish and a celebration of the produce in season. So take advantage of this managable splurge, your wallet won't feel nearly as bad as if you had dined there without the restaurant week menu.