Restaurant Week Round-up

Anna Chin - Jo Jo's Jerk Pit and More

"Restaurant Week was fantastic!

It was good for business. People were happy with their deals. It was our first time and we got many new customers plus we also introduced our old customers to new things like the Argentine steak. That was our big hit. We'll definitely do it again next year.

We wanted people to feel Jo Jo's Jerk Pit and More for what it is; we kept the vibe. We had the live music for two nights of the week because it was Saturday to Saturday. We had Wayne Armond one night and Floyd Ffolkes the next and it was fantastic.

We even launched our new little bar. The Hardy's wines were good and the complimentary drinks like the Lipstick On The Collar were a hit. Everything was good!

Tamarind Indian Cuisine

According to owner, Puja Chantani, this their first time participating in the annual Gleaner-sponsored event was, in one word, 'fantastic'. The discounted prices allowed persons who don't normally dine out the opportunity to enjoy what they had to offer, and for this they were very happy. As she puts it, "It was a joy". During the week, they served over 600 patrons, and even though the week is over they are still getting reservations from persons who had never been at the restaurant before. "The good thing about it was not a single person came to us and said the food was not good," notes Chantani. So, if you missed out on the delectable Indian cuisine this time around it is almost a guarantee that come next year Tamarind Indian Cuisine will again be on the line-up for Restaurant Week.

Rafaelle's Gourmet Pizzeria

Just a few months old, this their first year participating was very satisfying.

Mango Tree Restaurant at Altamont Court

For these first-timers the week was wonderful. "It went really well better than we expected," notes Food and Beverage Manager Jermaine Scarlett. He notes that it was the opportunity of a lifetime and there is no doubt that they will be back on next year's line-up.

East Japanese Restaurant

Owner and head chef of East Japanese Restaurant, Taka Utoguchi, is ecstatic about the outcome of the Gleaner-sponsored Restaurant Week. Chef Utoguchi said, "It was very good. I did good business and got many young and new customers. I will definitely be participating next year."

Gee Wee Restaurant

Richard Tucker, owner of Gee Wee Restaurant, is not pleased with the support he received. He said it was not what he was expecting. "I did not see numbers, if we had 20 people we would have had a full house," said Tucker.

He noted that, based on feedback that he received from patrons, it was bad timing because it was in the middle of the month and they had no money. He also said that another contributing factor to the poor results of the week was that the name of the restaurant was misspelt on flyers that went out. He said there was an attempt to fix the mistake with an advertisement in The Gleaner.

As far as participating next year goes, he said it would be tough for him to get his directors to buy into it again. "And, personally, it would be difficult for me to ask them to do so as well. I do see how the result would not be same." He added that they got involved with Restaurant Week because they thought it would have been worthwhile, which he believe it could be, but with some tweaking.

Deli Works

When asked how the week went, owner of Deli Works Michael Hall said, "It went very well."

"We achieved our objective and our burgers were a big hit. People have already been posting favourable comments on blogs."

He noted that though he is just cleaning up from the week's event, he most possibly will be participating next year.

Caffé Da Vinci

Caffé da Vinci owner Allessandra Tobartolini Misir said Restaurant Week was very positive for her. "It was hard work, but a fun experience, and I will definitely be participating next year."