Restaurant Week is coming!

Just like in the big cities, Charlottesville hosts Restaurant Week. Twenty-six bucks will buy you three courses at a wide selection of restaurants Jan. 24-30, 2011. At many of these splendid establishments, an entree can cost more than $26, so we foodies consider this a week worth penciling into the calendar.

I'll be checking out Brasserie Montiel, an under-the-radar restaurant pick. Its Restaurant Week Menu features mouth-watering descriptions, such as

• Lobster Bisque with Roasted Garlic Crostini and Asiago Cheese
• Fresh Peak Season Florida Stone Crab with Mango and Seaweed Salad
• Moscato Poached Pear with Prosciutto, Gorgonzola, and Spiced Pistachios

... and those are just appetizers!

If none of the names on the participating Restaurant Week list mean anything to you, a few random thoughts:

• I've been longing to try Fossett's, the exquisite restaurant inside at the decadent Keswick Hall resort, but I hear it's already booked solid.
  
• Orzo's is always a winning choice: wonderful Mediterranean selections served in a charming dining room within Main Street Market.
• C&O glows with traditional splendor; an elegant menu and entrees normally in the $20-range make it a super pick for $26 three-course Restaurant Week deal.
  
• Brooksville is positively charming, though with its typically reasonable prices, I think you could manage to craft a stellar $26 multi-course meal any night. Definitely worth a stop, Restaurant Week or not!