TRAVERSE CITY — Whitney Butzier heard so many good things about last year's inaugural Restaurant Week, she added her eatery to this year's foodie festivities.
"It is really cool to see the caliber of restaurants in our community be recognized and become part of an annual event," said Butzier, general manager of Poppycock's on Front Street.
Traverse City Restaurant Week begins Feb. 26 and runs through March 3. It features 23 local restaurants serving three-course meals for $25.
"This is a boost from the 18 restaurants who participated last year. We are pleased with the growth," said Colleen Paveglio, of the Downtown Traverse City Association. "There was a lot of enthusiasm to make the week an annual event."
Doug Kosch, owner of Boathouse Restaurant at Bowers Harbor, saw a big bump in business last year.
"It turned what would have normally been a quiet week into a nice busy week," he said.
The Boathouse served nearly 500 customers last year, when an average early March week would bring 100 guests.
"It was great to see a lot of new faces and some regulars as well," he said.
Stephanie Wilson, of Traverse City, was among those new diners to try the Boathouse during last year's Restaurant Week. She and her friends also ate at Phil's on Front for the first time that week and have since returned to both restaurants several times. The group plans to hit up Restaurant Week again.
"We had such a good experience last year that we are torn between trying another new place or going back to the ones we have enjoyed so much," she said.
The generous menu planned by participating venues is a draw, Wilson said.
Butzier said Poppycock's chef is enjoying the creative chance to offer dishes he wouldn't be able to usually. Poppycock's menu will include choices of duck rangoon with Chambord cream cheese drizzled with local basil honey, southwestern blini with vegetable caviar and double-thick cut pork chops with vanilla peach barbeque.
Kosch will offer deals to diners by featuring items not on the Boathouse's regular menu. A $25 Restaurant Week meal includes an entree choice of a 1-lb. crab-stuffed Maine lobster with roasted tomato polenta. A standard offering of 1½-lb. crab-stuffed lobster sells for $39.
The Cook's House is one of the few restaurants not returning to this year's line-up. Owner Eric Patterson said last year was a success, but the restaurant scheduled conflicting private parties during this year's event.
View many Restaurant Week menus at www.downtowntc.com. Reservations are recommended.
Region
Related Photos
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People gather at Poppycock's in downtownTraverse City. Record-Eagle/Keith King
Restaurant Week returns to Traverse City
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