It’s crazy to think that it has been 10 years, but, another Winter Bites Restaurant Week is upon us. Here are 7 ways that you can help steer yourself towards having the best restaurant week ever.

This celebration of the local dining scene takes place January 14-20, 2019.

 

PLAN YOUR ATTACK

Fettuccine Alfredo at Hurricane's Pub & Grill in Windsor, Ontario.
Fettuccine Alfredo at Hurricane’s Pub & Grill in Windsor, Ontario.

It’s the nature of the beast. There are a lot of great deals and drool inducing meals, but, a finite amount of time and belly space. Be sure to plan your week in advance to savour all the creations you’re most dying to try.

 

MAKE RESERVATIONS

Vern's Pierogies from Bacchus Ristorante in Windsor, Ontario.
Vern’s Pierogies from Bacchus Ristorante in Windsor, Ontario.

When planning ahead, probably the most important part is to be sure to make reservations, especially for the weekend. Many restaurants have been known to be booked solid on the Friday and Saturday of Winter Bites Restaurant Week so you don’t want to arrive just to leave empty handed, hungry, and disappointed.

 

DINE OUT EARLY IN THE WEEK

An Italian take on a Canadian classic: Gnocchi Poutine from Bread Meats Bread.
An Italian take on a Canadian classic: Gnocchi Poutine from Bread Meats Bread.

After reservations, the best way to be certain to get in to your restaurant of choice and avoid the crowds is to dine out earlier in the week. Just because you have to work or go to school the next day doesn’t mean you can’t splurge on a tasty meal and enjoy a nice night out.

 

TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Chicken Ballotine from Mazaar in Windsor, Ontario.
Chicken Ballotine from Mazaar in Windsor, Ontario.

One of the great things about Winter Bites Restaurant Week is it gives the chefs an opportunity to showcase their skills and be creative. There are several menu items made specifically for the week, like the Chicken Ballentine from Mazaar, the Sweet & Sour Chicken from The Grove Brew House or even the butternut squash from Rino’s Kitchen. It makes it a great reason to visit a favourite restaurant again.

 

TALK WITH YOUR SERVERS

Quinoa stuffed butternut squash from Rino's Kitchen in Windsor, Ontario.
Quinoa stuffed butternut squash from Rino’s Kitchen in Windsor, Ontario.

Don’t be shy. Several restaurants are showcasing brand spanking new dishes just for Winter Bites, so the servers might have an inside scoop. Also, if for some reason the waiter/waitress has forgot to hand you a Winter Bites Restaurant Week menu, just ask. They might have been busy, fallen into routine and forgot.

 

SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Chile Rellenos from Mi Casita in Windsor, Ontario.
Chile Rellenos from Mi Casita in Windsor, Ontario.

Try as we might, we can’t try every dish on every menu during Winter Bites. We’ve tried to before. It’s tough. That’s why we encourage you to use the #WinterBites19 hashtag to share your photos. We’ll be sharing our favourite photos from the hashtag in our Instagram Stories all week.

Who knows. Someone else’s photo just may tempt you to try something you didn’t anticipate.

 

ALSO…THE REAL SHARING

Fried Chicken & Waffle Sliders from Nola's in Windsor, Ontario.
Fried Chicken & Waffle Sliders from Nola’s in Windsor, Ontario.

It’s always fun heading out with a group of friends and Winter Bites makes it that much tastier. We’ve heard stories of all the individuals at a table ordering a different combination of the menu items so that everyone can try each and every dish from a particular restaurants Winter Bites. To those people we say, “bravo!” We also think the more the merrier!