By Kara Hallissey, Staff Writer

(Jan. 11, 2018) Berlin’s third annual Restaurant Week is in full swing, with more than a dozen establishments offering discounted prices on popular and unique menu items.

“It’s nice to see everyone out and about during what is normally a slow dining week,” said Ivy Wells, economic and community development director for the Town of Berlin. “It gives us a chance to showcase Berlin as a culinary destination and gives locals the opportunity to try new menu items.”

There are many Berlin favorites that will be serving breakfast, lunch and/or dinner at a lower cost until Sunday.

Participating restaurants include: Fins Ale House and Raw Bar, Main Street Deli, Baked Dessert Café, Rayne’s Reef, On What Grounds, Drummer’s Café inside the Atlantic Hotel, Blacksmith, Crush N Crab, the Globe, Burley Inn Tavern and Gilbert Provisions.

DiFebo’s, Island Creamery, Burn Wood Fired Pizza, and J & M Meat Market are participating in the event for the first time.

Main Street Deli offers homemade spaghetti and meatballs for $5, a meatball sub for $7 (add chips and a soda to this and any sandwich for $1) and 12-ounces of homemade shrimp and potato soup for $4 during Restaurant Week.

“It is a great way to support and promote your local businesses. Come check us out,” said owner Ruth Koontz.

During dinnertime, Fins Ale House and Raw Bar on Main Street will offer three courses for $30 beginning at 4 p.m., which includes a choice of seafood chowder with shrimp, scallops and fish, risotto crab balls or fried avocado as appetizers.

“The fried avocado (hand-battered avocado halves, lightly fried and topped with a shrimp salad and balsamic glaze) are very different and popular,” Fins manager Mallory Brown said. “It was originally on our special sheet and we put it on the regular menu.”

For the main course, diners can choose the stuffed chicken baked with mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, pesto, mozzarella, saffron rice and broccoli or a grilled bone-in lamb chop served with a chimichurri sauce, mashed potatoes and asparagus.

In addition, a chef specialty, seafood pasta with sea scallops, shrimp and crab meat served over linguini in a Rosa sauce and sprinkled with Romano-pecorino cheese, is the final option. A selection of desserts completes the three courses.

“It is nice to get out and try different parts of the menu and this is the opportunity to also try several different restaurants,” Brown said. “There are several new restaurants. We have been here about a year. When you try three different restaurants, you have the chance to win $300 in gift cards and $100 in cash.”

Local Realtor Cam Bunting came up with the idea in 2016 to showcase the variety of restaurants in Berlin and the last two years have been a huge success, she said.

“It is special because there are great bargains for great food,” Bunting said. “These prices are only for Restaurant Week. It is nice to see new faces trying out our restaurants.”

Organizers are also having a contest where the winner will receive a $20 gift card from all participating restaurants, in addition to $100 in cash – a $400 value.

To enter the contest, diners must first pick up a Berlin Restaurant Week card at a participating restaurant or the Berlin Welcome Center. Then, patrons should make sure to get a stamp at each restaurant visited. After three stamps, drop the card into the ballot box located at the welcome center for a chance to win. The winner will be announced on the Town of Berlin Facebook page and notified by phone on Tuesday, Jan. 16.

“It is a great opportunity to sample the offerings of the different restaurants,” Bunting said. “It will be less crowded than usual and the lower prices make it more affordable.”

For more information and a list of all menus, visit the Berlin Restaurant Week Facebook page at www.facebook.com/events/385049735253355, or www.BerlinMainStreet.com.