Restaurant Week kickoff celebrates 'prevailing over the pandemic'

Jane Murphy, Portsmouth Herald
·4 min read

PORTSMOUTH - Servers passed alligator meatballs and deviled eggs, bartenders shook up original cocktails, and attendees were just happy to be back at such a familiar event as the first Restaurant Week Kickoff Party after two and a half years of pandemic interruption on Wednesday, April 20 at Jimmy's Jazz and Blues Club.

Lori Harnois, State Tourism Director at the New Hampshire Department of Business & Economic Affairs, was in attendance to welcome back the Seacoast tradition.

"The return of Restaurant Week is very important in getting back to normal for the local community, and Portsmouth is important as a great gateway to the rest of New Hampshire," Harnois said. "I always remain optimistic and it's important to recognize and celebrate how local restaurant owners and workers have prevailed over the pandemic. They were creative and figured out how to keep their businesses going in the face of so many challenges."

Justin Corriss, sommelier and front of the house manager at Raleigh Wine Bar & Eatery, won the Cocktail Challenge with his drink, The Shipbuilder's Punch, during the Restaurant Week Kickoff at Jimmy's Jazz and Blues Club on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.
Justin Corriss, sommelier and front of the house manager at Raleigh Wine Bar & Eatery, won the Cocktail Challenge with his drink, The Shipbuilder's Punch, during the Restaurant Week Kickoff at Jimmy's Jazz and Blues Club on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

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Harnois also said she is looking forward to a successful summer tourism season for the state this year.

Surrounded by Restaurant Week committee members, Portsmouth Mayor Deaglan McEachern rang the bell to officially open Spring Restaurant Week, a tradition that has been carried out at the beginning of every Restaurant Week since its inception.

More than 30 local restaurants are participating in Spring Restaurant Week with special menus for prix fixe lunches and three-course dinners. To learn more and make reservations, visit restaurantweekportsmouth.com.

"It's exciting to be back after two years off. It's exciting to bring the community back together again," said Ben Van Camp, president of the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth, who also thanked Jimmy's, the party's host, represented by co-owner Peter Labrie, who is also a member of the chamber's Restaurant Week Committee and who will open the new Rio's on Bow Street at the longtime location of Poco's soon.

Ben VanCamp, president of the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth, addresses the crowd at the Restaurant Week Kickoff at Jimmy's Jazz and Blues Club in Portsmouth on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.
Ben VanCamp, president of the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth, addresses the crowd at the Restaurant Week Kickoff at Jimmy's Jazz and Blues Club in Portsmouth on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

"This exact experience is exactly why we opened this place," Labrie said. "We wanted to create a place for the community to gather together."

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A highlight of the kickoff was the Cocktail Challenge, presented by sponsor MS Walker. The contest pitted five local mixologists against each other to earn the title of Portsmouth Restaurant Week Top Mixologist. The only requirement is that their cocktail creation include Grainger's Deluxe Organic Vodka, which is distributed by MS Walker. The winner would take home the MS Walker silver drink shaker trophy, a Restaurant Week decanter and plaque to hang behind the bar where they work.

Justin Corriss, sommelier and front of the house manager at Raleigh Wine Bar & Eatery, won the Cocktail Challenge with his Shipbuilder's Punch. Rachel Wall, general manager of The Franklin Oyster House with her creation Rosemary's Berry, was runner-up. Also competing were Alex Murphy, bartender at BRGR Bar, with Summer Can't Come Soon Enough, a cocktail developed by the BRGR Bar's bar manager Chen Soeurs; Timeena Hartford of Jumpin' Jay's Fish Cafe with her creation Sunset on the Reef; and Matthew Rymer, bartender at Tinos in Hampton, with his creation Jewel of the Nile. Their cocktails were judged on creativity, presentation and taste.

Mayor Deaglan McEachern rings the bell to kick off Spring Restaurant Week in Portsmouth at Jimmy's Jazz and Blues Club on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.
Mayor Deaglan McEachern rings the bell to kick off Spring Restaurant Week in Portsmouth at Jimmy's Jazz and Blues Club on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

"Our chefs, everyone is ready and excited. They really missed Restaurant Week during the two-year break," said Julie Cutting-Kelly, chef and owner of Cure, and a Restaurant Week Committee member. "I am grateful to be back, grateful to our sponsors, and our community."

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Sponsor MS Walker also held a blind wine-tasting contest for attendees where they sipped four wines and made their guesses about what type of wine each was. Coming in first was Nimi Idnani, owner of Raleigh Wine Bar and Eatery, and runner-up was Molly Graham, event coordinator of Tinos and the Galley Hatch.

Massimo Morgia, owner of Ristorante Massimo in Portsmouth who also serves on the Restaurant Week Committee, said, "It's been such a challenging time, this is excellent. Restaurant Week is fun for our staff, fun for our customers. It's been most fun to be able to work with the Restaurant Week committee and our sponsors again. We are really feeling a sense of normalcy and it's super, it's excellent."

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Spring Restaurant Week kicks off in Portsmouth NH