TC Restaurant Week revs up

Feb. 12—TRAVERSE CITY — Downtown Traverse City hosts its annual Traverse City Restaurant Week from Feb. 20-26.

Of the 37 restaurants on the 2022 roster, a handful are newcomers.

Artisan Restaurant at the Delamar on West Bay began serving meals in August.

Chef Frederic Kieffer said they created the menu specifically for the week-long event — though the regular dinner menu is also available. They offer several dishes in the appetizer, entrée and dessert category so diners can choose. Wine pairings are available for an additional cost.

"We tend to go all out," Kieffer said. "We try to accommodate the local palate."

He said their regular menu features seafood, while the Restaurant Week menu adds more meat like the coffee-rubbed rib eye and the lamb meatball.

"We tried to come up with something exciting," he said. "We pushed the envelope a bit in terms of the flavor profile."

The event, Kieffer said, is a "win-win" because it not only allows locals to try their food but also it benefits the restaurant industry overall.

"We want to be an active part of Traverse City culinary life," he said. "The event is good for the community. It gets people out of their house. We hope they revisit us after."

Another newcomer to Traverse City Restaurant Week is The Tasting Room by Legacy Distillers, located in the Breakwater Apartments building off Union Street.

Co-owner Carolyn Weeks said they started serving customers in July. Since then, the menu is food only, as they are still working to obtain a liquor license.

Weeks said they brought their shareable small plates format into Restaurant Week — offering a larger portion entrée alongside the sides. The options are seafood risotto, braised short ribs, wood-fired salmon and pan-seared gnocchi.

"We went with some different things that aren't on our menu," she said. "We're doing pork bao buns — Japanese style. We're trying to do seafood and vegetarian because we have a lot of people like that."

Their goal, she said, is to include as many people as possible while maintaining their emphasis on fresh, from-scratch dishes.

In addition to the three courses, diners can choose to add a dessert and/or a mocktail — a nonalcoholic beverage that imitates a cocktail.

Additionally, Weeks said they hope to talk with locals — whether regulars or newcomers — during this event.

Traverse City Restaurant Week generally follows the same format each year. Guests select three courses from a special menu: an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Some restaurants offer $25 menus, while others are $35.

Red Mesa Grill and Rare Bird Brew Pub are including an alcoholic beverage alongside the three-course meal.

Reservations are recommended. Find a complete list of participating restaurants and their menus at downtowntc.com/traverse-city-restaurant-week.