Charlotte Restaurant Week at George’s Brasserie

on January 30, 2011

This week is Charlotte Restaurant Week, and Jaclyn was kind enough to organize a big blogger dinner at Georgeâ€™s Brasserie, a fine French restaurant.

I have never participated in a Restaurant Week before, and I was pretty excited. Charlotteâ€™s RW is called the Queenâ€™s Feast and dozens of awesome restaurants participate. At each restaurant, there is a fixed-price menu of three courses for $30. Georgeâ€™s Brasserie offered an awesome vegetarian option in each course â€“ I was pleasantly surprised!

I ordered a pinot noir to start:

And crusty French bread with the best butter in the entire world. This butter was so fresh and salty.

First course was a mixed green salad with fried brie (those arenâ€™t croutons!), apples, and candied pecans.

Second course was a spinach, cheese, and mushroom crepe with a creme sauce. I ate one crepe and saved the other one for tomorrowâ€™s breakfast. 😉

The crepes were light and flavorful. Like little pillows!

And the third course was dessert! I got the creme brulee, which is actually my very favorite dessert in the entire world.

So fun to see all the girls, including Diana, Kelly, Brittney, Heather, Jaclyn, and Brittany.

Itâ€™s nice to go out on a Sunday night and do something fun. I need to do this more often!

Letâ€™s seeâ€¦ I also ran 4.0 miles today, bringing this weekâ€™s grand total to 20 miles. My foot is feeling great and Iâ€™m definitely getting back into the half marathon training groove. And not a moment too soon â€“ my race is in eight weeks (!!!).

Post-workout snackage was hummus toast:

Have you ever participated in your cityâ€™s restaurant week? How was it? I was so impressed by Georgeâ€™s. It was truly great, and Iâ€™m not sure I wouldâ€™ve gone there without the Queenâ€™s Feast as motivation.

{ 71 comments }

Marie-JourneytoBodyZen January 30, 2011, 9:36 pm
Omg, that creme brulee looks so wonderful! What a fun night for you! I live too out-in-the-boondocks for something that fancy 🙂 lol
Camels & Chocolate January 30, 2011, 9:37 pm
San Francisco’s restaurant week (which actually lasts for 15 days) and California Restaurant Month are both going on right now, so I’ve gone out to eat something like eight times in the last few weeks–all for my job, too (restaurant reviewing)! It’s great fun, but now I feel the need to run 17 miles =/
Laura (Starloz) January 30, 2011, 9:37 pm
i totally missed our food festival last year, i knew about it but never made it anywhere. i’ll try next year for sure!
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) January 30, 2011, 9:40 pm
Yes I have done San Diego restaurant week about 5 years ago and it was….fabulous! Not only was it totally first rate and then some, it was also….cheap! 🙂

What a great time you girls had from the pics and you all look great! (i was already at diana’s blog)

🙂
Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) January 30, 2011, 9:40 pm
We don’t have restaurant week, but we have different foodie festivals that we make sure to go to.
Lisa January 30, 2011, 9:43 pm
Restaurant weeks are the best! And creme brulee is my favorite dessert too.
Kaitlin January 30, 2011, 9:45 pm
Yum! Looks awesome. Ann Arbor just had restaurant week 2 weeks ago, but spaces filled up so fast!
Jill January 30, 2011, 9:45 pm
I’ve done NYC Restaurant week. I was able to go to Nobu (famous restaurant that a lot of celebrities go to). Honestly, not that impressed. The portions were tiny and I was excited about getting the sushi but it was so basic and not very impressive. However, we also went to Lure Fishbar and it was amazing! if you live in NYC, I highly recommend it.
Heather @ Side of Sneakers January 30, 2011, 9:46 pm
Had a great time! 🙂
Erin (Travel, Eat, Repeat) January 30, 2011, 9:48 pm
Restaurant week is a great time to try restaurants I typically couldn’t afford and there are also some great menu items offered specially during that time. Those crepes look delicious.
Meredith January 30, 2011, 9:49 pm
We try to hit up restaurant week in Houston every year. Super yummy food, and often a great healthy option to boot! Sometimes the servers are kinda meh, I guess cause they know our tab won’t be super expensive. But all in all, eating delicious food for charity? Count me in!
annette January 30, 2011, 9:52 pm
That salad and crepes looked really tasty…. 🙂
Diana January 30, 2011, 9:53 pm
I agree! I don’t think I would have gone there if it weren’t for restaurant week, but now I think I’d definitely go back! I had fun at dinner with youuuuuuuuu! Have a great week! 🙂
Katy (The Singing Runner) January 30, 2011, 9:54 pm
Looks great! I have to see when Jacksonville’s Restaurant week is! 😀
Camille January 30, 2011, 9:54 pm
What an awesome looking meal!
We actually found out about our town’s restaurant week right at the tail end and missed most of it. We will definitely exhaust all our food options next year!
Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn January 30, 2011, 9:55 pm
Girl is that chocolate hummus?! It looks so delicious!
- Caitlin January 31, 2011, 9:17 am
  black bean hummus, although chocolate hummus sounds like the bomb!
Lacey @ Lake Life January 30, 2011, 10:00 pm
Creme brulee is my favorite too! We don’t have a restuarant week in my tiny area of Upstate NY 🙁
Kate (What Kate is Cooking) January 30, 2011, 10:04 pm
That crepe looks insanely delicious! I definitely could not have stopped at one 🙂
Jenn @ LiveWellFitNow January 30, 2011, 10:13 pm
We LOVE restaurant week in Boston…best two weeks out of the year for us foodies! 🙂

My girlfriends and I call Sunday…”Sunday Funday!” Our excuse to get together when we can and just do something fun!
Emily G. January 30, 2011, 10:14 pm
Shreveport doesn’t have restaurant week! Boo!! Maybe I need to arrange it though!
mindy @ just a one girl revolution. January 30, 2011, 10:16 pm
Grand Rapids had a RW in November! I made it out to one place – sadly, their pre-fixe menu was less than impressive, but hopefully they do another one this year!
The Peanut Butter Addict January 30, 2011, 10:24 pm
That meal looks delicious! I love RW’s like that.
SR January 30, 2011, 10:24 pm
that looks so good! we’ve done restaurant week in NYC a few times (“21 club” and “fig & olive” being two of my favorites) – it’s a really fun way to be indulgent and scope out restaurants we wouldn’t otherwise be able to go to. happy sunday caitlin!
Sarah (Sarah Learns) January 30, 2011, 10:29 pm
last week was madison’s restaurant week, i was SO sad that my budget did not allow it this month. 🙁 good thing there’s another restaurant week in summer – i will make sure to plan for it next time! 🙂

i’m glad you had such a good experience!
Lindsay McAlester January 30, 2011, 10:31 pm
I too LOVEEE me some Creme Brulee!!! When it is good…oh my! 🙂 It all looked yummy!!! Congrats on this week’s mileage. I broke into a went over 20 miles starting last week. I was feeling it this weekend. 🙁 Also, great news about the foot! 🙂
maria @ Chasing the Now January 30, 2011, 10:37 pm
I’ve never participated in a restaurant week, but it looks like a lot of fun and a great price for the food/quality. 🙂

Great to hear your foot is feeling better!
Shannon @ A Pinch of Ginger January 30, 2011, 10:45 pm
I LOVE restaurant week in Philly! It gives me a good opportunity to try restaurants that are normally above my price range. In the summer we also have Center City Ssips which are discounted cocktails and appetizers at participating restaurants. Next time you’re in Philly you should make a summer Wednesday trip so we can have a fun blogger meet up 🙂
Laura @ Backstage Pass January 30, 2011, 10:50 pm
A Sunday night dinner with friends, what fun! Those crepes look delicious. And creme brule… mmmmm. I love when my city (Milwaukee) has “Downtown Dining Week,” aka restaurant week! It’s in June, which seems ages away at present.
Sarah January 30, 2011, 10:53 pm
Hi Caitlin!!
I noticed you previously posted about lip balm. Could you share some of your favorite brands/products with us??

Thank You!
- Caitlin January 31, 2011, 9:18 am
  The best kind I’ve tried is Lips So Soft and Burt’s Bees… I buy a lot of random brands from beauty supply stores but cannot remember any of the names since I use them and toss them!
Kiran January 30, 2011, 10:58 pm
Never participated in a restaurant week before. Got to check out the local scenes! Looks like a fun meet up 🙂
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table January 30, 2011, 11:21 pm
those crepes look perfect!

atlanta has a restaurant week in every neighborhood – i’ve participated in several. its a fantastic way to try new places.

don’t you wish you were the one to think of these things?!
Laura January 30, 2011, 11:23 pm
Hey Caitlin,
This is off-topic, but saw this article in Runner’s World about the power of running mantras and thought of you!

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244–13819-0,00.html
- Caitlin January 31, 2011, 9:19 am
  Yay! I love mantras 🙂 Thanks for passing this along.
Lindsey January 31, 2011, 12:12 am
I once tried a lavender creme brulee at a restaurant in Asheville… best creme brulee I’ve ever had!
Charlie January 31, 2011, 1:01 am
What is in that hummus? Looks so yummy!
- Caitlin January 31, 2011, 9:20 am
  black beans!
Karen January 31, 2011, 1:15 am
Is that black/kalamata olive hummus?
One of my favorites…
🙂
Kara January 31, 2011, 6:10 am
D.C. restaurant week is pretty epic, I highly recommend that to anyone in the area. There is no restaurant week where I live now (we don’t really have any “fancy” restaurants), but we have the Tiki Bar opening every spring where all the drunk hicks in the area bring out their campers and celebrate the beginning of summer. Ah, southern MD, stay classy.
Gill (snaxandthecity) January 31, 2011, 6:41 am
that’s so cool! i’ve never heard of anything like that here. that salad looks buff – love candied nuts so much 🙂
Heidi January 31, 2011, 7:15 am
Yes! I LOVE in Worcester, MA and I love going to restaurant week! It sounds very similar to Charlotte’s and I always feel like it’s a great way to try a new place I might not normally visit. We also have a street festival called “Taste of Shrewsbury Street” where all of the restaurants in one part of the city offer small tasting menus of their most popular dishes. You buy a button and then you can walk from restaurant to restaurant (They are all on the same long street!)trying little bites of everything. Another great way to try new foods and as an added bonus you get a little movement in between each place too since you have to walk! 🙂
- Caitlin January 31, 2011, 9:21 am
  The tasting idea with the buttons is so cute.
Heidi January 31, 2011, 7:16 am
Ooops! I meant I LIVE in Worcester. What can I say…it’s early! 😉
Lauren January 31, 2011, 7:22 am
Those crepes sound amazing! Glad you got out and enjoyed a wonderful evening out. 🙂
aubrey @ italktofood January 31, 2011, 7:30 am
yuuum. Looks like a nice dinner. The crepes look delicious. What do waiters do when they see everyone whip out their cameras? Are the amused at all?

I am in culinary school in NY. I’ve participated in one of the restaurants at my school for restaurant week. It was delicious Italian. I’d love to try the fancy restaurants in nyc, but I also heard you don’t really get the same quality..
- Caitlin January 31, 2011, 9:21 am
  They knew we were food bloggers but normally they don’t really care too much 🙂
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin January 31, 2011, 7:39 am
I’ve actually never participated in restaurant week. But it’s going on in my city right now, so maybe I’ll try to go this week!

Those chunks of fried brie look incredible!
bakin January 31, 2011, 7:44 am
What kind of hummus is that? Looks purple?!
- Caitlin January 31, 2011, 9:23 am
  it was black bean hummus, and it was yummmmmmmmmy.
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat January 31, 2011, 8:02 am
What a fun meet-up! Your crepes look really tasty. I don’t think my city actually has a restaurant week but you’ve got me interested now so I’m going to find out!
Jackie @ Baking Charms January 31, 2011, 8:12 am
Thanks for coming last night 🙂 I had a great time!
D January 31, 2011, 8:19 am
I contacted GOTR in my area to find out more info about their season/locations/volunteering opportunities, but I never heard back from them 🙁

I just moved to a new area for grad school and I thought this would be the perfect way to get involved and do something positive for the community. But, as a grad student who works as a GA (research assistant at the university) and also has a second job (barista) and is getting ready to start training for my second marathon, I don’t think I have the time to commit to being a coach or anything, but I would really love to be involved somehow. Do you know if they take on volunteers in other capacities, or do you need to have a full time commitment?
- Caitlin January 31, 2011, 9:24 am
  Sorry they didn’t reply to you – if you want to email me directly I will help you get in touch with someone who will actually respond (caitlinjboyle@gmail.com).
  
  You could be a Solemate and help the organization by fundraising. I’m sure they have other volunteering opps, too!
Maddie (Healthy Maddie) January 31, 2011, 8:21 am
That sounds so fun and all of the courses look great!
Jenny January 31, 2011, 8:26 am
Our city’s restaurant week is great, we try to participate each year by going to at least one new place. Your food looks delicious.

Also, did your foot pain go away when you switched shoes? Foot pain is almost always a telltale sign my shoes need to be replaced. Glad to hear you’re feeling better! I have a terrible itch to run another half marathon, but am currently 16 weeks pregnant and have decided to take time off until after baby. I can’t wait to be able to train again, I’m living vicariously through blogs.
- Caitlin January 31, 2011, 9:25 am
  It did to a point, but I also think I need to rest it!
Stacy @ Every Little Thing January 31, 2011, 8:30 am
I’ve done two restaurant weeks, one in Indy and one here in St. Louis (Clayton, actually). Both were awesome to try new things. We went to a really good steakhouse in Indy, and an awesome Mediterranean-style restaurant here near St. Louis (I had Escargot! Oh my). RW’s are awesome!
Melissa @ For the Love of Health January 31, 2011, 8:31 am
Restaurant weeks are great! In Toronto there are two: Winterlicious and Summerlicious! It offers all of us ‘normal people’ a chance to eat amazing (albeit) expensive food!
Eliz@The Sweet Life January 31, 2011, 8:32 am
Looks like an amazing meal. I think bread and butter is one of the best combos out there.
Brittany (A Healthy Slice of Life) January 31, 2011, 8:41 am
It was great meeting you! And discussing Jersey Shore & Egypt 🙂
We need to all get together more often!
Whitney January 31, 2011, 8:43 am
I live for Charlotte Restaurant Week and partake every time.. I think it’s two or three times a year. We went to McCormick and Schmicks and Ruth Chris this week. Everything was devine and a deal you cannot pass up for eating amazing food at super nice places! 🙂
lauren January 31, 2011, 8:50 am
We participated in Charlotte’s restaurant week last year & this year. Last year we went to Dressler’s and this year it was Sullivan’s. Neither restaurant disappointed!
Maya January 31, 2011, 8:52 am
That’s what’s so great about Restaurant Week, trying restaurants you never would have otherwise! I love DC restaurant week, it was just this past week.
Katie @ peacebeme January 31, 2011, 8:54 am
I did Denver’s restaurant week last year and plan to this year.

I LOVE savory crepes and those look amazing!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey January 31, 2011, 9:58 am
I have never done a restaurant week, but it looks like a lot of fun. Those crepes look to die for!!
Becky January 31, 2011, 9:59 am
Las Vegas has a restaurant week every September to raise funds for our local food bank. We have some pretty awesome restaurants in town and many offer 3-course meals for $20, $30 or $50.

http://beckyajohnson.wordpress.com/2010/09/06/three-square-food-bank-restaurant-week-dinner-at-alize/
Parita@myinnershakti January 31, 2011, 11:21 am
Your post got me super excited for restaurant week in Boston! I’ll be moving there right before it starts! 🙂
Beth @ DiningAndDishing January 31, 2011, 1:06 pm
I’m obsessed with Restaurant Week! DC does them twice a year and as soon as the details are posted my friends and I take the “where to go” decision very seriously! A really great way to try places that may otherwise be out of our budget :).
Amber K January 31, 2011, 7:02 pm
My city doesn’t do that, but I bet Portland does. It’d take some traveling, but looks like fun!

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