Cuisine as art
Third annual Nantucket Restaurant Week promises a delicious, visually appealing experience
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMERICAN SEASONS Attention to detail and presentation is what this week's Restaurant Week promises.

With more than two dozen of the island's fine restaurants participating in Nantucket Restaurant Week, there promises to be a range of appetizers, entrees and desserts prepared to delight the eye as well as the palate. The event, now in its third year, began this past Sunday and lasts through Sunday, Oct. 5.

This year on Sunday, Oct. 5 from noon to 2 p.m., students in the high school's culinary arts class will compete for the first title of Nantucket Junior Chef with a contest at Cisco Brewery. The special event benefits the Nantucket Culinary Arts Foundation which awards annual scholarships to local students intending to enter the culinary field as a vocation.

Restaurant Week began in 2005 with sponsorship from Nantucket Magazine. Jenny Garneau led the charge.

"Nantucket restaurants are fantastic. The reasons people come to Nantucket are the natural beauty, historical significance and, of course, the restaurants," said Garneau, whose business, Access Marketing Group, included the magazine as a client at the time of the event's founding. "In talking with Bruce Percelay (N Magazine's publisher) he thought we should do [a restaurant week] here like in Boston and showcase Nantucket restaurants. He said, 'Go do it.'"

Garneau initiated discussions with local restaurant owners and developed the island concept. Last year the event held the first opening gala, which was very successful, and this year the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce became associated with the week and helped expand its marketing.

"The Chamber joined as a marketing partner this year because we thought it would be a good way to get business into Nantucket's restaurants," said Tracy Bakalar, the Chamber's executive director. "We saw the success in other destinations, and because Nantucket has a unique and amazing group of restaurants for such a small physical space, people appreciate that we wanted to further that.

"What we tried to push this year as a chamber was the off-island marketing to bring visitors to the island for the week," she continued. It's just as exciting for islanders after being so busy all summer to go out and get great meals at great prices. Plus, in the fall on Nantucket with other culinary events like the chowder contest, the cranberry harvest and scallop season, it just makes sense."

It makes sense to restaurant proprietors, as well, with most saying that the week draws people from away who might not come to Nantucket at this time of year, and in general, that the week boosts business at a point in the season when overall commerce starts slowing down.

"The goal is to time it to bring people to the island in the slower season, but we also see local people coming out," said Chris Morris of Arno's at 41 Main. "At a reasonable price, it's a fun treat for everybody. The marketing has expanded to the mainland, especially in Boston. The gala is a great event and participation has grown. It's just a win-win for everybody."

This year, Arno's will have threecourse wine dinners during the event week. The U.S. wine dinner features appetizers of crab cake dijonnaise or dryrub barbeque ribs. Entrees will be either seared Atlantic salmon with stir-fried vegetables or grilled sirloin with the house 41 steak sauce. Dessert choices are chocolate decadence cake or apple crisp. The international wine dinner offers appetizers of marinated beef satay or prosciutto-wrapped scallops. Entrees are shrimp and scallop scampi or blueberry-glazed half-duckling. Desserts with that meal are creme brulee or French toast banana foster.

"It's probably the best deal out there," Morris said with pride. "A good amount of food for a good price."

Tim Pitts, who with his wife Ruth owns Centre Street Bistro, anticipates that this third year of the event will be the best so far.

"It has increased business some, and certainly it does bring people from off island," he said. "We do a special menu in addition to our regular menu and I would say 30 percent go for [the special menu]. We are very much looking forward to it."

Pitts said their special offerings will likely change every other night.

At Toppers at The Wauwinet, chef David Daniels said, "I think it's a great opportunity for locals to try Toppers' food. I don't change any of my menu for restaurant week. We put the same quality into our restaurant week menu as we do in July and August."

Toppers has done some in-house promotions for the event week, including inserting a descriptive card with bills and reminding those checking in at the front desk about the upcoming celebration.

Menu selections at Toppers are a first course of oysters, an autumn beet salad, scallops or pumpkin soup. Entrees span poached salmon, Wagya short ribs, suckling pig or Wellington steak. Desserts include artisanal cheeses, handmade ice cream or sorbet.

"They are on the regular menu but in slightly smaller portions," he said of the specials, explaining that instead of four oysters, the special will have three. Toppers will also present a $45 wine list.

At Water Street Restaurant, chef Robert Nelson said he is adding new menu items that coincide with the fall season and feature squashes, apples, braised pork and raviolis.

"I think it has definitely brought in a lot of people from off island for that week," said Nelson. "[They] did a great job of promoting it, and locals have gotten to try places they haven't been to or thought were expensive."

As of Friday, Sept. 26, a booklet listing all the restaurant week participants and their menus has been available at the Chamber's office upstairs at Zero Main Street for people to examine. Many of the restaurants are also listing their special menus in island newspaper ads. Restaurants will present their specials at either $25 or $45 for three courses. I