As the calendar turns a page and moves into 2018, we head into Triangle Restaurant Week. If you’re not familiar with Triangle Restaurant Week, the offering is usually a 3-course prix fixe lunch menu ($10 or $15) and/or 3-course prix fixe dinner menu ($20 – $35). With 98 restaurants on the list, I’ve pored through the menus to find the best, most delicious deals for your dining dollar.

It took a bit of time to review the menus but here are the choices that caught my eye. One of the keys to Triangle Restaurant Week menus is dessert since for the most part, the deals are usually priced pretty close to what you would pay for an appetizer and entree. So the real benefit in my mind, is the dessert!  If I’ve got a review for the restaurant, click on the restaurant link to get the full details. And there’s a handful of menus still missing. Other than that, get out there, eat and enjoy…

Best 2018 Triangle Restaurant Week menus

January 22 to 28

41Hundred, Raleigh – $25 Dinner

Choice of Starter

Chili Verde – Smoked Cumin Crema and Cilantro

Watercress Salad – Pecorino, Fennel, Fig, Pine Nuts, and Orange

Chickpea Salad – Arugula, Radish, Mint, and Tahini Dressing

Pork Belly – Cucumber, Cilantro, and Korean BBQ Sauce

Choice of Entrée

Wild Boar Spare Rib – Grits, Broccoli Rabe, and Cherries

Mahi Mahi – Quinoa, Lentils, Smoked Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Yogurt

NY Strip – Coffee, Fingerling Potatoes, Mushroom Ragu, and Bourbon Cream

Choice of Dessert

White Chocolate Cheesecake – Peanuts, Bananas, and Caramel

Carrot Cake – Honey, Orange Blossom, and Rosemary Gelato

Chef’s Hot Cheesecake

Basan, Durham – $15 lunch

1st

Lava Shrimp – Crispy fried jumbo shrimp, broccoli, green onion, and spicy honey mayo.

Edamame – Shichimi, truffle oil, and salt

Tuna Poke – Bigeye tuna, seaweed, macadamia, avocado, and wonton chips.

2nd

Steam Bun – Unagi, avocado, fresh jalapeño, tempura crunch, Sriracha, eel sauce

Kimchi Pork Belly – Kimchi, pork belly, avocado, nori furikake, and green onion.

Seared Toro – Seared bluefin toro, salmon toro, Amberjack toro and Hamachi toro with fresh wasabi.

3rd

Green Tea Cheesecake – Green tea cheesecake, chocolate and caramel.

Sweet Bean Jelly – Sweet bean with chestnut.

Capital Club 16, Raleigh – $30 dinner

First Course

Shaved Brussels Sprout and Frisee Salad with Danish Blue Cheese, honey toasted walnuts, crispy sweet potatoes and blood orange vinaigrette

Maultaschen – Housemade beef, pork and spinach dumpling in consommé with side of carrot horseradish and cabbage caraway salads

Second Course

Sauteed NC Rainbow Trout with mustard dill cream, potato pancake, heirloom carrots and glazed rutabaga

Kasespatzle Baked handcut German noodles tossed with caramelized onions and emmenthaler cheese. Served with cucumber dill, celery root and granny smith apple salad.

English Style Beef brisket and Stilton Pie with mashed potatoes, peas and carrots and red wine gravy

Third Course

White Chocolate Mousse pie with Videri dark chocolate sauce

Warm Apple strudel with vanilla sauce and ice cream

Coquette Brasserie, Raleigh – $15 Lunch

FIRST COURSE

SALAD OF SHAVED FENNEL| ARUGULA | PEAR | SLIVERED ALMONDS |ROQUEFORT | OLIVE OIL

CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE TARTINE| PICKLE RADISH | RED ONION |SOFT HERBS

POACHED POTATOES | HARICOT VERT | BITTER GREENS | GARLIC VINAIGRETTE | SOFT-BOILED EGG

SECOND COURSE

PAN-SEARED SALMON | PROVENҪAL BEAN STEW | LEMON OIL

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST SANDWICH | TOMATO JAM | BRÛLÉED ONION | BIBB LETTUCE | FRITES

BLT | RYE | ROSEMARY MAYO | TOMATO JAM | BACON AU POIVRE | BIBB LETTUCE | FRITES

THIRD COURSE

CHOCOLATE WINTER SPICED TORTE | CHOCOLATE MOUSSE | CASSIS SORBET | VANILLA BEAN SAUCE

CINNAMON BEIGNETS | FEUILLE de BRICK BASKET |ESPRESSO ICE CREAM | CARAMEL SAUCE

Doherty’s Irish Pub, Apex and Cary – $15 lunch

Appetizers

Field of Greens – Spring mix with red onion, pralines, cucumber & tomato. Served with your choice of dressing.

Traditional Irish Boxty – Choose from our Killarney (Chicken), Mullingar (Guinness Braised Brisket) or Donegal (Mushroom) boxty.

Potato Leek Soup – Made in house and topped with cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions.

Entrées

Fish & Chips – Our specialty! Light & flaky whitefish batter fried & served with hand-cut fries, haricot vert, tartar sauce and malt vinegar.

Shepherd’s Pie – A hearty beef casserole with onions, peas & carrots. Topped with freshly made mashed potatoes and broiled to a crisp finish.

Beef & Guinness Stew – Traditional Irish stew with a hint of Guinness, tender chunks of beef, potato & garden vegetables.

Grilled Reuben – A healthy portion of our corned beef between grilled rye with melted Swiss, sauerkraut & Thousand Island dressing.

Braised Brisket Melt- Our Guinness braised brisket laced with mushrooms & caramelized onions served on grilled sourdough with melted white cheddar and horseradish sauce.

Bangers & Mash – Irish sausages topped with caramelized onions and a savory brown gravy. Served with mashed potatoes & haricot vert.

Desserts

Bailey’s Chocolate Mousse – Light & creamy chocolate mousse with a hint of Bailey’s Irish Cream.

Traditional Bread Pudding – A traditional bread pudding drizzled with a homemade Irish whiskey cream sauce.

Fairview Dining Room, Durham – $15 lunch

STARTER

WINTER SALAD verjus cranberries, boxcarr nimble, toasted hazelnut, tobacco onions, apple kombucha vinaigrette gf v

CLASSIC OR KALE CAESAR parmesan, spanish anchovy, focaccia croutons

WADUKE SHRIMP, CORN & BACON CHOWDER

SOUP OF THE DAY

ENTRÉE

FENNEL DUSTED STEELHEAD SALMON* sunchoke terrine, heritage bacon & spinach, goat cheese & hazelnut crumble, citrus soubise gf

DUKE DIP firsthand foods sirloin, caramelized onions, white cheddar, horseradish crème, baguette, au jus

CHICKPEA QUINOA BURGER bibb, tomato, smoked portobello, red pepper aïoli, brioche bun v

CARNITAS, SHRIMP & ANSON MILLS GRITS black bean piperade, felicity farms pork carnitas, guajillo heritage hock jus, cotija, carrot frites gf

GRILLED NY STRIP STEAKHOUSE SALAD* iceberg, pickled red onion, bacon, cherry tomato, sunflower seed, bleu cheese dressing gf

EPIPHANY CRAFT MALTS RISOTTO spinach, roasted mushrooms, cipollini & san marzano ragoût v

CERTIFIED ANGUS PASTRAMI sauerkraut, swiss, thousand island dressing, marble rye

DESSERT  cookie sampler

Garland, Raleigh – $35 dinner

FIRST COURSE (CHOICE OF):

SMOKED FISH CROQUETTES – TIKKI SPICED POTATO, SWEET CHILE SAUCE, GREEN CHUTNEY, PICCALILLI

BEET BHEL PURI – BRAISED BEET CHAAT, PUFFED RICE, POTATOES, CUCUMBER, CILANTRO,  TAMARIND-MINT CHUTNEY, PEANUTS (GF UPON REQUEST)

DUCK RILLETTE – PICKLED CARROTS, APPLES, CROSTINI

SECOND COURSE: (CHOICE OF):

CHARRED OCTOPUS – FRENCH LENTILS W/ FARRO, PICKLED WINTER SQUASH, POPPED RICE, PRESERVED LEMON

PORK BELLY RICE BOWL – SPICY PEAR GLAZE, CRISP STICKY BROWN RICE, HOUSE-MADE KIMCHI STYLE PICKLE, BOK CHOY, DAIKON-CARROT-COLLARD-APPLE PICKLED SLAW, CHILI SAUCE, FRIED LOCAL EGG

TOFU RICE BOWL – SAME AS ABOVE W/ BRAISED SESAME TOFU

ROASTED CHICKEN – BONE-IN LEG QUARTER, MASSAMAN GRAVY, ROASTED WINTER ROOTS, TOASTED COCONUT, PEANUTS, STICKY RICE, HERBS

FINALE:

CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND COVERED “HONEYCOMB” CANDY

COCONUT MARSHMALLOW COCONUT CARAMEL, CHILE CANDIED PEANUTS

Jose and Sons, Raleigh – $25 Dinner

First Course

Cumin-Dusted Meatballs – Beef meatballs, chipotle-tomato salsa, melted cheese, herb salad, ciabatta bread

Mushroom and Local Greens Quesadilla – Chihuahua cheese and Queso fresco quesadilla, sautéed mixed mushrooms, Ronnie Moore market greens, smoked tomato salsa

Second Course

Market Chile Relleno – Panko-crusted poblano pepper, stuffed with sage-brown butter infused butternut squash, over salsa ranchera, charred market vegetables, pepitas

Tacos de Cachete – Slow-braised beef cheek tacos, fire-roasted salsa, market vegetables

Dessert

Tres Leches Parfait – Topped with a strawberry habanero sauce

Cajeta-Filled Churros – Churros filled with goat milk caramel, tossed in sugar and cinnamon, served alongside a spiced Videri chocolate dipping sauce

Kipos, Chapel Hill – $15 Lunch

First Course

Local Roasted Beets – Salad of beets, arugula, and skordalia

Avgolemono Soup – Chicken, rice, egg lemon broth

Horiatiki salad – Tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onions, feta, kalamata olives, capers

Second Course

Chicken or Pork Souvlakia – Warm pita, tzatziki, Kipos fries, red onion, shredded lettuce

Yiouvarelakia – Rice meatballs, tomato avgolemono, parsley

Shrimp and orzo – Shrimp and orzo pasta with tomato essence

Baked Eggplant – Eggplant and tomato essence with onions and green peppers

Dessert

Olive Oil Chocolate Mousse – Drizzled with EVOO, dusted with Sea Salt

Ravani – Olga’s semolina cake, topped with almonds, soaked in orange syrup

Cookie Plate – A selection of each our in house made Greek cookies

Mothers & Sons, Durham – $35 Dinner

Antipasti

Farm lettuce, radish, ricotta salata, Romano beans

Bruschetta with tomato conserva, Calabrian chiles, stracciatella

Arancini, porcetta, smoked mozzarella, stracchino, kale, arrabiata sauce

Primi

Bucatini all’Amatriciana

Bombolotti cacio e pepe

Ricotta cavateli, cime de rape, fennel sausage, calabrian chile

Secondi

Rabbit saltimbocca, cauliflower, capers, proscuito, sage

Grilled trout, farro, roasted onion, mushroom trifolati

Pork milanese, crispy potatoes, fennel arugula, pickled frenoes

Mura – $15 Lunch

1st Course (Choose One)

GINGER-CARROT SOUP(V, GF) topped with a yogurt drizzle

MURA ASIAN SALAD(V) crispy lo mein noodles, wasabi green peas, on a bed of kale
Served with a ginger-creme dressing

SEARED TUNA TATAKI  grilled fresh Big Eye tuna shichimi, micro-greens ,and a spicy ponzu sauce

2nd Course (Choose One)

TEMPEH KATSU (V)  Tempeh katsu, glazed with lemon beurre blanc, served with a miso-sweet potato puree, sauteed baby carrots and a side spread of wasabi aioli

PORK BELLY RAMEN  Braised pork belly, bean sprout, fish cake, green onion, steam egg, lime

SEOUL CRABCAKES  Two crabcakes served with roasted fingerling potatoes, sauteed green beans, and a kimchi-cream sauce

TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN NIGIRI PLATTER  (4) pieces of Chef’s choice nigiri sushi, tamago, and tuna roll, served with fresh wasabi root

3rd Course (Choose One)

BREAD PUDDING (V)  Deep-fried and topped with cinnamon sugar and a creme anglaise

MILK CHOCOLATE CREME BRULEE (V, GF)  Topped with chocolate shavings

Plates Neighborhood Kitchen, Raleigh – $30 dinner

Starters

Steak Tartare – Chili, coffee, lemon, caper, quail egg, potato chips

Fried Brussels Sprouts – Sweet and sour mustard, cashews

Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup – Sourdough, cheddar, pepper jack, roasted tomato

Broccoli & Cheese Beignets – Smoked Gouda sauce

Greek Salad –  Tomato, red onion, feta, Kalamata olives, pepperoncini, herbs, lemon vinaigrette

Radish Carpaccio – Sliced local radish, roast garlic and anchovy butter

Duck-House Salad – Smoked duck, winter greens, radish, quinoa, fennel buttermilk vinaigrette

Cheese Plate – A selection of local and global cheeses, served with toast

Mains

Sage Butter Salmon* – Scalloped potato, wilted kale, balsamic reduction

Chicken Pot Pie – Peas, carrots, Provençal herbs, potato, pastry crust

Lamb Shoulder – Roast eggplant, couscous, warm harissa cream

New Mexico Chili Roast Pork * – Smashed sweet potato, collard greens, spicy pineapple jus

Mushroom Tagliatelle – Portobello, mozzarella, dried roma tomato, cream, herbs, garlic, kale

Big Veggie Roast – Marinated Portobello, spaghetti squash, smoked celery root, parsley, brussels sprouts, cannellini sauce

Desserts

Sticky Toffee Pudding – Warm date cake, sticky toffee sauce, whipped cream

Warm Apple Crisp – Golden Granny apples, cinnamon crisp topping, vanilla ice cream

Flourless Chocolate Torte – Chocolate Ganache, caramel sauce

Taberna Tapas – $15 Lunch

(Choose 3 tapas)

Salmorejo (creamy tomato soup) – tomatoes, baguette, onion, olive oil, sherry vinegar, garlic, hard boiled egg and crispy jamon garnish

Manzana y Calabaza Empanadas (apple butternut empanada) –  apple, butternut squash, sage, empanada pastry

Tortilla Espanola (classic spanish omelette) – eggs, potatoes, shallots, garlic, vermouth sauce

Gambas Ajillo (spicy garlic shrimp) – chili spiced shrimp, shallots, garlic, hot peppers, parsley

Croquettas de Bacalao (salt cod croquettas) – salt cod, capers, piquillo peppers, parsley, lemon aioli

Garbonzos con Remolachas (garbanzo beans with beets) – garbonzo beans, beets, red peppers, dill, pine nuts, onion, arugula, garlic, parsley