Restaurant Week draws students downtown

Roy's Hawaiian restaurant served thousands of blackened ahi tuna entrees and chocolate soufflees to the 2,200 extra patrons, including some Penn students, who flocked there this week. Roy's, located downtown on 15th and Sansom streets, is just one of over 40 Center City restaurants that participated in Philadelphia's first promotional Restaurant Week. Each restaurant offered a $30 fixed price menu from which diners could choose an appetizer, entree and dessert. Steven Starr's Alma de Cuba, on Walnut Street between 16th and 17th streets, also saw business "double or triple" this week, according to a server at the Cuban-themed restaurant where Restaurant Week patrons enjoyed dishes including shrimp ceviche and truffled wild mushroom empa¤adas. "We were sold out every night," said Brett Kemmerer, general manager of Alma de Cuba. "Hopefully, Restaurant Week brings in people who have never been here since it's a good deal, and they will come back for the regular menu." These sentiments have been echoed by most of the participating restaurants, according to Michelle Shannon, deputy executive for marketing at the Center City District, the organizer of the event. Restaurant Week "gets people who aren't familiar with Roy's into the restaurant [to] experience our flavor," said Aaron Radman, a managing partner of Roy's. Similar Restaurant Week deals have been successful in other cities, including New York and Washington, D.C. According to Shannon, it is quite possible that this will become an annual event in Philadelphia as well. "Evaluation forms are going out to all the restaurants, but based on preliminary comments, this has been very well received," she said, adding that the promotion could be held more than once a year, perhaps in January and September. Luckily for those who were unable to obtain a coveted reservation, Restaurant Week -- which was scheduled to end today -- has been extended until Tuesday at most of the participating restaurants. "All but one of the restaurants has agreed to extend it. I believe that's an indication that they feel it has been a productive promotion," Shannon said. Although the special menus lacked the variety normally associated with some of Philadelphia's best restaurants, each tried to include some of its signature items. Despite taking the cut in profits from the discounted menu -- patrons paid $30 for a meal valued at $45 to $50 -- restaurant managers feel that the buzz generated by the event will ultimately pay off. "Its been very busy, but as far as profits, we are discounting food," Kemmerer said. "But it is a promotional event, and hopefully people will go back to work and rave about their meal. This should generate good will and business. That's the game plan in a way." Radman agreed that the promotion will help not only business at Roy's, but the Center City restaurant industry as a whole. "I think that since people have experienced new things, they will find that it's worth the drive and the parking" to come downtown, he said. Parking was also discounted as part of the promotion, drawing people from the neighboring suburbs.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.