Though Summer Restaurant Week has now come to a close, some restaurants in Arlington and Falls Church are continuing the deals for a little longer.
Sabores Tapas on Columbia Pike, SER in Ballston and The Falls in Falls Church are among several businesses in the area to extend discounts on multi-course brunch, lunch and dinner menus past the official end of Restaurant Week last weekend.
“It’s a breath of fresh air for the business, because we got a great increase on foot traffic into the restaurant, from people coming in for the first time and trying it out, some of the regulars taking advantage of the savings,” Sabores co-owner Carlos Olarte told ARLnow.
The tapas spot at 2401 Columbia Pike — listed among Yelp’s top 100 restaurants in the United States — began its third Restaurant Week one week early and will end it one week late, this Sunday, Aug. 25. From now until then, the restaurant will continue to offer its “massive” $25 three-course lunch and $40 five-course dinner menu, Olarte said.
For the first course, Olarte said people shouldn’t miss the “pan con tomate” plates — rustic bread brushed with tomatoes alongside either Spanish cheese or Serrano ham. But most popular Sabores item throughout Restaurant Week has been arepitas. The fried corn cakes are topped with cotija cheese and chicken or beef, and can be ordered as a second course at lunch and dinner.
At 370 W. Broad Street in Falls Church, The Falls is also serving tiered menus until Sunday. The restaurant that opened last fall comes from the same team behind The Liberty Tavern, Lyon Hall and Northside Social.
The Falls describes itself as “new American,” offering “a seasonal approach to the Mid-Atlantic.” Until Sunday, three-course lunches and dinners will go for $25 and $40 per person.
General manager Will Murphy recommends the heirloom tomato and watermelon salad to start. It’s served with feta cheese and a watercress balsamic glaze.
“[It’s] really refreshing, it’s really bright, it’s very summer,” Murphy told ARLnow.
For an entree, Murphy said he “would always go for” the classic Falls Burger with American cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions and sauce on an IPA roll at lunch or dinner.
“I think our burger is quite good… but for the sake of not just saying a burger, I really like the brisket sandwich,” Murphy said. The smoked sandwich is offered as a second course at lunchtime. Murphy called it “slightly unconventional” for its toppings, like queso.
These entrees join other offerings like the vegetarian red quinoa bowl at lunch and shrimp and grits, grilled salmon and fried chicken with hot honey at dinner.
For the last course at either meal, customers can choose a chocolate mousse with fresh whipped cream, basil and peach, or a berry praline shortcake with hazelnut whipped cream on a cornmeal biscuit.
Sister restaurants Lyon Hall and Liberty Tavern are also extending Restaurant Week deals until Sunday.
The Spanish restaurant SER, at 1110 N. Glebe Road in Ballston, will continue offering $25 lunches, $40 dinners and $25 wine pairings per person until Monday, Aug. 26, owner Sergio Ungureanu told ARLnow.
The optional $25 wine pairing includes three four-ounce glasses of premium Spanish wines — some of which typically go for $25 for a single glass, Ungureanu said.
“We start with a light, crisp, refreshing, white wine, the grape is called albariño,” he said. “For red wine, the grape is called mencía. It is from a region called Bierzo.”
The final wine served at dessert is a sweet moscatel.
As for the dishes, a chilled melon gazpacho appetizer went over well with Restaurant Week customers, he said, and for the second course, “the hanger steak was the crowd favorite.”
The steak is served alongside roasted beets and topped with a red wine reduction.
For the “platos principales,” or second course, customers can also try grilled salmon with a mushroom sauce and sautéed spinach or roast chicken with quinoa salad.
Ungureanu said he appreciated the “good feedback” SER received during Restaurant Week as the restaurant tries to improve its menu and feature new items. The restaurant, like many others, extended the original deals because of its popularity.
“It was wonderful,” Ungureanu said. “Each time we’re doing it, we are busier than normal.”
Olarte and Murphy both shared this sentiment and said they’re hoping to continue the boost in business by extending Restaurant Week a little further.
“Summer’s a little slow in Falls Church, I would say, as a whole,” Murphy said. “We definitely saw an uptick in business, especially at lunch, weirdly enough… which was great to see.”
Olarte said it’s common among D.C. area restaurants to extend the deals, and at Sabores, it was especially “advantageous” as ongoing construction along the Pike “is not helping either.”
“So we decided this year, let’s just take advantage of doing it week early,” Olarte said. “Since it is common for restaurants to extend an extra week, why not?”
Arlington’s own Restaurant Week, organized by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce as another opportunity for dine-in deal across the county, will start Oct. 14.
