Steak and a Whole Lot More at Grill 23: Jay Murray's Take on Resto Week
In case you missed it, we’ve been interviewing some of our favorite local chefs about the ins and outs of Restaurant Week planning. Today we have the scoop from Grill 23 chef Jay Murray:
Q: Which is easier to prepare for - Winter or Summer Restaurant Week? Why?
A: We participated for the first time this winter, so this will be our summer Restaurant Week debut. I certainly like the availability of local ingredients in the summer, and in general, I’m a summer food kind of guy.
Q: How far in advance do you start planning your menu? How do you appeal to the Restaurant Week-goer's palate?
A: With 520 seats, I need to first think about what we can swing in the kitchen. A bunch of our RW crowd want and expect steaks, so I have the perfect cut. I’m against adding supplemental charges to the menu, so it’s not well known and won’t break the bank. We’re grilling a boneless chuck short rib – it has to be one of my favorite steaks period.
Q: How do you make your menu or your restaurant stand out?
A: People don’t normally associate Grill 23 with Restaurant Week, so there’s the novelty of being the new player at the table, and we have a reputation to uphold, so people expect top quality.
Q: What dishes or ingredients are you really excited about from this year’s menu?
A: I’m looking forward to some big, bright flavors – creative, upscale picnic food. We’ll be making a gazpacho with avocado ice cream and Spanish snack mix that I think will knock it out of the park.
Q: Who comes in for Restaurant Week? Do you see a lot of regulars or mostly new faces?
A: We see regulars who order off the regular menu, and many new faces for the RW menu. I like to let the new folks know that we’re not just about steaks, so we show everyone both menus. There are plenty out there who are unaware of our more creative offerings.
Gazpacho with avocado ice cream? We’re there! Click through for Grill 23’s full Restaurant Week menu - they're offering something different during weeks 1 and 2 - and here for the full list of menus available around the city this summer.