Restaurant Week

In the frozen depths of every January, the good people at Center City District throw us a bone (a delicious, delicious bone) in the form of Restaurant Week.  Almost 130 restaurants in town are having special menus at special prices this week, so if you’d been dying to try somewhere new, now’s the time!

Feeling French?  Head over to Bistrot la Minette for escargots à la bourguignonne, confit de canard avec sauce foie gras, and mille feuille aux framboises.

How sweet are these?  I’m not generally a fan of TOMS, but this custom pair is sort of adorable.  A blue (or black or gray) shoe forms the base, which is delicately adorned with lace, bows, an Eiffel Tower, and either this self-esteem-boosting phrase or another French phrase of your choice.  A customized pair runs $100 from Etsy seller Speckles of Paint.

Perhaps you’d rather dine at Crow and the Pitcher on salt cod brandade, leg of Pennsylvania lamb with pommes boulangère, and a flourless chocolate cake.

The Catalina by Manolo Blahnik is covered in the glossy black feathers of the crow.  (No pitcher, though.)  The parts of the upper that aren’t covered in feathers (like the four-inch heel) are black satin.  It has a leather lining and sole, and a padded insole for some extra comfort.  Also available in white; your choice for $865 from Saks.

Maybe you’re headed to The Plow and the Stars for warm tomato and brie, tuna loin encrusted with black and white sesame seeds with sweet potato hash, and the dessert sampler (ooh, a sampler!).

Stars indeed!  The Giovanna by Alice + Olivia has a leather upper embossed with shiny lines and perforated with a galaxy’s worth of stars.  The heel is 4.5 inches tall, and a zipper up the back lets you in.  Also available in black; find them at Zappos Couture for $395.

Restaurant Week runs through January 30 (minus Saturday, January 24).  Go!  Eat!  Enjoy!