Now that syllabus week is over and more snow is on the way, you may be feeling less than sunny underneath the permacloud. While you could always wander over to Saint Liam’s to sit under the sun lamp, why not try something new instead? Among my favorite things in the world, good food is one of them. And whether you know it or not, there is some really good food in South Bend. Luckily for you, Restaurant Week is just around the corner.
So here’s the deal: a variety of 14 downtown restaurants will be offering either a multiple course meal for $33 dollars (those are the really nice restaurants) OR a dinner for two for $33 (which won’t break the bank). The best part? Roughly 10% of all purchases will go to support Memorial Children’s Hospital. Restaurant Week is January 27 to February 9. If I might be so humble, here are a few of my personal recommendations:
The South Bend Chocolate Café:
I may love food, but chocolate certainly tops this list. If you adore ice cream and/or chocolate, you need to visit. Right now. The inside smells divine and I personally recommend the hot chocolate and chocolate covered spoons. The menu for restaurant week is not up online, but here’s the website for The South Bend Chocolate Company: http://www.sbchocolate.com/index.html. They have heat lamps outside if you’re willing to brave the cold, but I’d recommend sitting around the fire inside. Visit them at 122 South Michigan Street (it’s located 2 blocks from Feve for those of you who are landmark savvy).
Woochi Japanese Fusion & Bar:
For those of you bemoaning the lack of good seafood in South Bend, I come bearing good news—there is good sushi to be found in South Bend! Now for those of you from places with GREAT sushi, I’m not going to say this is the best sushi I’ve ever had (because it’s not), but for a place located in the middle of the Midwest, this sushi is really, really good. It probably won’t be featured on the Restaurant Week menu, but the Lady Gar Gar roll is fantastic! Just mmmmm delicious! Check out the menu at: http://www.notjustsushi.com/#!menu/c1tzi. They are located at 123 W. Washington Street (roughly a block from the Morris Performing Arts Center).
Just look at it:
Tippecanoe Place Restaurant:
While this is by no means a cheap destination, it is probably my favorite restaurant in South Bend and I’ve only been once. They have two menu options for Restaurant Week, one for lunch and one for dinner. Lunch for 2 is only $16.50! The lunch menu includes selections of sandwiches, a wrap, a flatbread, salad or different pastas. You can also “Add a Glass” or a bottle of alcohol to your meal if you’re of age!
Dinner is a much larger menu, but its $33 dollars per person. However, that includes four courses: appetizer, salad, entrée and dessert. Everything I’ve had at Tippecanoe has been AMAZING, so you really can’t go wrong. And if you can’t decide what you want for dessert, no problem! They’re happy to bring the dessert cart over for you to peruse. You can once again “Add a Glass” or bottle. This place is great for date night, just be prepared for a leisurely meal with plenty of time for conversation. After dinner, you are also free to tour the mansion. The wait staff is knowledgeable and will happily tell you about some of the history of the mansion. The elevator was the third installed in the US (the first was in the White House, the second in the creator’s home). This place will make you want to slide down the banisters and be 9 years old exploring your grandparents house again. You can view both menus at: http://www.eatdrinkdtsb.com/events_RWeek/RW_Jan_2014.htm or the history of mansion and the traditional menu at: www.tippe.com. Tippecanoe Place is located at 620 W. Washington Street (go through the stone entrance pillars and up the drive to the parking lot).
Fiddler’s Hearth Public House:
If you’re looking for a quintessential Irish Pub dining experience, this is the place to go! It’s seat yourself and you’re likely to wind up sharing a table with some unfamiliar faces if you’re a small party (which is actually a lot of fun). They have live music several nights a week and for any of you who studied abroad in Dublin or London, the pub atmosphere will make you feel like you’re back in Europe again, if only for an hour. The fish and chips are served authentically wrapped in newspaper and while I have not had them personally, my boyfriend did not hesitate to recommend them to the couple sitting next to us and ordered some himself. This is sure to be a cheaper Restaurant Week option and Fiddler’s has a FANTASTIC beer selection if you’re of age. Check out the pub at: www.fiddlershearth.com. It is located at 127 North Main Street.
Other Great Options:
These are just a few of my favorite restaurants that are participating in Restaurant Week, but other participants include: Baker’s Bar and Grille (at the Doubletree Hotel), Café Navarre, Chicory Café, Ciao’s Lounge, East Bank Emporium, LaSalle Grill, LaSalle Kitchen & Tavern, Le Peep of South Bend, Sunny Italy Café, and The Vine. You can check out the menus for these restaurants at: http://www.eatdrinkdtsb.com/events_RWeek/RW_Jan_2014.htm. Go out and explore South Bend this winter. Not only is there some great food to discover, but it’s always nice to venture out of the bubble and support a great cause.
Follow HCND on Twitter and like us on Facebook for more great news and local flavor!