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Destination: downtown delicacies
Aug. 17, 2010
For Joe Marchese, Summer-O-Licious is a showcase of his restaurant's high-points and a chance to toss some variety into the mix.
"With this, you can experience a restaurant with a good price and the whole menu," said Marchese, owner of LaScala Ristorante on Church St.
"And then those first-time people will hopefully come back.
His establishment is one of 14 in St. Catharines' core who are part of Summer-O-Licious — a fixed-price menu program spearheaded by the St. Catharines Downtown Association.
This time around, Marchese's $25 dinner features tasty options like eggplant parmigiana, and a fresh baby mista green salad with trimmings like shaved asiago cheese and marinated mushrooms.
"It shows our strengths and some things that are different as well," he said, adding in the summertime, "this also helps business."
The Aug. 13 to 28 event brings together eateries offering various fixed-price, three-course lunches and dinners.
The concept was launched in 2008 with Spring-O-Licious and was a hit, said Elizabeth Fritshaw, events and communications coordinator for the Downtown Association.
"After that, we decided in 2009 to do it twice a year with winter (the last two weeks in January) and Summer-O-Licious," she said.
Both seasonal events are also designed to entice customers during slower weeks of the year.
"It's a really great way to experience some new restaurants, or an old favourite," Fritshaw said.
"You can get an excellent flavour of what the whole restaurant offers."
Bill Stephenson, the chef at Patrick Sheehans Irish Pub on St. Paul Street, agrees that Summer-O-Licious provides excellent exposure.
"It's free advertising and free business," he said.
"You've just got to make sure you're on top of things and you're always stocked up.
"Then you're ready to go."
Reservations can be viewed online at www.mydowntown.ca under "events." Specials range from $10 to $15 for lunch and $14 to $35 for dinners.
Advance reservations quoting "Summer-O-Licious" should be made directly with the restaurants. Limited space is available.
dfraser@stcatharinesstandard.ca
Please see full story at The St. Catharines Standard by Don Fraser: