CHINATOWN — It's time to ready your chopsticks as Chinatown plans to win over diners with its own restaurant week beginning this weekend.
As part of second-annual Chinatown Restaurant Week, more than 20 eateries will be offering lunch and dinner deals for $20.13, filling up customers with a specially prepared meal in the culinary traditions of China, Japan and Vietnam.
The organizer of the event said she hopes to bring new patrons to the restaurants, as the area's businesses are still reeling from the loss of income and inventory due to damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.
"There are tacos on the menu, there are French influences on the menu, there are seafood options, there are vegetarian options," said organizer Julie Huang, of the event that runs from March 16 to 31.
"After Hurricane Sandy, any work we can do to help this downtown community means something," she added.
While most of the menus offer three courses for the 20 bucks and change, others like Diamond Hill Café — "the best taco place you have never heard of," Huang said — are providing packaged meals with numerous menu items.
Asia Roma, an Italian restaurant and karaoke bar run by owners of Chinese decent, is also hosting a tasting menu for the $20.13.
"It's not my mother’s Chinese restaurant, that's for sure," Huang added.
Yeah Shanghai Deluxe at 50 Mott St. is another participating eatery offering a three-course meal, served by waiters in strict uniforms.
Grace Lau, the owner of Yeah Shanghai Deluxe, is hoping Chinatown Restaurant week will bring in more business and new customers.
"It [Hurricane Sandy] was terrible," she said. "A big loss and business went down."
