The town’s Chamber of Commerce is partnering with local eateries for the 4th year to present Bethlehem Restaurant Week.
The event kicked-off at an event held at Pioneer Bank on Delaware Avenue on Wednesday, May 6. A few of the 11 restaurants participating provided samples of this year’s selections as the bank marked its 5th year of business in Delmar with members of the community.
“We’re happy to promote the 2015 Restaurant Week to showcase our restaurants to the Bethlehem community and the greater Capital District,” said Bethlehem Chamber President Jennifer Kilcoyne. “We hope people come out to try a new restaurant, or a restaurant that’s new to them.”
The event will be held from Monday, May 11 through Sunday, May 17. Diners will be given a selection of different appetizers, entrees and desserts to choose from at each restaurant to make a three-course meal for $20.15. This is keeping with tradition of the area’s original restaurant week, which began in Albany nearly 10 years ago.
The event is designed to highlight some of the area’s newest restaurants while attracting those from outside the community to enjoy Bethlehem’s local cuisine. The restaurants participating are from the Delaware Avenue neighborhood in Albany to establishments in Coeymans and Clarksville.
“We do have some businesses that don’t have a physical location in Bethlehem, but are members of the Chamber and wanted to participate,” said Kilcoyne. “So they are given the same opportunities and the event is open to them, as well.”
La Empanada Llama on Delaware Avenue in Albany is one of those businesses. The owners became part of the chamber after years of selling their Peruvian food at the Delmar Farmers Market, and they remained a part of the chamber even after opening a restaurant in Albany in 2013.
This is the first time La Empanada Llama has participated in Bethlehem Restaurant Week.
“We were always very active in the Delmar community,” said Andrea Lloyd, whose mother started the original Maria’s Peruvian Delights catering company nearly 20 years ago. “We wanted to show we would stay a part of that community.”
Lloyd said their dining options for the event will highlight some more classical Peruvian dishes, like ceviche, and grilled tilapia. Other dishes are from their regular menu.
“We wanted people to be able to have a different experience, and enjoy foods they wouldn’t expect us to have for a small take-out place,” said Lloyd.
The restaurant has a few tables to dine-in, but reservations are recommended. The restaurant week menu will be available for take-out.
The other newcomer this year is Akira in Glenmont. The new asian restaurant opened in February nearly a year after the former Golden Town Buffet closed its doors.
Akira is part of a New Jersey restaurant group owned by Frank Zheng, and offers two bars, a sushi bar and 10 hibachi grills. Nearly the whole interior was redesigned following the departure of the former restaurant.
“I really liked the location and felt I could make it into a really great location,” Zheng said previously about opening his first upstate New York restaurant.
Akira is offering both a lunch menu and a larger dinner menu for Restaurant Week. Offerings include sushi, sashimi and various hibachi entrees.
For more information visit www.bethlehemchamber.com.
