During Eat Week, Truck Stop Dining

The NYC Restaurant Week Truck will serve soup at three locations around the city through 5 Feb. Photo courtesy of NYC & Company.

SOUP’s on! – the truck. One soup du jour is tomato and fennel from Tribeca Grill; Industria Argentina’s lentil stew is one of Wednesday’s sensations; Friday brings with it goodness and Jean-Claude's lobster bisque from Chez Josephine.

The truck is the newest dish on the menu during the latest iteration of the delectable misnomer, “NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2010. It opens today (25 Jan.) and shutters on 7 Feb.

"NYC Restaurant Week continues to evolve with consumer-engaging components," said Jane Reiss, Chief Marketing Office of NYC & Company, which produces restaurant week. "The NYC Restaurant Week Truck is a fun new way for diners to experience the program; we are excited to offer the value of New York City's culinary celebration in more ways than one."

For the next couple of weeks from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the NYC Restaurant Week Truck will ladle the soups of 24 of the restaurant week eateries at three locations around Manhattan: through Friday (29 Jan.) at Broadway (b/w 50th and 51st streets); 1-3 Feb. at Fifth Avenue (b/w 18th and 19th streets) and 4-5 Feb. at Greenwich Street (b/w Warren and Murray streets). To help wash down the soup one restaurant week sponsor, Coca-Cola, will provide beverages on select days (please drink responsibly and in great moderation). Note to do-gooders, $1 from every $6 spent at the truck will benefit The Haiti Relief Fund at the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City.

Who knew that back in 1992 when New York restaurant week was a mere promotion to welcome the Democratic National Convention to the city that it would morph into the juggernaut it is today! In retrospect, should anyone be surprised, for it was a boon for both restaurants and residents/visitors. The former made some dough and the latter saved some dough.

From A Voce to Ze Café, more than 260 eateries, including perennials such as 21 Club and Delmonico’s, are onboard. Nearly 20 years later, New York restaurant week is still one of the best deals in town: $24.07 three-course prix-fixe lunches and $35 three-course prix-fixe dinners (excluding Saturdays, beverage, tax and gratuity).

Learn more about NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2010, including menus and reservation policies, at http://www.nycgo.com. Learn more about The Haiti Relief Fund at nyc.gov. Learn more about the NYC Restaurant Week Truck at http://www.nycgo.com/?event=view.article&id=217227&pid=wrw_truck_right_rail.