Winter Restaurant Week 2020

I’m sure you want the raw, unfiltered truth about my winter restaurant week experience. Luckily, I am always transparent on my blog so you are in for a treat. I only made it to two restaurants during the week but they were both experiences that I won’t soon forget. I did one brunch ($22) and one dinner ($35). Keep reading to see how I almost died and then was given life.

The Riggsby

I made reservations for afternoon brunch with my friends at this cozy, American restaurant that is nestled inside of the Kimpton Carlyle Hotel. This place was packed and the staff were buzzing around to check on all of their guests. Upon first impression, I was pleased with their service and decor. Once seated, we ordered our appetizer, entree, and dessert from the prix fixe restaurant week menu.

The ham and cheese croquette appetizer looked good and tasted even better. Each fried pod was full of hot cheese, creamy potatoes, and diced ham. Unfortunately, my friend Darius’ croquettes were filled with frozen chunks of something that we were unable to identify. They were sent back and replaced with fully cooked food so we thought the rest of our meal would turn out fine.

For my second course, I ordered their hot chicken sandwich. Everyone knows, I do not play when it comes to chicken sandwiches so I was excited to try theirs and I even added crispy onion straws to mine for some extra pizzazz. When my food arrived, I was immediately impressed by the portion size and the plating. I was licking my lips ready to devour this meal.

I cut the sandwich in half and was…flabbergasted, exasperated and dumbfounded. These people served me a RAW chicken sandwich. Jaylen’s sandwich was raw as well. Yoseph’s french toast was soggy. Dmitri’s eggs were overcooked. The list of transgressions goes on and on. Long story, short we all sent our food back, chugged our free drinks and left without giving them a penny. I should have started a riot or spazzed on the manager but the lack of food made me lightheaded and clouded my judgement.

Dirty Habit

I have had this place on my list for a long time. I have heard great things about their bar and brunch but I wanted a full experience so I went to their dinner. The ambiance alone made this worth the money. Ironically, this place is also located in a Kimpton Hotel. Once you walk into this dimly lit, chic bar you can tell that you are in for an experience. They have an extensive wine list and a variety of unique house-made cocktails and concoctions. Our server was extremely attentive (sometimes annoyingly so) and gave great drink recommendations. I went to dinner with my two foodie friends, Donald and Kumam, so naturally we all ordered different things so we could share. For my appetizer, I ordered rock shrimp tempura with spicy chipotle mayo and it was perfect. The batter was light and crunchy and the sauce added some heat. Kumam’s crispy spring rolls were also a favorite. For the entree, we ordered Chilean sea bass, braised lamb shank, and Cabernet braised short rib. Everything was outstanding. All of it. Perfection. 10’s across the board. No complaints. To top it off, the tiramisu for dessert gave me everything I could’ve ever wanted. This meal gave me life and restored hope in restaurant week.

The Overall Tea:

Avoid The Riggsby at all costs. In fact, send your enemies there because revenge is a dish best served cold and nothing says “I hate you” like salmonella. Dirty Habit, on the other hand, is heaven on Earth. Whether it’s for happy hour, brunch, or dinner, you are sure to have outstanding service and a delicious meal.