Dine in Brooklyn kicks off, continuing through March 30

Dine In Brooklyn Week is now underway, with upwards of 90 restaurants across the borough offering $28 three-course dinners, $15 two-course lunches and $12 weekend brunches through March 20.

With the event kicking off on March 20, “We’re seeing a lot of interest through traffic to the website,” said Borough President Eric Adams’s Communications Director Stefan Ringel, who said he, too, is “looking forward to visiting” the variety of local eateries taking part in the annual event.

Wherever he goes to grab a bite, he’ll likely be among the many customers exposed to an exclusive menu, designed specifically for the occasion.

Indeed, the event, for diners, is very much about discovery. Suzy Hernandez, who dined at Blue Agave, 7215B Third Avenue, said she found the eatery “By accident. I was just walking by and walked in and ordered three tacos. They were really good. The homemade hot sauces really stood out. They were so good and authentic (and I know because my family is Mexican). I also ordered dessert, which was something I had never heard of — a type of churro with ice cream. It was interesting.”

“It’s not something you could do year round,” said Daquara, but “it’s good for Restaurant Week.”

A participant in Dine in Brooklyn for over 10 years, owner and chef of Mediterranean restaurant First Oasis at 9218 Fourth Avenue Saïd Albahri said the eatery has added appetizers and desserts to the limited edition of the menu. “It’s a nice treat” for the customers this week, said Albahri.

At Sancho’s, 7410 Third Avenue, special to the menu for the event is a scintillating seafood salad. “We hope to gain some customers,” said Celso Rodriguez, a partner in the restaurant.

Rodriguez and Gargiulo’s Restaurant owner Nino Russo both said they would be able to gauge the success of the event throughout the week. Both long-time participants in Dine in Brooklyn, they are on the same page about the week being a good promotion.

For Russo, the owner of the venerable Italian restaurant in Coney Island, at 2911 West 15th Street, adding things to the menu means trying “to put things together that customers would enjoy,” to augment menu classics like the baked clams and Chicken Scarpariello that continue to be among the crowd favorites.

Russo said he doubts he will be able to visit fellow restaurants involved in Dine in Brooklyn because of the restaurant’s schedule. “I haven’t had the chance,” he said with a soft chuckle. “We’re here all the time. We’re going to be working.”

All participating restaurants are included on the event website, dineinbk.com.

Dine in Brooklyn is presented by the borough president in partnership with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, with exclusive sponsorship from Visa and contributing support from Barclays Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Brooklyn Spectator and Home Reporter, the New York City Restaurant Association and Yelp.