Restaurant Week

At various times during the year, major cities across the U.S. hold a little celebration of affordable, fancy dining which is called Restaurant Week [Google it for your city to get details]. A whole bunch of restaurants, usually way out of the everyman's price range, offer a smaller menu of some of their special dishes at much more affordable prices -- I believe they have to be under $30.

My friends and I get reservations at a restaurant in Georgetown called Mie N Yu, which "combines Contemporary American cuisine with flavors from Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean." The decor inside is fantastic, with each room decorated in a different style and with some eye-popping flair. One secluded table is actually in a humongous birdcage.

Since there were five of us, we were able to get a variety of meals and share a little with everyone. That way we could see what we thought was the best and have a broader experience. Periodically during our meal, a Chinese dragon made its way around the restaurant with a few employees in tow who were banging on drums and tambourines. The show was quite festive and we enjoyed their energy.

Oh, and normally I probably wouldn't mention the bathrooms of a restaurant, but this one was distinct. The 6 small toilet rooms were connected to a central room that had the sinks for washing your hands. A man would direct you to an open toilet room and when you came out he would turn on the water at your sink and squirt a little soap into your hands. When you're done, he hands you a paper towel and turns off the water for you. Very interesting, so I thought it noteworthy.