Are you open? Confusion doesn't mar Restaurant Week

The basement of C&O had every table filled with diners.
PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA

Nearly every table at the Melting Pot was full of guests. Manager Jennifer Burke expects Tuesday night to be the busiest in the week.
PHOTO BY STEPHANIE GARCIA

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In Charlottesville's first annual Restaurant Week, the dining rooms of eight local eateries were packed– or so some diners assumed.

"We were surprised to hear that some of the restaurants weren't open," Melting Pot manager Jennifer Burke says. "The feedback we were getting was that the ads didn't mention that some restaurants were closed Mondays– I guess that annoyed some people."

Indeed, a couple visiting UVA from Annapolis, Maryland, reported they chose to visit the Melting Pot due to it being one of the few Restaurant Week establishments that were open on Monday.

"The service here has been great, but we've been to the Melting Pot before," explained diner Sue Errich, who noted there was a Melting Pot in Annapolis. "We didn't realize that there aren't too many restaurants open on Monday nights."

The Melting Pot and its neighbor the C&O were packed with guests. The C&O had reported reservations filling up before the week started and a hostess at Melting Pot reported 95 reservations for today alone.

"It was a great night– we were packed," Burke said near the end of the night. "We staffed thinking we'd be really busy, having more staff in than we would on a Monday night."

Both restaurants had nearly full dining rooms around 6:30 pm; however, several diners confessed ignorance when asked if they were attending for Restaurant Week. But while some guests weren't taking advantage of the $25 three course offerings, both the C&O and Melting Pot are looking forward to packed weeks.

"Tuesday will be the busiest night for us except for Friday," Burke says. "Every guest seem to be enjoying it and having a good time."

Restaurant Week continues through Sunday, July 19.