Smooth move: Restaurant Week opens in style

Charlottesville Restaurant Week kicked off Monday night with a bang. Over at Brookville Restaurant, co-owner Jennifer Pendleton, who'll be marrying her chef-partner Harrison Keevil later this year (congrats!), says they "did awesome, about 50 people, which is great for us on a Monday." Plus, she says the phone has been "ringing off the hook all day." A lot of large groups have booked, like 14 and 12 tops, so she says things are filling up fast. But you might have a chance Sunday. 

Over at the Blue Light Grill, Bang!, TEN, and the C&O Restaurant it was the same story.

"There have been calls all day long," says the C&O's Lindsay Bell, who was managing the packed house on Monday. "We've had to reserve seats in the Bistro, which are usually for walk-ins. Sorry, but we're booked for the entire week." Hey, you never know, give them a call and they might squeeze you in. Tip: request a late seating. 

"We saw people we've never seen before, and a lot of people from out of town," says Bell. "Where do they hear about this?"

Bell said everyone appeared to be having a good time, though no one wanted to sit outside on the steamy night. 

"The kitchen has got it down now," says Bell. "Everything went real smooth."