Great news for So Cal folks — Orange County Restaurant Week takes place February 26 – March 3, 2012. This delicious event only takes place once per year and includes some great Downtown Disney District restaurants!

With fun, unique menus designed by amazing chefs, this is a great opportunity to try out a restaurant for a set cost (usually a pretty great deal, too!). Take advantage of this annual opportunity to sample some new eats, impress your loved one with a romantic meal, or grab a group of friends for a memorable outing.

Be sure to try our favorite Red Velvet Roulade at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen! No tickets are necessary. Just make a reservation, then dine at your chosen restaurant.

Participating Restaurants

Some of our favorite Downtown Disney District restaurants are participating! Check out the menus below…

Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen

Ralph Brennan’s features Crescent City inspired food by Chef Darrin Finkel.

Cost: Lunch $20 / Dinner $30

Lunch Menu
Appetizers
Choose one:

Soup of the Day

Strawberry & Arugula Salad
Shaved fennel, cherry tomatoes, fried goat cheese & strawberry balsamic vinaigrette

Entrees
Choose one:

Bayou Pot Pie
Alligator, turtle, andouille sausage, sherry, creamy béchamel, flaky pie crust

Crab Melt
Blue crab, Ravigote sauce, Gruyere cheese, toasted French bread, mixed baby green salad

Seafood & Gnocchi Frav Diablo
Gulf shrimp, roasted garlic, white wine, spicy tomato fumet

Dessert:
Beignets – A New Orleans classic!
French donuts topped with powdered sugar

Dinner Menu
Appetizers
Choose one:

Soup of the Day

Strawberry & Arugula Salad
Shaved fennel, cherry tomatoes, fried goat cheese & strawberry balsamic vinaigrette

Entrees
Choose one:

Blackened Catfish
Mushroom fricassee, andouille parmesan grits, lemon thyme beurre blanc

Chicken Cassoulet
Andouille sausage, onion, peppers, white beans, roasted red potatoes, port wine herb jus

Seafood & Gnocchi Frav Diablo
Gulf shrimp, crawfish, scallops, roasted garlic, white wine, spicy tomato fumet

Desserts
Choose one:

New Orleans Bread Pudding – The Queen of Crescent City desserts…
Cream, eggs, sugar, raisins, crème anglaise

Creole Red Velvet Roulade
White chocolate cream cheese mousse, crème anglaise

Catal

Catal offers a selection with each course.

Cost: $40
First course selection:
“Pan con tomate”
air bread, manchego cheese espuma, shaved Serrano ham, tomato sofrito

Pimiento de pardon
flash fried peppers, espelette pepper, lemon garlic emulsion

Main course selection:
“Arroz con pato”
mushroom bomba rice, duck leg confit, truffle aïoli, over easy duck egg, sweet onion sofrito

Steamed P.E.I. mussels
chorizo Bilbao, pearl pasta, white wine, smoked paprika, guindilla peppers

Dessert selection:
Arroz con leche
market plums, candied pistachio

Double chocolate tart
burnt sugar ice cream, salted peanuts

Reservations: online or by phone 714-774-4442.

House of Blues

House of Blues will showcase a menu by Chef Jeffrey Meyer.
Dinner Cost: $30
Appetizers
choose one:
-Basil Pesto and Tomato Flatbread
Rubbed with garlic, topped with basil pesto, oven-dried tomatoes, Oaxaca and Cotija cheeses

– House of Blues Salad
Fresh field greens, red and yellow tomatoes, spicy pecans and crumbled goat cheese drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette dressing

-Seared Tuna Tostadas
Adobo seasoned Ahi seared rare, served atop crispy corn tortillas with drunken bean puree and sweet mango chile salsa

Entrees
choose one:

-Trio of Cheese Rigatoni
Rigatoni cooked in fresh tomato sauce and tossed with parmesan, provolone and ricotta cheese

-Shrimp and Grits
Pan seared jumbo shrimp simmered in chipotle garlic cream sauce served over crispy fried grit cake and sweet yellow tomatoes

-Chile Braised Short Ribs
Quarter pound braised short ribs brushed with Pasilla short rib glaze served with andouille corn pudding and fresh vegetables

Dessert
choose one:

-Key Lime Pie
Made with fresh key lime juice and drizzled with a creamy vanilla crème anglaise topped with fresh whipped cream

-Bourbon Bread Pudding
Cooked with bourbon, bananas and white chocolate and finished with a bourbon caramel sauce topped with fresh whipped cream

-Molten Chocolate Cake
Chocolate cake with warm molten center drizzled with a creamy vanilla crème anglaise topped with fresh whipped cream

Reservations: online or phone 714-520-2334.

So which restaurant will win your reservation?? Let us know what menu items you can’t wait to try in the comments below!