Storm hampers start of Restaurant Week

Kafta, kibbee, stuffed grape leafs and veggies on naan from The Olive Tree Cafe

Some restaurants will extend their special menus into next week

Mother Nature may be able to dump snow and ice on us, but she still can’t rain on our Charleston Restaurant Week parade.

Even though hazardous weather conditions from this weekend’s winter storm forced several participating restaurants to close on Monday and Tuesday, others were able to remain open.

Trio of spreads from The Olive Tree Cafe

Even better? Some of the restaurants forced to close early this week are now extending their special menus into next week to give more people a chance to try them out, whether they’re booking a new reservation or rebooking a canceled one.

Both 1010 Bridge and sister South Hills restaurant Paulie’s Fine Italian will extend their Restaurant Week menus through Wednesday of next week, but please note Paulie’s is closed on Mondays.

Black Sheep Burrito & Brews, where I was supposed to go Monday night, has also extended their menu through Wednesday of next week.

Baklava cheesecake Bananas Foster

Other restaurants have told me they’re considering doing the same, so I imagine a few others will soon follow suit. Be sure to follow www.facebook.com/cwvrestweek for all of the latest updates.

Speaking of reservations, I have dinners planned later this week at Ristorante Abruzzi and Paulie’s Fine Italian – with possible stops at Bourbon Street Bistro and Black Sheep Burrito & Brews – but I’m still trying to squeeze in another stop or two. What has been your favorite Restaurant Week experience so far, so I can decide where to go?

Shout out to a Restaurant Week newcomer

Before last weekend’s weather turned wicked, I was able to enjoy a sneak taste of the Restaurant Week specials being offered by The Olive Tree Café at 333 2^nd Ave. in South Charleston.

Bone-in sous vide pork chop from Black Sheep

Olive Tree has been one of my favorite restaurants in town since it opened just over 10 years ago, but they were not able to participate in Charleston Restaurant Week before this year, when organizers loosened up the city-limit requirements for participating businesses.

You’re going to be glad they did, because the “Taste of the Near East” entrée Olive Tree is serving this week is a feast for the senses. Its colors are bold and striking. Its aroma is full of Middle Eastern spices and scents.

And its taste is out of this world.

I immediately plucked my fork into the fire-roasted kofta – a large Lebanese beef kebab generously seasoned with onions, parsley, salt and spices – and then dove right into the best kibbee I’ve ever had, hands down. While most kibbee you find is either gamey in taste or chalky-dry in texture, this fried orb of minced meat, bulgur and spices (with a basting of butter, I’m told) was moist and savory perfection.

Beef tenderloin tacos from Fernbank

While those two meaty heavy hitters were the stars of the show, the platter was also piled high with stuffed grape leaves, fire-roasted kebab-style vegetables and pickled veggies all served over fat, fluffy, warm naan bread.

Paired with Olive Tree’s Restaurant Week appetizer that offers a trio of delicious spreads – smoky eggplant baba ghanoush, classic garlicky hummus and whipped feta topped with honey and roasted pecans – and you can enjoy an authentic meal featuring so many traditional Middle Eastern dishes.

That’s definitely the way to go, especially if you cap off the night with the restaurant’s decadent and delicious baklava cheesecake Bananas Foster topped with crème fraiche and honey-roasted pecans. It’s bigger and sweeter than I usually prefer my desserts, but I cave in (and dig in) every time I see it.

I can’t imagine why you’d order anything else, but other Restaurant Week options at Olive Tree include a housemade lobster bisque with fresh herbs; fire-roasted chicken Caprese stuffed with buffalo mozzarella and vine-ripened tomatoes, topped with fresh basil and pomegranate molasses; and a chocolate cake topped with Turkish coffee infused crème fraiche and shaved Ghirardelli.

For more information or to make a reservation, call 681-265-9158.

Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest as “WV Food Guy.” He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.