This week marks the second-annual Madison Restaurant Week presented by Madison Magazine, a six-day opportunity for gastronomes to try out selected menus from more than 20 fine area restaurants at fixed prices. This is an excellent chance for Madison residents to sample new venues and flavors, and the special prices are especially appealing to college students.

All restaurants involved have selected a specially prepared dinner menu for the week featuring an appetizer, an entr?e and a dessert, and the price is fixed at $25. Many restaurants even include a similar three-course lunch menu for $15. A complete list of participating restaurants (as well as their menus) is available at madisonmagazine.com/ restaurantweek.

The event is modeled after San Diego?s highly successful Restaurant Week, a concept that has also been emulated by the city of Milwaukee. Having participated at several restaurants during Milwaukee?s Restaurant Week, I suggest seizing this as a chance to try out those establishments you would otherwise be unable to afford. A $25 meal may still seem like a considerable expense to many students, but the restaurants participating are almost exclusively upper scale, so these are often great bargains. The Blue Marlin just off of Capitol Square, for instance, is offering roasted swordfish as part of its three-course Restaurant Week dinner, an entree that costs $26 on the regular menu ? and that?s without an appetizer or dessert.

Brianna Pintens, manager of Fresco (located atop the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and also participating in Restaurant Week) said, ?We love that a lot of people are able to try us for the first time if they wouldn’t normally try us.? She also noted that the event causes a ?huge jump in reservations.? When asked about the selection of items available on the special menu, from a stuffed pork tenderloin entr?e to a poached pear dessert ? while also being sure to include a vegetarian option ? Pintens said the Restaurant Week menu is representative of its normal menu, and the discounted selections are chosen from top-selling items.

Similarly, Jim Schiavo, one of the owners of Caf? Continental, located just off Capitol Square, said, “[Madison Restaurant Week is] great, we did it last year and it really brought new people into our business.” Schiavo?s restaurant is also featuring its most popular dishes on the special menu.

Sushi Muramoto, located at Hilldale Mall, has taken a rather unique approach in determining its restaurant week menu. Rather than selecting particular entr?es, the classy Japanese joint is offering all-you-can-eat sushi including everything from shrimp to octopus. This is also offered on their $15 lunch menu, which sushi connoisseurs will note is a steal.

With such hot deals on the table, waiting until the last minute to decide to eat out is inadvisable. ?I would encourage reservations, as many of the restaurants fill up quickly,? says Tiffany Thom, marketing director of Madison Magazine.

?Madison Restaurant Week is the perfect opportunity for students and the community to get out and try some of Madison?s finest restaurants,? says Thom. ?I know it?s cold outside, but it will definitely be worth the adventure.?

No coupons are needed; diners can simply show up at any participating restaurant and expect to find the special menus.