Our mouths are watering over these bistro restaurants’ menus for Summer Restaurant Week

If you’ve never been out to eat during Restaurant Week, here’s how it works:

2018 Miami Valley Restaurant Associations’ Summer Restaurant Week takes place July 22-29. Three-course meals will be available for $20.18, $25.18 or $30.18.

Many participating restaurants offer special menus just for the occasion, while others offer dishes off their regular menus.

The list of participating restaurants is subject to change and reservations may be required from some participating locations. Calling ahead is recommended, for details, hours and reservations. For the most up-to-date list and information visit http://dineoutdayton.com.

We have seen all of the menus and have sampled some of the dishes ourselves.

>> Some dishes you’ll want to try during Summer Restaurant Week

To help you narrow it down, we are going to spotlight some of the best atmospheres, best deals and more the rest of this week.

Today we share what some of the best bistro-style (small, intimate) restaurants have to offer this time around. 

Lily's Bistro in Dayton, $25.18-$30.18

Starters (choose one): Ricotta toast: fresh ricotta cheese, toasted ciabatta, housemade raspberry jam, candied pistachios, balsamic drizzle. Seasonal gazpacho. Local lettuce salad with beemster aged goat cheese, candied almonds, and strawberry-prosecco vinaigrette.  

Entrees (choose one): Polenta cakes with foraged oyster mushrooms, local corn, slow cooked beet ragu, and fried basil ($25.18.) Seafood gumbo with housemade crawfish sausage, rock shrimp, and smoked trout in dark roux with basmati rice ($28.18.) Slow cooked braised beef brisket in rich beef jus with roasted locally-grown summer vegetables ($30.18.)

Desserts (choose one): Flourless dark chocolate torte with cayenne ganache and whipped cream. Housemade ice cream OR vegan ice cream of the day.  
*Entree pricing reflects choice of starter, entree, and dessert. Gluten Free and Vegan options are possible for each course; please notify your server of any dietary restrictions  

Drink Specials (for Restaurant Week diners only): House red, white, or rose wine $6. Nightly selection of craft beer on tap $5.
>> 5 things you should really try at Lily's Bistro

elé Bistro & Wine Bar at Austin Landing, $25.18

Starters (choose one): Halibut Ceviche with Tortilla Chips or Wild Mushroom Bisque with Truffle Oil

Entrees (choose one): Fried risotto, crispy risotto fritters served with tomato coulis and topped with parmesan cheese. Shrimp & grits, spicy shrimp served on a bed of fried green tomatoes, savory grits and topped with bacon, hollandaise sauce and red pepper puree

Desserts (choose one): Oven Roasted Salmon over garlic mashed potatoes and green beans with lemon caper sauce. Oven roasted chicken, farm-raised airline chicken served with seasonal vegetables, roasted potatoes and natural jus. Confit pork loin served with brussels sprouts, roasted fingerling potatoes and craft root beer BBQ sauce.

>> Elé Cake Co. opens Bistro and Wine Bar at Austin Landing

Sunrise Cafe in Yellow Springs, $20.18-$30.18

Starters (choose one): Grillin Cheese Caprese, Graetna cheese from blue jacket dairy in Bellefontaine grilled up to crispy outside and gooey inside to make a delicious topping on local tomatoes with fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic syrup. Elote – Mexican grilled street corn. Local sweet corn grilled until golden then basted with a garlic-chili powder aioli topped with crumbled cotija cheese and served with a  lime wedge. Spinach, Peach and Cucumber Salad, bed of fresh Spinach with slices of Georgia Peaches and our Oma's cucumber salad. Finished with a drizzle of balsamic syrup.
Entrees (choose one): Wagyu with blueberry-beet reduction, local veggies and pickled beet relish, a 5-ounce cut of silky Wagyu sirloin grilled to your desired perfection and finished with a reduction of local organic beets, local blueberries and aromatics. Served on a bed of goat cheese-roasted garlic mashed potatoes with grilled zucchini and green beans straight from the farms. Garnished with a complimentary pickled beet relish ($25.18.)

Summer bliss salmon with sweet corn risotto. Wild Alaskan sockeye with its seared skin on then roasted with an aromatic mix of local cherry tomatoes, fresh marjoram, garlic and olive oil and served on a bed of our creamy risotto made with organic Arborio rice, local sweet corn, onions, peppers, Applewood bacon and parmesan ($30.18.)

Vegan sausage with smoked tomato-basil ragu and polenta, a house-made vegan sausage made with oats, sage, flax, onions, peppers, mushrooms and carrots are seared until crisp on the outside. It comes served on a bed of local polenta with grilled local organic zucchini and topped with a heavenly ragu of local tomatoes smoked over hickory sautéed with fresh basil ($20.18.)

Desserts (choose one): 

*Gluten free and some vegan options are possible for each course; please notify your server of any dietary restrictions

>> JUST IN: New Caribbean restaurant in the works in Yellow Springs

Meadowlark Restaurant, Washington Twp. $28.18

First course: 

>> Meadowlark owner Wiley to launch new restaurant in Kettering

Wheat Penny Restaurant in Dayton, $28.18 

Amuse: avocado gazpacho with sweet corn and spiced beet chips

First course: grilled flatbread with smoked provolone, fried garlic and arugula salad

Second course: local tomato and fresh peach caprese or brothy linguine with summer clams

Third course: chicken scarpariello, chicken thighs and chicken sausage roasted with local bell, hot and pickled peppers, served with polenta and green beans. Crispy pork milanese with peach and salami salsa, a drizzle of spicy honey, and polenta and green beans. Venetian branzino in parchment with herbs, white wine, cherry tomatoes, capers, zucchini and potatoes. Grill-roasted whole local eggplant with fontina cheese, pine nuts and crunchy breadcrumbs, served with spinach and chickpea farro and cherry tomato salsa cruda.

Dessert choices: fresh plum tartlet with black pepper, honey and belletoile cheese. Tomato-basil ice cream with a cookie. Chocolate mousse OR vegan chocolate mousse. Watermelon italian ice with gummy candy.

>> On the Menu: Wheat Penny’s California-style pizza flair

Dewberry 1850 in Dayton, $20.18-$30.18

First course: Warm grilled romaine, shaved parmesan, olive oil and lemon juice. Bibb lettuce, watermelon radish and raspberry dressing. Chilled ice burg lettuce cup, smoked salmon, BBQ tempeh with citrus dressing

Second course: Lobster En Croute, charred romaine, roasted tomato. Brie cheese fondue, steamed pork buns with Korean BBQ sauce and pickled cucumber slaw. Quinoa "meatball" with herb cheese on naan bread, mango chutney

Third course: Grilled tomahawk pork chop, tomato jam, grilled polenta cake. Pan seared airline chicken breast, spinach, roasted tomato, and Asiago cream sauce. Char crusted sirloin, roasted shallot sauce, broccolini

>> Hidden-in-plain-sight restaurant close to downtown will SHATTER your expectations for lunch

Ellie’s Restaurant at Mills Park Hotel in Yellow Springs, $25.18 

First course: Chilled white gazpacho with almonds, olive oil and fresh green grape juice. Honey ginger garlic lime chicken wings with benne seeds. Bacon cornbread skillet with honey butter. Melon salad with blackberries, plums, jalapeño and mint with burrata.

Second course: 12oz bone-in ribeye with local corn, tomato and red onion salad. Butterflied parrotfish with avgolemono rice, dill pea salad and pearl onions. Orange glazed duck breast with potato salad and grilled scallions. Summer hoppin' john with carolina gold rice, arugula, peaches, gold beets, local corn, blueberries and boiled peanuts (vegan available.)

Third course: Butterscotch pudding. Cherry coconut cobbler with fried biscuits. Local sweet corn and blackberry jam ice cream with doughnut crumble.

>> Why you need to check out the restaurant inside the Yellow Springs hotel

Basil’s - Troy, $25.18

First course: Basil's house salad with choice of dressing

Second course: Bruschetta with grilled bread

Third course: Coconut shrimp on top of sautéed vegetables and 4-oz. filet with Dijon Aujus and crispy red potatoes 
>> Downtown restaurant brings back all-you-can eat crab legs

Basil’s - Downtown Dayton, $25.18

First course: Basil's house salad with choice of dressing

Second course: Bruschetta with grilled bread

Third course: Coconut shrimp on top of sautéed vegetables and 4-oz. filet with Dijon Aujus and crispy red potatoes 
>> Basil's on Market is expanding southward

BRIO Tuscan Grille

First course: Lobster bisque or caesar salad

Second course: Crab cakes with roasted vegetables and crispy fingerling potatoes. 6 oz. filet mignon with skillet potatoes. Chicken Fra di Avolo.

Third course: Tiramisu. Carmel mascarpone cheesecake

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Wind’s Cafe in Yellow Springs, $30.18 

First course: beet tabbouleh, grilled Spanish style pork skewer or peach and watermelon salad with smoked mozzarella and cocoa nibs.

Second course: wild caught sockeye salmon with local oyster mushrooms, creme fraiche, braised cippolinis and fried parsley. Tomato risotto with roasted tomatoes, powdered tomato, local corn, tomato leaf oil and smoked tomato butter. Braised duck leg with summer vegetable ragout and raw zucchini salad.

Third course: 

cheese course.

Fourth course: 

Coco’s Bistro, $25.18 

Starters (choose one): Hot bacon spinach salad, baby spinach, chopped egg, shaved red onion, hot bacon vinaigrette. House salad, field greens, cucumber, carrots, radish. Choice of honey balsamic, bleu cheese, french, buttermilk ranch or Italian vinaigrette dressing. 
Entrees (choose one): Pistachio cream pasta, pappardelle, shaved pecorino romano, crushed candied pistachios. Smoked trout cakes, house smoked red trout cakes, snap pea succotash, shrimp butter, horseradish mash, blistered tomato jam, fried carrots. Summer pasta, pacote, chicken sausage, broccolini, garlic oil, shaved pecorino romano, fresh oregano, crushed red. Argentinian beef, chargrilled beef tenderloin, chimichurri, yellow rice, salsa criolla.
pepper flakes

Dessert (choose one): mini vanilla crème brûlée. Boston cream cakes
Restaurant week appetizer special: brick oven apricots ($9), gorgonzola walnut stuffed apricots finished with a red wine reduction