City Restaurant Week: UPDATE

Hope your weekend was filled with wonderful food. I dusted off the grill and have my tongs - and cookbooks - ready to start barbecuing ribs and other fire-kissed delights.

(Right now, I'm paging through "Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries & Shakes", "Raichlen on Ribs, Ribs, Outrageous Ribs", "America's Best BBQ" and "Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book" by Chris Lilly.)

Did the first real al fresco dining of the season with good pals on Saturday - does life get any better than sitting on a deck with a few tasty beverages? I think not (Andy, the Moroccan chicken rocked!) - and I'm so happy for more July-in-April weather.

(Typical Delaware spring, no? That is - no spring at all. We just go from winter to summer....)

But no stay-at-home plans for me this week: City Restaurant Week kicks off today - and

Second Helpings will be out and about, sampling dishes and checking out the scene. Remember, it's two course $15 lunches and three-course $35 dinners, plus some extras. Click here for more details.

News Journal staffers - including professional paid fork Eric Ruth; the new Food DOGs Peter Bothum, Jeff Gentry and Andre Smith; Delaware MomsLikeMe.com editor Lucia Blackwell; Pulp Culture's own Ryan Cormier; ace features reporter Gary Soulsman; and features editor (and my boss) Betsy Price - will be unfolding napkins and sampling from menus from all participating restaurants.

*** UPDATE: The staff has already out been picking up forks. Check back here later today for the first of many reviews coming at you this week. We'll let you know what you're missing - and what you should skip.*********

Here's your chance to support the local economy.

In the immortal words of Mrs. Claus: "Eat, Papa, eat!"