In these dicey, pricey times restaurants are hurting as much as the next 401K. Cutting back on meals out may be your way of dealing, but if we all decide to warm up a can of beans at home, once we emerge from this albatross, guess what? There will be no restaurants left. Promotions will get us through these hard times and the PR crew at Summer/Winter in Burlington has hit a homer with Friday Night Date Night.
Starting this week two people can enjoy a price fixed meal for $35 each every Friday in this posh spot. That means aps, main and dessert plus ambiance. This is one of the best deals I've seen for a weekend night. Historicaly restaurteurs trot these specials out on the deadest nights of the week — Mon. or Tues. No more. The anemic economy is a game-changer and one we can all take advantage of.
Chef Jim Gallagher is the real deal. Incorporating whatever is springing up in his greenhouse w/ modern NE classics like duck and fish has made this Marriott a gem on the hospitality circuit. The bartender is now working with the gardener on new cocktails that are likely to end up the cover of Gourmet this spring — herbed-infused drinks. Lemon verbena made w/ ginger scented geranium leaves sound mighty, mighty fine to me.

And Legals Seafood, the bastion of Boston power dining, is doing its part to drum up business on inauguration night by selling bowls of its famous chowder for 44 cents. That's Jan. 20 at all Legals.
What other dining deals are out there? I know there's more.