Restaurant Week is back, with new and returning eateries

Tempted by tamales? Keen on kimchi? Need some gnocchi? Got a yearning for year of the dragon dumplings? Or maybe a craving for calamari?

If so, the third annual Silver Spring Takoma Park Restaurant Week is for you.

With about three dozen restaurants participating this year, foodies of all stripes can find culinary delights to their liking.

“Restaurant Week is a wonderful opportunity for our eclectic restaurant community to showcase its talents,” said Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker, who launched the annual event in 2015 and is again hosting this year’s.

“It’s also a chance for folks to sample a wide range of cuisine they may have never tried and to support our local restaurateurs — at affordable prices,” Hucker said. “These restaurants exemplify the multicultural character and entrepreneurial spirit of the Silver Spring-Takoma Park area.”

Indeed.

Participants in this year’s event, which runs Sept. 5-10, feature food from around the world: Ethiopia, Ireland, Korea, the Middle East, Italy, China, Mexico and, yes, Maryland.

The lineup is a veritable global gastronomic smorgasbord, with offerings that appeal to omnivores, carnivores, herbivores, vegetarians, vegans, ovo-lacto vegetarians, pescatarians and gluten-free diners.

And that’s not to mention the liquid delicacies, from exotic coffees and teas to locally brewed craft beer and riesling, and tej — Ethiopian honey wine.

“I love Restaurant Week,” said Jennifer Meltzer, managing partner and part owner of All Set Restaurant & Bar in Silver Spring, which has participated since the first event in 2015.

“It’s great for the staff and the guests and challenges restaurant operators to be creative with their options,” Meltzer said. “It’s fun for guests and fun for team members.”

Tiruzer Mamo is new to Restaurant Week this year. She’s the owner and chef at Abol Ethiopian Cuisine in Silver Spring, which she opened in 2013.

Mamo has a simple goal for participating this year: “I hope to get more customers.”

If previous years are any indication, that’s likely. In a small survey of restaurants in the 2015 Restaurant Week, all said their business had increased at least 6 percent that week, with one reporting an increase of more than 20 percent.

During the week, participating restaurants offer at least one two- or three-course lunch or dinner menu, ranging from $12 to $27. Prices don’t include tax, tips or, in some cases, drinks.

No tickets or special passes are needed, but reservations are recommended.

Hucker will help kick off restaurant week with a celebration from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 5, at Republic, 6939 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park.

More information, including a list of participating restaurants, is at www.silverspringrestaurantweek.com.

On Facebook, Silver Spring Takoma Park Restaurant Week is at @SSTPRestaurantWeek and on Twitter at @sstpResWeek.