NYC Restaurant Week Winter 2017: Where to Go and AMEX Statement Credit

NYC Restaurant Week for Winter 2017 is January 23 – February 10 (3 weeks). A 3-course lunch is $29, and 3-course dinner is $42. You can also register your AMEX card to receive $5 back with at least $35 in a single transaction, up to 4 times (so a maximum of $20) during NYC Restaurant Week.

AMEX NYC Restaurant Week Credit Details:

Corporate and prepaid AMEX cards not eligible

Use the registered card for a dining purchase of $35 or more at any of the participating NYC Restaurant Week restaurants January 23 – February 10, 2017 and receive $5 statement credit back.

Limit of up to 4 statement credit (total of $20) per enrolled card

Statement credit will appear on your billing statement within 90 days after the offer end date

Maximizing the AMEX Statement Credit

If you and your dining companion both have AMEX cards that you've enrolled in the Restaurant Week offer, split the check so that you can each earn $5 statement credit for your meal. With tax and tip, you'll easily meet the $35 minimum even for lunch. Or, if only one of you has an enrolled AMEX card, you can still split it to earn $5 statement credit for one of you, and at least 3X points on the other card–see below.

Earning 3X-5X per Dollar Without AMEX

If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, you'll earn 3X per dollar on dining. If you're dining at a restaurant that you previously bought a gift certificate to using your Chase Freedom, when Restaurants were a 5X category, you've earned 5X per dollar for those gift certificates. Similarly, if you took advantage of buying fee-free AMEX gift cards at Walgreens and CVS in Q4 2016 (5X Almost Everywhere: No Fee AMEX Gift Cards at Walgreens, CVS) you can now use those AMEX gift cards, which earned 5X per dollar, for dining during Restaurant Week.

1. Cafe Boulud, Upper East Side (Weekday Lunch)

Cafe Boulud is located at The Surrey Hotel on the Upper East Side, near Central Park, and remains one of the best places for NYC Restaurant Week in terms of the quality of its food.

Appetizer: Duck Terrine or Cauliflower Veloute with caper raisin puree

Main Course: Poulet Grand-Mere with Pommes Parisienne and Bacon or Za'atar Marinated Porgy with Roasted Beet, Freekeh and Preserved Lemon Yogurt or Mushroom Ravioli with Swiss Chard and Black Truffle Froth

Dessert: Fromage Blanc Cheesecake with Pistachio Sable or Gingerbread Cake with Roasted Pineapple and Caramel Ice Cream

2. Nougatine at Jean Georges, Columbus Circle (Weekday Lunch)

As of the time of writing, Nougatine hasn't released its Restaurant Week menu yet, but it typically offers high quality food, even if service is far less polished than the more formal Jean-Georges restaurant. And chocolate fans can rejoice: the classic molten chocolate cake of Jean-Georges is also on the menu here, and typically available as a choice for Restaurant Week lunch.

3. Perry St, West Village (Weekday Lunch)

The chef at Perry Street is Cedric Vongerichten, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's son, who also designed the menu at the AMEX Centurion Lounge at New York LaGuardia Airport.

Appetizer: Fluke Sashimi with Blood Orange

Main Course: Roasted Hake with Seaweed Butter, Green Chilli and Mint or Pork Loin with Dill Spaetzle

Dessert: TBD

4. Members Dining Room at The Met Museum, Upper East Side (Weekday Lunch)

The Members Dining Room at The Metropolitan Museum of Art isn't well known to those who don't visit the Met (and even to some who do), but Restaurant Week is the perfect time to try out the somewhat pricey menu at a more reasonable price, even if you're not a member of The Met. Most dishes are prepared very well, but service can be on the slow side, so take this into account if you go.

Appetizer: Tuna Tartare or Kabocha Squash Soup

Main Course: Fish a la Plancha or Flat Iron Steak

Dessert: Apple Pie Bread Pudding with Vanilla Gelato or Chocolate Caramel Puddle Tart

5. Riverpark

Riverpark, as its name implies, is by the water–in this case, on the East River, at 29th Street, making it something of a hike if you're midtown based. But if you're tired of very limited choices for Restaurant Week menus, Riverpark is a good bet since it has more choices for each course than most NYC restaurants participating in NYC Restaurant Week. The ones below are the ones I'd recommend.

Appetizer: East and West Coast Oysters on the Half Shell or Curried Squash Soup with Pear, Chestnuts and Brown Butter or Octopus Carpaccio with Celery Root, Pomegranate and Crispy Quinoa

Main Course: Atlantic Salmon with Autumn Squash and Roasted Mushrooms or Sauteed Royal Sea Bass with Heirloom Carrots and Spiced Pumpkin Seeds or Braised Chicken with Lentils, Kale and Roasted Mushrooms

Dessert: Pumpkin Spice Pudding with Poached Quince and Gingersnaps or Pear-Cranberry Croustade with Vanilla-Bourbon Ice Cream or Apple Creme Brulee with Spiced Apple Cake and Salted Caramel