Restaurants to showcase best dishes at new event

Visitors and residents will have the opportunity to sample the menus of local restaurants while raising money to help culinary arts students during the first Boulder City Best Dam Restaurant Week in August.

This event is being put on by the Boulder Chamber of Commerce and takes place from Aug. 4-10. During restaurant week, people will be able to order special menu items at participating restaurants, with a portion of the proceeds going to the chamber and ProStart, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation that teaches high school students the art of cooking and managing restaurants by training with professional chefs.

Chamber CEO Jill Rowland-Lagan said the idea for restaurant week came from a local business owner.

“There was conversation during the Think Tank meetings about ways to help keep our restaurants open and guests coming to town,” said Rowland-Lagan. “Cindy Ford at Southwest Diner really takes action and mentioned it … and the idea formulated from there. We met at the Diner several times working on what this might look like and restaurant week in Boulder City was born.”

Ford said she had the idea from someone at her supplier, Sysco, because they wanted to help bring more business into Boulder City due to Interstate 11 opening.

“I’m excited just to have people come to Boulder City,” said Ford about the event.

The restaurants currently confirmed for the restaurant week are Boulder Dam Brewing Co., Milo’s Restaurant &Cellar, Southwest Diner, Fox Smokehouse BBQ, Toto’s Mexican Restaurant, Boulder Creek Grill at the golf course, Bighorn Cafe at Hoover Dam Lodge, The Tap and Railroad Pass Casino.

Rowland-Lagan said as more restaurants are confirmed, the website (www.bouldercitychamber.com/bc-best-dam-restaurant-week.html) will be updated.

Each participating restaurant will showcase its best dishes at prices ranging from $10-$40. Some will offer breakfast, brunch, lunch and/or dinner items.

Ford said she is looking forward to the event, especially since her business and others have survived I-11 opening.

“I just want everyone to have a great time,” she said. “We made it. Let’s party.”

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.