Enjoy friendly customer service at Maaza 29.Taking that special someone out for a romantic dinner is a Valentine’s Day tradition; western Prince William County is fortunate to have a variety of restaurants offering great food, along with excellent atmosphere and fair prices.
This Valentine’s Day, Saturday, Feb. 14, rather than waiting for hours for a table at a chain restaurant only to pay premier pricing, consider the alternative and make reservations ahead of time at a locally owned, independent restaurant.
There are many reasons to prefer an independent restaurant. It helps the local economy, especially since independent restaurateurs are likely to use fresh ingredients and frequent local markets. Moreover, they are likely to be more responsive to the community and individual diners as well. But most of all, they have some great offers this Valentine’s Day.
Maaza 29, offering Ethiopian-American cuisine at 14630 Lee Highway in Gainesville, is having a Valentine’s Day Special costing $80 for two.
Maaza 29 is known for its quality food and was even listed among the region’s Top 50 Restaurants in Northern Virginia Magazine. Of that list, it is also the only restaurant located in Prince William County. Owner Emanuel Reta is proud of that, and continues to offer his customers quality, locally-sourced food at a fair price.
Reta suggests people dine at Maaza 29 on Valentine’s Day so they can have a gourmet meal without having to spend three digits.
“Number one, you don’t have to break the bank to go out and eat and have drinks.You’re getting two appetizers, a bottle of wine and dessert for $80. That’s unheard of. You might spend that on just a bottle of wine somewhere else,” Reta said.
On Valentine’s Day, Reta is also allowing customers to choose their meal from their full menu of entrees.
“Basically, the menu is still the same, but you can pick anything you want. I highly recommend short ribs and lamb shanks,” he said.
The other aspect Reta believes makes Maaza 29 special is the level of customer service one can only find at an independently-owned restaurant with an involved owner.
“I think people walk in as strangers, and they walk out as friends,” said Reta. “You can walk into any restaurant and walk out as you walked in, but I will know your name, and you become an extension of this family we’re developing.”
The service is friendly at Grafton Street in Gainesville.Manager Heather Aits, at Grafton Street, the modern Irish-American restaurant located on Atlas Walk in Gainesville’s Gateway Center, agrees with Reta that independent restaurants are more likely to offer first rate customer service.
“Absolutely. You get to see the manager and sometimes see the owner as well,” Aits said, noting that at Grafton Street they like to chat with customers and see how they enjoyed their meal.
For Valentine’s Day, Grafton Street is offering a Valentine’s Day Special called “Lovers Delight Dinner.” It is $49.95 per person, and includes a choice of rack of lamb, rock fish and beef tenderloin medallions. Included in the meal is also a shrimp appetizer, a champagne toast and a signature dessert.
Aits said it is a great value, noting that she’s seen lower prices for Valentine’s Day but not for meals that include a four-course dinner and a drink as well.
Grafton Street is also creating a romantic atmosphere on Valentine’s Day. She said this will be achieved through “not too many decorations,” but mainly low-lighting in their dining rooms.
Keep up with Maaza 29 and Grafton Street by following them online, or call for a reservation today! Contact Maaza 29 at 703-753-2177. Contact Grafton Street at 571-261-9367.
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