East Brunswick Restaurant Week Kicks Off Showcasing Global Cuisines

East Brunswick's fourth yearly food fest - East Brunswick Restaurant Week - is underway, bringing tastes from across the world to local tables. Small cafes and upscale spots alike will serve dishes that span continents.

"We don't have a downtown in East Brunswick," Robert Zuckerman, the township's Economic Development Officer, said on "The Buzz About East Brunswick" podcast. "A lot of these restaurant weeks are focused on the downtown-type feel and those couple of restaurants that are there, but we have a little bit different thing here."

From quick bites to sit-down meals, spots like Orchard Park and Gusto Grill will cook up special dishes. Guests can sample morning treats, midday plates, or evening feasts throughout the week.

Kitchens will buzz with chefs making spicy curries from both ends of India, street tacos with fresh salsa, hand-rolled sushi, dim sum dumplings, crispy lumpia, hot-off-the-spit gyros, fresh pasta, and catches straight from the sea.

This week-long feast puts small shops in the spotlight while bringing neighbors together. Each spot gets special signs and keeps its place on the town's web page year-round.

"We're trying to help the businesses," Zuckerman said, per Patch.com. "There's some big businesses, but there's also a lot of local small businesses. I think the majority of these are local small businesses, many of them even owned by East Brunswick residents."

For kitchen crews and owners, this week means more than just serving food. "A lot of these restaurants want to give back to the community. They're part of the community," Zuckerman said. "For them, this is a way to be part of the community."

Want to join the feast? Check the township site for a full list of spots, their special dishes, and when they're cooking. The food fest runs Oct. 20-26.