The large culinary project Restaurant Week initiated by Uroš and Violeta Mencinger has developed from an ad hoc short week in Maribor with participation of 12 restaurants into a project involving the whole country, each time setting a new record. Last autumn 15 euro menus fed 76.000 guests, while 2016 is introducing another menu, costing one euro more. For 16 euros you will mostly get a three-course menu, often with greetings from the kitchen.

The organizers are encouraging all the participating restaurants (selected from those considered the best by the Nedelo, i.e. the Sunday supplement of the Delo newspaper culinary reviewer Mencinger) to promote local and seasonal foodstuff, and use traceable ingredients. The novelty this year is the aesthetic aspect of food. "We are fed up with parsley leaves, cherry tomatoes, and lemon rind spirals! Restaurant Week is the time to feed the eyes as well. Therefore in 2016 the artistic impression will be judged as well, the image the food makes on the plate," Mencinger claims.

And the quality, of course. Menciger warns that "it must not happen that during Restaurant Week poor ingredients or small portions are served". The restaurants make their own decisions as to the number of menus they intend to offer – mostly they decide on one, some offer two, but there are more and more restaurant offering besides menus with meat also a vegetarian one, or at least a fish menu. Against additional payment suitable vines can be suggested, or an additional plate to those who wish to taste other dishes offered by the restaurant.

K. S.; translated by G. K.