Rants and raves about burning topics that have caught my attention midweek, be it greedy corporate shenanigans, frustration or joy in regards to the Philly sports teams, a movie, show or DVD that has fired up my imagination, an intriguing personality, or what’s happening in the region. — Lori Hoffman, Associate Editor, Atlantic City Weekly.

I love when local eateries get together and decide to present a restaurant week for a fixed price menu. I’ve enjoyed the Atlantic City Restaurant Week the past three years and now I can enjoy good food at great prices in my own neighborhood.

The second Somers Point Restaurant Week takes place Nov. 4-13 and features a special fixed price three-course dinner menu for $25.07 and lunch menu for $11.07. The participating restaurants are a nice cross section of local hangouts and fine dining establishments:  800 Bay, Charlie’s, Gregory’s, Point Diner, Sandi Pointe Coastal Bistro, Crab Trap, Doc’s Place, Fitzpatrick’s, Joe’s Mediterranean Grill, Subs & Pizza, Latz’s by the Bay, and Emilio’s. Some are offering dinner only and Fitzpatrick’s lunch only. The price doesn’t include beverage, tax or tip.

As I’ve been perusing the menus, it came as no surprise that Crab Trap topped my list for the diversity of their selections. CT features five appy selections including New England clam chowder and herb crusted goat cheese & roasted red beet salad, and a terrific choice of seven entrée selections. The one I’m leaning toward is Cape May scallops over a butternut squash and cashew risotto finished with an apple cinnamon beurre blanc. Other entrees include pistachio encrusted Mahi Mahi, stuffed Salmon Florentine (spinach, crabmeat) and swordfish Milanaise. Dessert choices include carrot cake, pecan pie and pumpkin cheesecake with cranberry glaze. The later sounds like a seasonal treat.

For the budget-minded, the Point Diner is featuring two dinners for $25.07. The menu is limited but the entrée choices are pretty good — sesame crusted salmon, panko fried pork chop and broccoli & cheese stuffed chicken breast with Alfredo sauce over linguini.

Fitzpatrick’s lunch menu makes the $11.07 price more than a bargain. They have three choices for each course. I’m considering the Reuben style egg roll with Russian dressing, sautéed pastrami spiced scallops or crab cake on a bed of field greens with Craisins & candied walnuts and for dessert a mini hot apple pie with ice cream and caramel sauce.

Other eateries with some terrific menu dinner options include Sandi Pointe (sautéed tenderloin tips & blue cheese as an appy, pan seared “day boat” snapper for entrée and raspberry lemon crème brulee for dessert); 800 Bay (gratin spinach and feta-stuffed mushroom buttons, Tampico flat iron steak in adobo sauce with sweet potato and plaintain mash and apple turnover with French vanilla ice cream) and Gregory’s (spring rolls with Boursin cheese, wild mushroom and baby spinach, veal Wellington with butternut squash risotto and lemon cream cake).

I’m getting hungry. For all the details go here.

Restaurant Week in Somers Point will soon be here. The kick-off event, open to the public, will take place on Sunday, October 30, from 4-6 pm at Sandi Pointe Coastal Bistro, 908 Shore Road, Somers Point, and promises to be an interactive, multifaceted event.

The Kick-off affair will offer the public several fun-filled happenings that focus on the social aspect of dining, including celebrity bartenders, a cooking demonstration from Latz’s By the Bay, a dessert tasting and a professional bartenders’ competition where your local mixologists vie for the best cocktail.

In addition, for a visual tasting, Great Bay Gallery will present the opening of The Flavors of Fall, a group exhibit of 15 artists interpreting the theme through a variety of media. The exhibit will continue at Great Bay Gallery, 829 Bay Avenue, Somers Point through November 19; hours Wed. –Sat. 1-5 pm. Contact 653-4991; greatbayartgallery.com.

In keeping with the spirit of the harvest season, attendees may make a free-will donation to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey- Southern Branch, which includes Atlantic and Cape May Counties.

Sponsored by the Somers Point Business Association, Restaurant Week, back after its inaugural year, will take place from November 4 to November 13 at ten participating restaurants throughout the city. The fixed price dinners and lunches. For a list of participating restaurants and menus go to somerspointba.org

The Kick-off event is free and open to the public. For further information call 809-920-7004.

The idea of having a restaurant week and other food and wine events has been extremely popular in the region and there are more events on the horizon.

The Somers Point Business Association is seeking restaurants to participate in their 2nd annual restaurant week promotion.  This marketing initiative will be held citywide from Nov. 4-13. Interested restaurants should contact the Somers Point Business Association at 920-7004, or they can email them at secretaryspba@aol.com

In Mays Landing, the Mays Landing Merchants Association will sponsor the 1st Waterfront Wine & Food Festival to take place at Lenape Park in Mays Landing. Festival attendees can take advantage of the warm autumnal weather to sample award-winning wines from New Jersey, listen to live music, stroll through crafters and taste signature offerings from local restaurants. The dates are Saturday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 23, noon-5pm each day. The price is $20 for one day and $30 for two days. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.WaterfrontWineFestival.net — $17 for one day and $25 for two days.

The Somers Point Business Association is seeking restaurants to participate in the organization’s inaugural restaurant week.

This marketing initiative will be held citywide during the week of Oct. 18-24. Interested restaurants should contact the Somers Point Business Association at (609) 653-4586, or they can e-mail them to: secretaryspba@aol.com.