ROSSFORD Mayor Neil MacKinnon III and family started Restaurant Week a day early, on Sunday.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t wait, it was because they were celebrating MacKinnon's birthday, which was Monday. In the group were the mayor’s girlfriend Debbie Bobosky, his son Neil MacKinnon IV and his mom, Elaine MacKinnon.

The restaurant was full of regulars, many who enjoy Sunday evenings at Cousino’s.

Meanwhile Eileen Cousino and staff were also getting ready for Restaurant Week. A special menu is on the slate and will run through this Sunday. Cousino's Restaurant Week menu includes French onion soup, Caesar salad, steak, lake perch, chicken marsala, chicken parmesan, cheesecake, and bread pudding.

CHATTER still was about the wonderful Mardi Gras dinner at Cousino’s, prepared by Chef Jerry Griswald who came back to work with the Cousino's team for the Gumbo's Bayou Grille Mardi Gras wine tasting. 

Mmm ... Voodoo salad with pecans, mandarin oranges, red onion and chicken paired with a wine from South Africa; shrimp etouffee paired with a wine from Argentina; andouille gumbo paired with a wine from France; a black and blue po’ boy paired with a French wine; and jambalaya paired with a wine from Spain.

ATTENDING Restaurant Week on the first day, Monday, were a group of PNC folks at the Blarney.

MMM. The special menu included mozzarella wedges, Reuben egg rolls, Cuban sandwiches, chicken wraps, a Jiggs Dinner, and chicken parmesan over noodles.

Restaurant Week Toledo presented by Libbey provides delicious food at special prices from 44 locally-owned restaurants across the Glass City while supporting the restaurants and Leadership Toledo.

Seen were Kevin O’Brien, Sarah Metzger, Amanda Goldsmith (Leadership Toledo class of 2025), Reggie Bradley (Leadership Toledo Alum), Barb Nichols, and Rob Thomas (Leadership Toledo alum).

They can't get to them all but they're planning on going to other establishments this week, too.

MANY folks attended the kickoff party presented by Destination Toledo which was Feb. 20 at the Secor Building on Jefferson Ave. in downtown Toledo.

It was a sold out event with more than 400 party-goers who paid $60 each to attend. Keeping things going was the honorable Judge James Knepp (an alum of Leadership Toledo) who served as the DJ for the evening. Tasty dishes featured small bites from more than a dozen locally-owned restaurants, and a variety of beer and wines. Guests received a take home special edition wine glass courtesy of Libbey and many won Toledo-centric raffle items.

RESTAURANT Week Toledo presented by Libbey provides delicious food at special prices from 44 locally-owned restaurants across the Glass City while supporting the restaurants and Leadership Toledo.

Dine now through Sunday and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Leadership Toledo's programs to cultivate and empower young aspiring leaders.

View restaurant menus at restaurantweektoledo.com.

If you participate in the RWT mobile passport presented by Destination Toledo, available at restaurants, you have a chance to win up to $250 in gift cards.

There's also a photo contest. Take a photo of your meal and a few guests. To enter: visit a participating restaurant through Sunday. Share on social media using #rwt2025 and tag @restaurantweektoledo on Facebook or Instagram. Three winners will be chosen at the end of the week to receive $100 in restaurant gift cards.

A shout out goes to the sponsors: Libbey, Destination Toledo, Buckeye Broadband, Directions Credit Union. Burkett Restaurant Equipment and Supplies, Thread Connected Marketing, North Star Blue Scope, The Andersons, KeyBank, Savage, Metzgers, 13 ABC, Front Marketing, Lamar, iHeart Media, Nationwide Children's Toledo, and Jupmode.

Also sponsoring are Bowling Green State University, KWIK Park, Toledo.com., International Tableware Inc, and the Toledo Lucas County Port Authority.

First Published February 27, 2025, 11:00 a.m.