It all started with me signing up for a food writing class in January. Every Thursday night, I'd run to the Cambridge Center for Adult Education and spend 2 hours talking, reading, and writing about food. The class description in the catalog should have come with a warning, "Do not take on an empty stomach." But I had to rush to class straight from work and salivate through pages of roasts and pastries. When the class was over and it was time to eat rather than write, it was too late to make dinner – at least that was my excuse for trying a new restaurant each Thursday.

I never realized how much fun it was to go out on a weekday night. The restaurants were quieter, the service was better, and many chefs offered prix-fixe or tasting menus. Jason and I got so addicted to weekday dining, that we kept the tradition even after the class was over. I have lots of restaurant news to report. As always, our favorites are marked with a star (*).

*Ten Tables in Jamaica Plain

*O'Cantinho in Cambridge

Casa de Pedro in Watertown

Za in Arlington

Elephant Walk in Cambridge

Strip-T's in Watertown