Healthy choices for Restaurant Week

Besides helping to host last week’s Resort at Pelican Hill gala for Newport Beach Restaurant Week, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian is using its first-time sponsorship of the weeklong culinary showcase to spread the word about healthy dining.

Newport Beach Restaurant Week kicks off Friday and out of the 70-plus participating restaurants, many of them are offering special “heart healthy” meals to mark Hoag’s Heart Month. Although February is the official month for Hoag’s heart health awareness campaign, Restaurant Week was chosen as a launch event to give patrons a heads up on the monthlong campaign.

“We’re very excited to establish a closer relationship with Hoag,” said Peggy Fort, director of Newport Beach Restaurant Week. “It’s about making suggestions … and making healthier choices.”

February is recognized nationally as American Heart Month. In February, visitors will see a customized menu of 21 “heart healthy” restaurants in Orange County, which will feature options such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and grilled proteins, instead of fried. Out of the 21 listed restaurants, 19 are in Newport Beach and many of those are celebrating the month early, with a health-conscious menu during Restaurant Week.

Restaurants such as Tradition by Pascal and the Newport Landing Restaurant and Oyster Bar are offering healthy prix fixe menus in honor of Hoag’s partnership. Newport Landing’s healthy option features grilled salmon, steamed spinach, jasmine rice and sorbet.

“It’s a dynamic program and we hope more restaurants continue to participate,” said Debra Legan, vice president of marketing and corporate communications at Hoag.

Every year in February Hoag undertakes community outreach by informing the public on how to have a healthier lifestyle and a healthy heart, Legan said.

This year, Hoag officials felt that Restaurant Week was the ideal time to present Newport diners with the healthy dining opportunities they have in their own town, she said.

Diners at the participating “heart healthy” restaurants will also receive a take-home handout with their check, which includes ideas for heart-healthy substitutes and seven simple steps for reducing the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

Newport Beach Restaurant Week is urging patrons to use their “Bounce Back” reward card when visiting the 21 “heart healthy” restaurants. The “Bounce Back” card gives Restaurant Week diners 20% off a meal at participating restaurants from Jan. 28 to Mar. 13.

For more information about the program, visit hoagheartmonth.org.

When: Jan. 21 to 28

Where: See a list of participating restaurants at newportbeachdining.com.