Hanger steak with fries at Brasserie Jacques, part of the... — Hanger steak with fries at Brasserie Jacques, part of the French eatery’s Restaurant Week menu this year. Credit: Newsday/Scott Vogel

It was a chilly Sunday evening and we were dining at Jacques Brasserie, a wonderfully cozy French restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The meal began with a delicious salad of endive, apple slides and Roquefort cheese ($19), continued with a flavorful and not overly tough hanger steak with sauce au poivre and perfect shoestring fries ($42) and ended with a terrine of fine white and dark Valrhona chocolate accompanied by a scoop of tangy raspberry sorbet ($15). Grand total before tax: $76.

On Sundays only during NYC Restaurant Week (a misnomer as the period extends from Jan. 21 to Feb. 9), that same dinner will cost $60, not a huge savings perhaps but one that adds up, especially for larger parties. And Brasserie Jacques is just one of 583 restaurants participating in the city’s annual promotion, which promises prix fixe lunches and dinners for $30-$60 on select dates in the coming weeks. Reservations are already being accepted and are highly recommended, especially for some of the popular eateries. Which is why we are telling you about this now.

The cozy dining room at Brasserie Jacques, a French restaurant... — The cozy dining room at Brasserie Jacques, a French restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Credit: Scott Vogel

Indeed, there may be no better time to visit Gotham than the fortnight beginning Jan. 21, when an unprecedented number of establishments will be offering discounts for nearly every fun category, from restaurants to Broadway, museums to hotels as part of NYC’s Winter Outing promotion.

Besides restaurants, there’s NYC Broadway Week, in which 27 shows on the Great White Way sell two-for-one tickets. At press time, discount tickets for some of the more popular productions were already sold out (including "Maybe Happy Ending" with Darren Criss and "Romeo + Juliet" starring Kit Connor and Rachel Zegler). Tickets were still available, however, for the new musical "Redwood" with Long Island’s own Idina Menzel headlining, the revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s "Sunset Boulevard" with Nicole Scherzinger, and many more.

Also competing for your entertainment dollars during the same period is NYC Must-See Week, a catchall that includes deeply discounted tickets for performances by the New York City Ballet, tours of Yankee Stadium and trips to the Edge, the outdoor observation deck on the 100th floor at Hudson Yards.

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Don’t want to pack all the discounts into one day? Consider NYC Hotel Week. The promotion, which began Jan. 2 and continues through Feb. 9, offers 25% off stays at 141 hotels in the five boroughs, everything from the Lotte New York Palace to the Holiday Inn on the Lower East Side.

A final reminder: whatever your passion, be it theater, the arts, lodging or food, don’t delay in taking advantage of these promotions. Booking deals are available now and — in some cases at least — going quickly.

For a complete list of participating establishments, visit nyctourism.com/nyc-winter-outing.

Newsday writer and restaurant critic Scott Vogel aims for a refreshing, gimlet-eyed take on the Long Island food scene, often while drinking a refreshing gimlet.

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What to know about winter deals in NYC: Restaurant Week, Hotel Week, Broadway Week and Must-See Week