First it was New York Restaurant Week. Then Dine in Brooklyn Restaurant Week. Now, it's Chinatown's turn.

Twenty-two Chinatown restaurants are taking part in the second annual Chinatown Restaurant Week from March 16-31, offering special low-priced lunch and dinner menus that represent Shanghai, Sichuan, Cantonese and Beijing cuisines.

"This year's Restaurant Week is important," said Julie Huang, president at Kaimen Co, a New York-based consulting firm that created the event last year.

"Hurricane Sandy may have knocked out power, but participating restaurants, industry leaders and community groups are taking our power back with 2013 Chinatown Restaurant Week."

Participating restaurants in last year's Chinatown Restaurant Week reported a 12 percent to 18 percent increase in business, according to Huang, who said the special meals being offered were popular.

The owner of Lobster Boat said his restaurant saw a boost in business during last year's restaurant week, and he hopes it will happen again.

"Business has been quite slow after Hurricane Sandy," said Ren, who declined to give his full name. He said he wasn't going to be too optimistic about a surge in business during restaurant week. "Only 5 percent more is good enough," he said.

For $20.13 per person, Lobster Boat is offering soup, an appetizer, an entre and dessert.

Chan, the manager at Peking Duck House, said the restaurant wasn't affected by Hurricane Sandy too much and that business has been good.

Peking Duck House is offering a special lunch package, including duck soup and duck roll.

Ina Hwang and Min Jeon, who traveled to New York from South Korea, ate lunch at the Peking House on Wednesday and said they very much enjoyed the restaurant's specialty. "The Peking duck was very tasty," Hwang said.

Restaurants participating in the 16-day event pay Kaimen Company a participation fee of $88 for returning restaurants to $188 for restaurants who join the promotion as the first time.

haidanhu12@chinadailyusa.com