It's time to put away the pots and pans and pick up the phone. Restaurant Week is coming to Madison. And, yes, the only thing you'll need to make for dinner that week are … reservations.

From Sunday through Oct. 10, 13 Madison restaurants will offer guests palate-pleasing lunch and dinner menus at special prices: $14.10 per person for lunch and $22.10 for dinner. Each of these menus will include a choice of at least two appetizers, three entrees and two desserts. Of course, customers will be allowed to select off the "regular" menu as well. 

The Madison Chamber of Commerce is the catalyst behind this week-long promotion. Chamber of Commerce member Dr. Jim Hollenbach is the Restaurant Week committee chairman. He was instrumental in bringing this event to Madison for the first time last year.   

"It's been a tradition for my mom and me to go into New York City for its annual Restaurant Week," he said.

For him, introducing this concept to Madison seemed like a natural step to take.

Both Newark and New York City host an annual Restaurant Week, as do nearby towns such as Summit and Maplewood. Chamber members looked at what the former two cities do to generate ideas for the Madison event. One small, but noticeable, tactic they adopted was to incorporate the year in the price. So for this year, the ten cents in $14.10 and $22.10 reflects 2010.

A variety of cuisines will be offered during Madison's Restaurant Week. Guests will get a chance to enjoy flavors from around the world, including Japanese-, French- and Italian-inspired fare. Restaurant Week will also give foodies a chance to try new restaurants, visit favorite spots and welcome back a returning restaurant.

Feel like sampling some Japanese cuisine? Takuma Restaurant is a place to try.  And, Takuma owner Head Chef Kazuo Otai hopes you do. He has been in the restaurant business for 32 years but at 42 Lincoln Place in Madison for less than one.

He hopes Restaurant Week will inspire new customers to come in and sample his traditional Japanese cuisine. Some of the specials he will offer during the week include sushi, shrimp and vegetable tempura and hibachi chicken with vegetables. 

Rob Ubhaus, chef/owner of side-by-side restaurants Resto and Rob's Bistro, is no stranger to Madison's Restaurant Week. He included his contemporary French restaurant Resto on the list last year and the joint was jumping.   

"We were jammed," Ubhaus said. "We sold out for seven nights and needed a full staff."

During the week last year, Ubhaus introduced the menu concept for his second Madison restaurant, Rob's Bistro, to diners. At that point, Rob's  Bistro had not  opened for business. But, by serving a sampling of "Bistro" food, he was able to create some buzz for the eventual opening of this more classic French restaurant.

This year it's Rob's Bistro's turn as a Restaurant Week selection. Specials for the week will include beef bourguignon, moules frites and herb roasted chicken.  Guests with a sweet tooth will be able to select either crepes suzette with candied orange or a nutella crepe with crème chantilly for dessert. (Customers can see a full list of the special dishes offered by visiting the website.)

Ubhaus is pleased that Madison is designating a week to celebrate its restaurants. 

"It's good for the community," he said. "If people view Madison as a restaurant town, maybe they will drive downtown when looking for a place to eat."

He thinks it's exciting to see long lines at Madison restaurants, even those that aren't at his restaurants.

"It's a good sign," he said. "The more people in town, the better."  

It won't be surprising to see long lines at Chef Loryn's Café during Restaurant Week. This week will mark Chef Loryn Dagon's return to her eponymous restaurant six months after it suffered a fire. 

It's been a long journey since Dagon's business literally went up in ashes. The fire, whose cause is still under investigation, destroyed her shop. Both the front and the back required extensive renovations that took a lot longer than she thought. The toll it's taken has been devastating. 

Her customers, throughout the process, she says, have been great.

"I can't even begin to thank my customers," Dagon said. "They rallied. They threw a fundraiser. They sent e-mails all the time asking 'When are you opening?' 'When are you opening?'"

She added, "It's great to know, that we aren't opening to the wilderness!"

While her menu for the week will change from each day, Dagon plans to bring back the popular "Pot Pie Wednesday."

Before the fire, Dagon said she was selling as many as 150 pot pies on "Pot Pie Wednesday." Dagon plans to reopen on this special day of the week either right before or during Restaurant Week. When she does, she plans to make 300 pies to feed pent up pot pie demand.

In addition to Takuma, Rob's Bistro and Chef Loryn's, the following restaurants are participating in Restaurant Week:  Soho 33, David's Rumba Cafe,  Firehouse Family Restaurant, Rocco's Tuscany Grill, 54 Main Bar & Grille, Empire Szechuan, 4 Park Avenue Trattoria (formerly Top Notch) , Poor Herbie's, Amici's and Garlic Rose Bistro. 

Reservations are recommended for Restaurant Week. Updated information can be found on the Chamber website.