When Pine Grove Hall Sous Chef Brittany Pereda first moved to State College, she worked at the now-closed (and much missed) Spat’s Cafe. For Restaurant Week this year, she was inspired by a dish that was on the menu for another much missed downtown spot.

“We had a duck wrap for the Rathskeller,” she said. “It had this great sauce, with the duck and peppers and onions all in a wrap with melty manchego cheese. It was so messy, as all good sandwiches are.”

For Restaurant Week, her Duck Toast plays on that flavor combo with homemade grilled, a red pepper rouille sauce, smoked and chilled duck breast, pickled onions and bell peppers, manchego cheese shaved on top and local herbs and flowers with some chili oil. 

“This is reminiscent of the old New Orleans Cajun Creole vibe,” she said. She suggests pairing it with The O.G. 1888, a classic martini on the wide-ranging cocktail menu for “that classic flavor.”

ANd while the dish, like the restaurant, focuses on seasonal and local ingredients, Brittany also brings her own inspiration to Restaurant Week creations. “Anyone who knows me knows I like to showcase Pride month and all the colors of the rainbow.”