Attention hungry Angelenos!  Restaurant Week is back and it's time to get out there and try some of the city's most interesting restaurants at recession-friendly prices. The fact that dineLA Restaurant Week actually runs for two weeks, only makes us love it more. Here's what you need to know:



When / What

Snag major dining deals at more than 200 area restaurants from Long Beach to the San Fernando Valley from:

*January 24 - 29
*January 31 - February 5



The Restaurants

What's exciting about this incarnation of the event is the number of big-name first-time participants like Il Grano, Eva, Cecconi's, Joe's Restaurant, Jar, Ortolan and the just-opened Lazy Ox Canteen in addition to beloved return participants like The Bazaar, Spago, Grace, The Foundry, Akasha, Bashan, BLT Steak, Border Grill, Caché, Campanile, Café Pinot, Craft, FIG, Ford's Filling Station, Josie, Palate Food + Wine, Taste, The Bazaar, Water Grill, and XIV.

Check out dineLA for a full list of participating restaurants, restaurant trends for 2010, sushi joints you've never heard of, bike-friendly dining, cocktail mix masters, and more. Another fun feature of their site is a newly conceived family tree of L.A. chefs that shows you where some of the biggest names around town have worked, and with whom.



The Price Fix

Restaurants fall into one of three price categories:

*Deluxe Dining: Lunch is $16 and Dinner is $26
*Premier Dining: Lunch is $22 and Dinner is $34
*Fine Dining: Lunch is $28 and Dinner is $44



Have A Plan

Explore different neighborhoods and a variety of cuisines. Start your search with the Fine Dining category since those tend to be the most intriguing. And though the bargain meals aren't cheap, they'll save you the most money and let you try places you've only drooled about in dreamland.

There are also some fantastic restaurants in the Premier Dining category. For instance, we'd take Akasha (Premier) over Asia de Cuba (Fine) or Wilshire (Premier) over The Lobster (Fine) any day, so check the list carefully and strategize.

TIP: View the menus on the dineLA website to avoid being wooed by fancy names alone. If you're not stoked about what they're serving, move on.


Ok foodies, make your reservations quick before Restaurant Week disappears like the seasonal food you're about to devour. Bon Appetit!