LA Restaurant Week: Jan. 24-29 & Jan. 31-Feb. 5

Restaurant Week is one of my favorite "events" of the year. Tons of LA restaurants offer 3-course lunches and dinners at a fixed price. This year, you can enjoy Restaurant Week for two full weeks! January 24-29, 2010 and January 31-February 5, 2010.

I try to use the week to visit new restaurants and return to places I love. The most popular restaurants book up quickly, so I recommend that you call for reservations soon at any place you're interested in visiting.

Click here to see the full list of participating restaurants. There's a guide for the prix fix cost at each spot. Below are the price ranges.

$        Deluxe Dining: $16 (Lunch) $26 (Dinner)
$$      Premier Dining: $22 (Lunch) $34 (Dinner)
$$$    Fine Dining: $28 (Lunch) $44 (Dinner)

I highly recommend that you consider having dinner during Restaurant Week at Piccolo in Venice. It's a small, charming Italian place that's completely off the beaten path. The food is delicious and the dining experience is excellent. Portions are not huge, but a 3-course dinner for $44 is a steal here.