Home > Los Angeles Restaurants > Round Up >

Dine L.A.

Two weeks of cheap local eats

By Marissa Tinloy

Special to Metromix
January 26, 2009

0 comments | Add Your Own

Email
Print View
Share
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
- Facebook
- Furl
- Google
- Reddit
- Mixx
- Mister Wong
- Yahoo Buzz
- Yahoo
Add to Favorites
Add to playlist

Never tried that restaurant? Now’s the time! Dine L.A. is hosting its annual restaurant fest Jan.25-31 and Feb. 1-6, and this year more than 150 local eateries are opening their doors (and setting their tables) with discounted prix fixe menus. The three-course meals (each with three choices per course) offer cost-saving, taste-bud-opening opportunities to experience L.A.’s finest fare at 2009’s finest prices.

Price key: ($) lunch $16, dinner $26; ($$) lunch $22, dinner $34; ($$$) lunch $28, dinner $44

Beacon

3280 Helms Ave. - Culver City

310-838-7500

THE PLACE: Beacon offers Asian-fusion tastes like you’ve never tasted before. Beets, goat cheese, pine nuts—all are essential to an impeccable menu that brings together traditional recipes and contemporary tastes. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($, dinner only) Stir-fried mushroom salad with manchego cheese, Thai-marinated chicken and passion-fruit cheesecake make this three-course dinner a must.

Border Grill

1445 4th St. - Santa Monica

310-451-1655

THE PLACE: Glitzy, hip and vegan-friendly, Border Grill is the perfect pit stop for a post-3rd Street Promenade bite. Make a reservation, as the bar and restaurant draws crowds with its far-from-traditional Mexicali grub. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($) Tortilla soup, grilled fish tacos, portabello mushroom mulitas and an irresistible Aztec chocolate cake are a few prix fixe picks from this sassy Westside eatery.

The Bungalow Club

7174 Melrose Ave. - Los Angeles

323-964-9494

THE PLACE: Never eaten a Moroccan cigar? Here’s your chance. The ever-exotic and romantic Bungalow Club (complete with private candlelit hangouts) runs the gamut on international fare and a whole world of cocktails. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($, dinner only) With Bangkok hummus to start, Cajun Alfredo to fill and chocolate truffle cake to satisfy, the Bungalow Club does it right from start to finish. Other creative choices are also available.

Chakra Cuisine

151 S. Doheny Drive - Los Angeles

310-246-3999

THE PLACE: With whimsical curtains and an airy space, Chakra exudes an ephemeral, intimate ambiance and promises modern Indian tastes to match. The food is upscale and authentic with a slight L.A. twist. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($) Try the tomato shorba (a soup with a slight spice), the masala lamb chops and, for dessert, the kala jamun (a poppyseed-crusted dumpling in mango sauce). If you’ve already got a favorite dish, the three-course menu’s options probably include it.

Daily Grill

612 S. Flower St. - Los Angeles

213-236-9252

THE PLACE: Laid-back all-American cuisine in a classy, comfortable and easy environment. The Daily Grill offers fluffy booths, sun-filled windows and an extensive menu with pasta, steak, veggies—you name it, the Grill’s got it. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($, dinner only) The trio of hummus, mahi-mahi amandine and key lime pie is one (of many) possible combos for Daily Grill’s host of delightfully cheap restaurant week eats.

e3rd Steakhouse and Lounge

734 E. 3rd Street - Los Angeles

213-680-3003

THE PLACE: An unconventional take on the most conventional of dining establishments, this steakhouse encompasses L.A. cool. With rotating work by local artists and some of the finest meat in town, E3rd beckons Downtown hipsters and late-night loungers. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($) If you’d like to venture off the beaten path, try the asparagus bacon, the spicy chicken with tangerine and the banana-tempura ice cream. Restaurant week calls for some experimenting!

Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood

1020 N. San Vicente Blvd. - West Hollywood

310-358-7788

THE PLACE: Undeniably high-end, Gordon Ramsay’s latest eatery showcases upscale gourmet food at prices that usually match—this week, not so. Reserve a table, put on those pearls, and see what’s new with a culinary great. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($$$) A few of Mr. Ramsay’s signature options: rabbit-and-smoked-bacon ballotine, Jerusalem artichoke risotto, chilled coconut tapioca. Plus, this classy affair starts off right with a steamed bamboo-and-shiitake-mushroom amuse bouche.

Gus's Barbecue

808 Fair Oaks Ave. - South Pasadena

626-779-3251

THE PLACE: When you’ve got a craving for classic barbecue, Gus’s is a go-to spot. Around since 1946, this barbecue joint has the traditional tastes to handle that down-home hankering. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($) Cast-iron cornbread, Carolina-style pulled pork sandwich and red-velvet cake—need we say more? Well, OK. Also on the restaurant week menu are the tempting shredded onion strings and Gus’s famous burger (with one side dish included).

Katsuya Brentwood

11777 San Vicente Blvd. - Los Angeles

310-207-8744

THE PLACE: Not your run-of-the-mill sushi spot, Katsuya Brentwood (along with participating sister locations in Hollywood and Glendale) offers a sleek, live atmosphere and tasty Japanese-fusion fare, plus a roster of inventive cocktails. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($$) For dinner, it’s a tough call between the miso-marinated cod and the salmon cedar with tomato salsa. Nibble on the rock-shrimp tempura, the albacore onion and the strawberry-mochi panna cotta.

Luna Park

672 S. La Brea Ave. - Los Angeles

323-934-2110

THE PLACE: With a glowing ambiance and faraway charm, Luna Park is the perfect escape from its bustling La Brea neighborhood. The food is tasty and, fitting with its decor, covers quite a range of international fare. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($) Give the goat cheese fondue, the grilled salmon and the make-your-own s’mores a try—sophistication with a sense of humor! The prix fixe menu also includes such specialties as marinated tuna poke and vegan bean cassoulet.

Rock'n Fish

800 South Olympic Blvd., Suite A-160 - Los Angeles

THE PLACE: Found in Downtown’s new L.A. Live complex, Rock’n Fish brings the Manhattan Beach seaside classic to the big city. Thriving with an Asian-themed menu of steak and seafood, this hip restaurant is at once laid-back and a spot to be seen. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($$, dinner only) Go classic with New England-style clam chowder, Kapalua rib-eye and crème brulee. With these decadent and inventive flavors, you can't go wrong.

Royal/T

8910 Washington Blvd. - Culver City

310-559-6300

THE PLACE: Bringing L.A.’s first cosplay cafe to the restaurant scene, this decadent pink teahouse in Culver City fuses theater, shopping and dining in one glittering swoop. A fusion of French, Japanese and California cuisine, Royal/T is big on desserts and (no surprise) afternoon tea. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($) The spinach-mushroom mini-quiche, spicy tuna tartare and assortment of tasty pastries show Royal/T brings more than quirkiness to the table.

Wolfgang Puck Bistro

630 W. 6th St. - Los Angeles

213-614-1900

THE PLACE: Cooking with fresh, organic ingredients, this semi-casual locale offers the renowned chef’s tastes in a bistro-style experience. The Downtown location makes it a great destination for an after-work unwind (and fill-up) with all of Puck’s usual tasty choices. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($) Start with a salad or the stir-fried chicken, move on to the teriyaki-glazed salmon, and seal the deal with a warm Belgian chocolate brownie.

Green Street Restaurant

146 Shoppers Ln. - Pasadena

626-577-7170

THE PLACE: Family-run and family-friendly, Green Street is irresistibly cozy. A neighborhood favorite since 1979, the simple, sunny, cafe-style spot serves California comfort food with a daily dash of good old-fashioned cheer. THE DINE LA DEAL: ($, dinner only) Home-style from start to finish. Sip on a cup of warm soup, dig into roast chicken and garlic smashed potatoes, and finish strong with a slice of berry cobbler that tastes just like grandma’s.

Angeli Caffe

7274 Melrose Ave. - Los Angeles

323-936-9086

THE PLACE: Glowing with the friendly warmth of a rustic Italian kitchen, Angeli is at once deliciously foreign and comfortingly Californian. The food is simple, fresh and well-prepared, and owner Evan Kleiman also hosts KCRW's "Good Food." Now that’s a good sign. THE DINE L.A. DEAL: ($) Try the eggplant croquettes, the butternut-squash-and-fontina lasagna and the rosemary-garlic-lemon roast chicken. Don’t miss the flourless chocolate cake—it’s sinfully delicious without the guilt (or the bill).