Ever wanted to try places like Dakota and Katsuya but shied away from all those “$$$$” listed on their Gayot descriptions? Yeah, me, too. Fortunately dineLA’s restaurant week(s) is making it affordable for cheapskates like us to enjoy a swank meal out at such high-end restaurants.
From January 27 to February 1 and from February 3 to February 8, a bunch of Los Angeles restaurants — from Downtown to the beach cities — will be offering prixe-fixe meals for just $15-$22 (lunch) and $25-34 (dinner). But hurry and make your reservations now before your favorites get booked up. Either do it through OpenTable.com or call up the restaurant. (FYI, some restaurants require a minimum number of diners for reservations. Shelley and I tried to make reservations at Bistrotek but were told they only accepted reservations for parties of 6 or more. Boo.)
BTW, who were the folks interested in the dessert platter at Simon LA? I was thinking about going there for their $34 dinner…and then trying the dessert platter, too. Anyone game?
Some of my fave Meal Deals:
Circa 55 Restaurant – $34 dinner
Appetizers
- Choice 1 – Pan Seared Foie Gras and Scallop with Chive Puree and Black Pepper Foam
- Choice 2 – Winter Squash Risotto with Sage and Truffle Oil
- Choice 3 – Spinach Salad with Dried Cranberries, Dates, Goat Cheese, Candied Pecans and Miso Vinaigrette
Entrees
- Choice 1 – Pan Seared Ahi Tuna with a Creamy Polenta, Asian Pear Relish and Lemongrass Broth
- Choice 2 – Grilled 8 Oz. New York Steak with Roasted Pepper-Blue Cheese Relish and Thyme Demi-Glace
- Choice 3 – Turkey Meatball Bucatini Pasta with Roasted Garlic, Pesto and Mozzarella
Desserts
- Choice 1 – Trio of House Made Sorbets
- Choice 2 – Journey into Chocolate
- Choice 3 – Meyer Lemon Creme Brulee
Appetizers
- Choice 1 – Arugula and Celery Root Salad with Spiced Pepita Seeds, Pomegranate, Shaved Manchego and Lemon Vinaigrette
- Choice 2 – Spinach Empanada with Pinenuts, Raisins and Cheese
- Choice 3 – Shrimp Tamale Negro – Black Corn Masa Filled with Sweet Shrimp, Peppers, Scallion and Aji Amarillo Chile Sauce
Entrees
- Choice 1 – Olive Oil Poached Artic Char served with Braised Orange and Fennel over Tacu Tacu, a Peruvian “Dirty Rice” Made with Mashed Lentils and Pan Fried Rice
- Choice 2 – Polo Ciudad – Grilled Chicken on Cuban Rice with Cilantro Sauce and Pickled Tomatoes
- Choice 3 – Carnitas – Slow Roasted Niman Ranch Pork served with Mashed Yucas, Black Beans, Fried Plantains and Grilled Corn Salsa
Desserts
- Choice 1 – Tres Leches Cake with Passion Fruit and Prickly Pear Sauces
- Choice 2 – Barcelona Chocolate Cake with Spanish Brandy
- Choice 3 – Coconut Lime Cake with Lime Curd and Toasted Coconut
Appetizers
- Choice 1 – Candy Striped Beets, Blood Oranges, Goat’s Cheese
- Choice 2 – Spicy Tuna Tartare, Tempura Eggplant
- Choice 3 – Prosciutto, Shaved Pear, St. Andre Flatbread
Entrees
- Choice 1 – Beef Tenderloin, Potato Pancakes, King Crab Bernaise
- Choice 2 – Seared Main Scallops, Butternut Squash, Blackberry Gastrique
- Choice 3 – Cornbread-Stuffed Chicken, Cranberry Marmalade
Desserts
- Choice 1 – Chocolate Molten Cake, Passion Fruit Sorbet
- Choice 2 – ‘Peanut Butter Cup’ Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Choice 3 – Sticky Toffee Pumpkin Cake, Chai Ice Cream
The Happy Ending Bar & Restaurant – $25 dinner
Appetizers
- Choice 1 – Miso Glazed Fish Tacos with Wasabi Cream and Tomato Avocado Salsa
- Choice 2 – Filet Mignon ‘Sliders’ on Pretzel Rolls with Chipotle Cream and Caramelized Onion
- Choice 3 – ‘Feel the Beet’ Salad with Gorgonzola and Wilted Spinach
Entrees
- Choice 1 – Roasted Free-Range Chicken Breast with Wild Mushroom Polenta and Honey-Lemon Sauce
- Choice 2 -Kobe Beef Burger and Garlic Fries
- Choice 3 – Penne alla Vodka with Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage
Desserts
- Choice 1 – Warm and Gooey Chocolate Cake
- Choice 2 – Crisp Banana Cheesecake ‘Bunuelos’
- Choice 3 – Platter of Freshly Made Cookies and Milk
I SO wanna be in on SimonLA dessert platter — but timing may be tricky for me (I live east of downtown, relegating me to weekend or later dinners on weeknights).
I am so set for DineLA too — Grace, Noe and Angeli Caffe and All’Angelo are my “must go” ~ with Napa Valley Grille, Beacon and Happy Ending “if it works out”.
I’d love to join for the diabetic coma, but timing will be tricky for me (live/work east of downtown, relegating me to weekend or somewhat late dinners @ the Simon).
I’ve already had my faves picked out too for DineLA: Grace, Angeli Caffe, All Angelo & Noe are must-go, and Beacon, Happy Endings and Napa Valley Grille if I get the chance.
Well, I made reservations for Monday, February 4 at 7:30. Can’t do that?
Eek, sorry for double commenting (the first one didn’t take for twenty minutes, so I thought it went to the void of cyberspace somwhere :P). Anyways, yea– couldn’t make that day (I have class afterwork on Mon., as if the first day of the workweek isn’t bad enough) but have fun and bring back lots of delicious photos, and hopefully no insulin shots.
The Happy Ending is a fun bar, but the food is not particularly good. If you’re running low on calendar space, I’d try another restaurant instead.
Really? I just tried it last night for the first time. I had their fish tacos and they were soooo good. But, on the other hand, I don’t think I’d do their prixe-fixe menu. Especially cuz that place is just too loud and hectic to enjoy a nice sit-down meal.
Well, hopefully their kitchen has improved. I went once, and my friend got the nachos, which were odd and deconstructed. They came in a plastic sectional plate that was supposed to be artsy, but looked kind of silly. The nachos themselves were okay, but again, kind of blah.
Another time I went, and my friend and I split the shrimp cocktail appetizer. It was really bad — bland, not cold, etc. To be honest, I don’t remember what we got for our entrees, but I remember we both thought they were underwhelming. I still like the place though, and I’m hopeful that the food quality has improved (it is pretty new to the scene, after all, so maybe some kitchen woes?). Still, regardless of food quality, I wouldn’t do prixe-fixe there, pretty much for the reasons you mentioned.
I’m hoping to get into Table 8. I’ve yet to go.
Where do we find list of participating restaurants? Long Beach in particular?
A. Linden,
If you go to the list and sort by region, you’ll see the restaurants under the Long Beach heading.
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