What You're Eating: Best Places For dineLA Restaurant Week (Winter 2016)

When it comes to January in Los Angeles, there is only one thing bigger and better than award season here in Tinsel Town. The locals fondly refer to it as: dineL.A. That's right, it's time to place those new year's resolutions on the back burner, loosen that designer belt, and go A.W.O.L. from your personal trainer because this is your big opportunity to try something new, delicious and something amazing at restaurants around the city! Find out for once what it's like to dine like a nominated celeb on a college student's budget.
 
So what are the best spots to visit for this year's 14-day (yes, 14!) culinary extravaganza? Well for starters you have the chance to sample special menus prepared by the finest chefs in Los Angeles. Beginning January 18 to January 31, 2016, foodies of Los Angeles have the opportunity to wine and dine while enjoying a special prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus at a fraction of the normal cost. And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, American Airlines is proudly sponsoring 2016 Winter dineL.A.'s Dine.Snap.Win. Instagram contest. Snap a photo of your dineL.A. dish, hashtag it #dineLA, and include the restaurant name to enter. One winner will receive 250,000American Airlines AAdvantage® miles.

Dates
January 18 - 31, 2016

Abigaile
1301 Manhattan Ave
Hermosa Beach, CA
(310) 798-8227
www.abigailerestaurant.com

Once a church, an artist's gallery, and gathering place for punk bands and wanderlusts, Abigaile in Hermosa Beach offers what they consider "a global approach to cuisine paired with an eclectic design reflecting the history and culture of the space." Offering up a four-course dinner true to their roots, in addition to a starter of pao de quiejo and an AB Snickers Bar for dessert, guests can choose from signature dishes including: salmon club, P.I.G. "Pop Tarts" and braised lamb belly poutine.

Café Pinot
700 W 5th St
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 239-6500
www.patinagroup.com

Adjacent to the LA Public Library and McGuire Gardens in downtown, Café Pinot offers "elevated California French cuisine" by Executive Chef Megan Logan. Lunch highlights include: Atlantic salmon with toasted Israeli couscous; and duck leg confit with creamy polenta, grilled apples, and celery root slaw. Dinner highlights include: burrata salad with roasted bell peppers; pacific red snapper poached in olive oil with leek fondue and green olives; and cranberry orange cheesecake. Lunch for two courses is $20 person and dinner for three courses is $39 per person.

Catch
Hotel Casa Del Mar
1910 Ocean Way
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 581-5533
www.hotelcasadelmar.com

At the go-to Santa Monica California seafood restaurant featuring fresh fish daily, Executive Chef Alberico Nunziata is offering a three-course dine LA lunch and dinner menu. Lunch includes pumpkin soup with wild mushrooms, and truffle crostini; and cioppino, seafood soup with roasted garlic ciabatta. Dinner features lobster cake with saffron aioli and watercress salad; Morro Bay black cod with sautéed kale, Himeji mushrooms, and yellow tomato coulis; and Sicilian pistachio cake with strawberries, amaretto, and honey gelato. Lunch menu is $25 per person and dinner is $49 per person.

Cleo
1717 Vine St
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(310) 910-9990
www.theredbury.com

Curated by award-winning Chef Danny Elmaleh, Cleo's dineLA menu will feature a wide variety of mezzes served family style, choice of specialty salad, entree, and dessert. Highlights include shishito peppers prepared in Cleo's signature wood-burning oven; chicken tagine with preserved lemon, almonds, olives, roasted tomatoes and saffron rice; daurade & roasted carrots with spiced carrot puree and brown butter sauce; couscous with seven vegetable soup and more in Cleo's vibrant and welcoming atmosphere. Dinner is $39 per person.

Día de Campo
1238 Hermosa Ave
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(310) 379-1829
www.diadecampohb.com

A modern surf lodge, of sorts, Día de Campo in Hermosa Beach caters to those who want to disconnect, leave the day behind and gather with friends and strangers over flavorful food and drinks. The Baja surf lodge-inspired eatery with reimagined Mexican specialties will feature the following dishes for dineLA: plancha pork belly with smoked yogurt, roasted beets, nopal, crispy okra, chicharron; salmon tostada with avocado, jicama, pickled jalapeno, grapefruit, roe; and chocolate duck quesadilla with Oaxacan cheese, salsa negra and tamarind.

Estrella
8800 Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 652-6613
www.estrellasunset.com

Set within a boho chic setting in West Hollywood and complete with an expansive outdoor dining patio in the heart of the Sunset Strip, Estrella will be participating in dineLA for the first time. The restaurant opened this past fall to rave reviews and will be offering lunch for $20 with the option to add on dessert for an additional $6. This is the perfect chance to experience a taste of what the restaurant has to offer with highlights including the Peking-duck sweet potato croquette; grilled skirt steak and a bittersweet chocolate caramel bar.

Faith & Flower
705 W 9th St
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 239-0642
www.faithandflowerla.com

Located in Downtown Los Angeles and featuring impressive design elements, such as a wall mural by noted L.A. artist Robert Vargas and a stunning gold chandelier, Faith & Flower "pays homage to the two major renaissance periods – the 1920's and modern day." To celebrate dineLA, Faith & Flower will be featuring a variety of stand-out dishes, including items like plancha seared petrale sole, bacon wrapped pork tenderloin and a hazelnut chocolate feuilletine for dessert, which is to die for. Diners will enjoy lunch for $25 & dinner for $49.

Hinoki & The Bird
10 W Century Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 552-1200
www.hinokiandthebird.com

Participating in dineLA for the first time and a Los Angeles staple among celebrities and industry heavyweights, Hinoki & The Bird will be participating in dineLA's Exclusive Series for $105. Hinoki & The Bird's menu will transport guests to far-flung locales. Menu highlights include Local Albacore with winter citrus and avocado textures, Smoked Short Rib with caramelized sunchokes and winter truffle jus and Santa Barbara uni with buckwheat soba and lemon confit.

Kendall's Brasserie and Bar
135 N Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 972-7322
www.kendallsbrasserie.com

Find classic French brasserie fare in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, with comforting selections by Executive Chef Jean Pierre Bosc. Menu highlights include: Brasserie salad with mixed greens, Belgian endive, dried fruits, nuts, St. Agur blue cheese and hazelnut dressing; croque monsieur with ham and Swiss cheese and pommes frites maison; and slow-cooked salmon with savoy cabbage embeurré, and oven dried tomato fresh herb marinière. Lunch is $20 per person for a two-course menu.

Nick + Stef's Steakhouse
330 S Hope St
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 680-0330
www.nickandstefs.com

Executive Chef Andreas Roller offers an inventive selection of modern steakhouse cuisine. Lunch highlights include: organic quinoa salad with persimmons, almond, baby kale, brussels sprouts, and black currant-red wine vinaigrette; and a grilled hanger steak with pommes puree, creamed spinach, and sauce au poivre. Dinner highlights include: pan-seared barramundi with brown butter kale, spicy yellow tomato jam, and sauce vierge; and a grilled half Jidori chicken with a contrast of organic Wiesser Farms carrots and natural jus. The lunch menu is $25 for two courses and the dinner menu is $29 for three.

Plan Check Kitchen + Bar
1800 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 444-1411
www.plancheck.com

Plan Check's Chef Ernesto Uchimura debuts new and exclusive dishes for dineL.A. with three-course prix-fixe lunch ($25*) and dinner ($39*) menu options enhanced with truffles, cured foie gras, and extra helpings of bacon. In addition to a complimentary mixed pickle plate, Plan Check's dineL.A. offerings include: bacon PCB (Plan Check Burger); truffle fried chicken; miso glazed salmon; butternut squash soup; Beast Fries; fried cream puffs and a root beer float.

Ray's and Stark Bar
5905 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 857-6180
www.rayandstarkbar.com

Food is truly an art at Ray's and Stark Bar, located within the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where newly appointed Executive Chef Fernando Darin offers a fresh, delightful menu featuring Modern American cuisine with global cultural influence. Highlights include: scallop crudo with baby artichoke and oro blanco grapefruit; braised beef cheeks with crispy salsify and sauce verte; and pistachio sponge cake with passion fruit curd and coconut ice cream. This three course dinner menu is available for $29 per person.

ROKU Sunset
9201 Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 278-2060
www.innovativedining.com

Don't walk to ROKU on Sunset. Instead, run to it and dine on Corporate Executive Chef Tyson Wong's special dineL.A. menu featuring specialties from IDG's new flagship concept and teppanyaki restaurant. Guests will have the opportunity to try the executive bento box with shrimp and vegetable tempura, baked miso cod, chicken yakitori, green salad, rice, and miso soup; ahi tuna tacos with crispy seaweed shell; and wood oven roasted kabocha and butternut squash with sesame chili paste. The lunch menu is $25 per person and $39 for dinner.

TART
115 S Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 556-2608
www.tartrestaurant.com

For the ultimate pairing menu and a pint of love TART restaurant has brewed up the perfect match with a bespoke four-course meal that couples delicious new dishes with craft beers that diners will fall in love with, all for $39 per person. Beer lovers across Los Angeles who indulge in this menu during dineL.A. automatically become "TART Beerliever" members and will be provided with a special token to receive a free beer next time they dine at Tart. Also, those who snap, share and tag a pic to Tart's social pages will automatically be entered for a chance to win a two-night stay at the Farmer's Daughter Hotel.

Viviane
9400 W Olympic Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 407-7791
www.vivianerestaurant.com

Do not miss out on the chance to experience dining at this "hidden gem" designed by Kelly Wearstler which "evokes the feel of a mid-century modern setting by way of Palm Springs." Executive Chef Michael Hung has curated a dineLA menu featuring highlights such as prime ribeye sandwich with savoy cabbage slaw and horseradish crème fraiche at lunch; and crispy duck leg confit with braised lacinato kale, pinot noir jus, and chestnut honey for dinner.

Melisse
1104 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-0881
www.melisse.com

Owner and Executive Chef Josiah Citrin of the 16-year old two Michelin-star Santa Monica restaurant will be participating in dineLA's Exclusive Series with a fine dining five-course menu for $95. Highlights include Santa Barbara Ridgeback prawns with turnip, mustard, and pea tendril broth; caramelized Chatham Bay cod with salsify, white mushrooms, and chestnut emulsion; and lamb shank ravioli with braised shelling beans, charred onion, and rosemary scented lamb jus.

Nicole Standley a.k.a. JetSet Mom, is a social influencer + lifestylist covering luxury travel, fine-dining, fashion & pop culture for The JetSet Family. Follow her latest travels and escapades on Instagram, Google+ and Twitter.