CITYWIDE — If you've ever wanted to sample some of the finest food Santa Monica's award-winning restaurants have to offer but have been a little light in the wallet, now's your chance.
Starting Monday a number of local eateries will be offering specially priced menus for both lunch and dinner, starting at $15 and $25 respectively.
It's all part of dineLA's Restaurant Week, a twice-a-year program put on by the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board to expose both visitors and natives to the globally influenced culinary offerings throughout the greater L.A. area.
For the first time in the program's six-year history, some restaurants, including Santa Monica's Melisse, recipient of two Michelin stars, will be offering $85 experiential tasting menus for those looking to elevate their dining experience.

"As the dining scene in Los Angeles evolves, so does dineLA's Restaurant Week," said dineLA Director Stacey Sun. "We wanted to add an experiential layer to the program, offering intrepid diners a curated experience that celebrates what makes dining in Los Angeles so unique. We are thrilled to have such high caliber restaurants on board to offer a new way to dineLA."
For a chance to savor Los Angeles' cuisine all year long, diners can enter "dineLA for a Year." Food lovers who sign up for the dineLA newsletter are automatically entered to win the ultimate prize — a restaurant gift certificate every week for one year. The 52-week prize is valued at $2,600.
For a list of Santa Monica restaurants participating, visit the Santa Monica Convention & Visitors Bureau website at www.santamonica.com/where-to-eat/dinela/
To book a reservation for dineLA's Restaurant Week visit www.discoverlosangeles.com/dineLA and choose from over 300 restaurants.
dineLA Restaurant Week runs Jan. 20-31.
kevinh@www.smdp.com