“Explore! Eat! Repeat!”

By Matt Payton

No matter where you come from, I think most people can agree that the one thing we all have in common is our undeniable love for food. Whether you’re a health nut or a junk food addict, everyone has certain foods that they cannot help but crave. Seeing that this a worldwide phenomenon, the City of Los Angeles has rewarded us with our own slice of food paradise. Enter in DineLA’s Restaurant Week!!!

At least twice a year, DineLA showcases LA dining at its best by offering unbelievably discounted prices for restaurants all over the city. From July 13th until July 26th, LA residents have the amazing opportunity to frequent the best and fanciest restaurants LA has to offer, and for sometimes half the price. The restaurants range from steakhouses, to Dim Sum, to Mediterranean cuisine, to so much more.

Photo by Alan Light on Flickr

For me, between work, school, and extracurricular activities, I rarely have the time to spoil myself with the things I love. Also, being a college student who is always on an extremely tight budget, I cannot just spend my money carelessly on every little thing that comes my way. But, during the last DineLA Restaurant Week (held in February 2015), I realized that I had the opportunity to eat at places that were created by world-renowned chefs and frequented daily by some of my favorite celebrities. I had to check it out! Let me share with you my experience!

Photo by Emerson Vieira on Unsplash

I indulged in three 5-star restaurants, one of which (the amazing Fleming’s Steakhouse in Beverly Hills), I delighted in a one-of-a-kind three-course prime rib dinner. Better yet, I can still taste the magnificent Brazilian buffet at Fogo De Chao, which gave me a new understanding of what loving food really meant. And let’s not forget how I stuffed my face with delicious tacos at Gracias Madre in West Hollywood… to the point where my stomach couldn’t take in any more food for the next week and a half. The best thing about all of this is that I paid no more than $35 at each of these establishments.

Though limited in terms of time (this round of food paradise only goes until July 26th) , the choices of where to cash in on 50% off meals is limitLESS.  I am telling you; do not let this life-changing experience past you by. It will be the biggest mistake you’ll make all summer.

I’ve already planned out my next two weeks so that I have the time to go to at least a dozen top selected restaurants. After all, DineLA’s slogan is “Explore, Eat, Repeat”, and I plan to do just that for this Restaurant Week and for others to come.

Featured image by Stefan Vladimirov on Unsplash

Matthew is a junior majoring in economics, with a minor in accounting. He was born and raised in Pasadena and has lived in Southern California all of his life. Matthew hopes to be an economic consultant, investment banker, or just anything that pertains to money. He is a certified basketball referee, an avid admirer of 90’s R&B love songs, loves to write poetry, and is obsessed with anything dealing with the Walking Dead. He also has a passion for sports particularly football and basketball, loves eating Mexican food, and will go on crazy adventures to find new taco trucks.