Dinela Restaurant Week Is Scheduled For January/february '08

LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau (LA INC.), partners with American Express and an esteemed group of LA restaurant industry leaders to announce dineLA, a dynamic program dedicated to showcasing Los Angeles as a world-class dining destination and promoting the region's multi-cultural culinary scene to locals and visitors.

The dineLA.com Website will offer a comprehensive online restaurant guide available to locals and visitors featuring over 2,000 restaurants. When launched in January, this vibrant online community will also feature restaurant-focused editorial content written by well-known local food writers, chef and industry profiles, and an extensive food and wine events calendar.

"dineLA creates a one-stop-shop for people looking for a better understanding of the extraordinary variety of LA's dining options." said Mark Liberman, President and CEO of LA INC. "We are thrilled to be in partnership with American Express and the local restaurant community to continue to bring them the attention and recognition that they deserve."

"Besides a rich and abundant choice of dining opportunities, LA also has a vast selection of local farmers markets, fine food purveyors, wine stores, cheese shops, wine bars and chocolatiers that add to this outstanding food culture," said legendary master chef and founder of The Patina Restaurant Group, Joachim Splichal. "dineLA will bring greater awareness and understanding of all of LA's culinary and dining opportunities as a world-class culinary destination."

The first event to be launched by dineLA is dineLA Restaurant Week which will take place over two consecutive weeks: January 27 - February 1, 2008 and February 3 - February 8, 2008. dineLA Restaurant Week will allow local foodies and visitors to LA the opportunity to indulge in a selection of specially priced three-course menus from a wide variety of LA's best restaurants.

"American Express is proud to partner with LA INC. and the restaurant community in Los Angeles to launch dineLA Restaurant Week. This is a great opportunity to build excitement and
awareness of the many choices the Los Angeles restaurant industry has to offer both locals and
visitors," said Tom Mullen, vice president market development, Los Angeles, American Express Merchant Services. "We are pleased to find new and unique ways to support this industry and encourage our Cardmembers to dineLA not only during restaurant week, but throughout the year."

Dining experiences during dineLA Restaurant Week are available in two categories: Deluxe Dining is $15 for lunch and $25 for dinner; and Premier Dining is $22 for lunch and $34 for dinner (beverages, tax and gratuity are not included), providing guests the opportunity to experience many different types of cuisine, dining neighborhoods and restaurants during the event.

"dineLA Restaurant Week is LA's most anticipated restaurant event," said celebrated chef/owner Neal Fraser of GRACE and BLD restaurants. "I'm thrilled to be a part of such a thriving culinary community that offers a wide variety of world-class dining opportunities."

Uniting restaurants from the traditional to the ultra trendy, dineLA Restaurant Week will promote the extraordinary diversity and culinary expertise found throughout the many neighborhoods in the county of Los Angeles Many restaurants have already committed to be a part of dineLA Restaurant Week, and new ones are joining the event on a daily basis. A sampling of the participating restaurants include: (*restaurants are subject to change)


Angeli Caffe
Barn Burner
BLD
Bistrotek
Border Grill
Caf� Pinot
Camacho's Cantina
Ciudad
eat. on sunset
El Cholo Pasa