When the Louisiana Restaurant Association’s “We Live To Eat” campaign touts that “in New Orleans, we live to eat; it’s part of who we are,” very few, native or not, would argue. So when they put on their annual New Orleans Restaurant Week, very few excuses are generated for trying out a new eatery in town, every single day (and night), for an entire week.

But the week-long feeding frenzy, taking place this year from September 9 through September 15, is not necessarily geared toward attracting more tourists to indulge in the Crescent City’s vast array of eclectic restaurants. Instead, the “We Live To Eat” (WLTE) program is actually focused on encouraging locals to take some time out of busy work schedules and enjoy some New Orleans cuisine that may have missed the radar, or have been placed on the back burner. And as if supporting local businesses was not enough incentive to check out the WLTE Restaurant Week, proceeds from the event will benefit local charities.

Nearly 50 New Orleans restaurants, from Antoine’s and Apolline to Kingfish and Upperline, are participating in WLTE Restaurant Week 2013 next week. Each participating diner will offer two-course lunches for under $20 each and three-course dinners for under $35 each, daily for the week. The idea is to make dining out and living it up affordable for fellow New Orleanians – at least for one week, before fall festival season gets underway.

Event organizers at the Louisiana Restaurant Association strongly urge restaurant-goers next week to make reservations early, as the participating restaurants fill up fast from September 9  – 15. For the complete list of participating WLTE 2013 restaurants, visit the Restaurant Week page of the WLTE website here.  Or, download their “We Live To Eat” mobile phone app.

More Info: www.welivetoeatnola.com