Dine for a Cause

As if you need a reason to eat out. But LA.com is giving you a good reason on Wed., Jan. 26 anyway: Several local restaurants and wine shops will be donating either 10% or 20% of their proceeds to tsunami relief funds.

According to the site, money will go to the LA-based relief agency, Operation USA.

Participating Los Angeles restaurants include: Ammo, Avenue, Bar Celona, Blowfish Sushi, Blue on Blue, Buddha's Belly, Chaya Brasserie, Chaya Venice, Celestino Pasadena, Elixir Tonics & Teas, Falcon, Fat Fish, GRACE, Granita, Jar, La Boheme, L'Orangerie, Luna Park, Meson G, Michael's, Minibar, Monsoon, Naya, Nook, Norman's on Sunset, O-Bar, Oceanfront at Casa del Mar, One Pico at Shutters, Pearl Dragon, Pedals at Shutters, Real Food Daily (all three locations), Sona, Spider Club, Tamarin, The Courtyard, The Little Door, Valentino, Villa Sorriso, Voda, Whist, Yi Cuisine, and Yu Restaurant & Lounge. Two wine shops will also donate a percentage of that day's sales: Moe's Fine Wines in Brentwood and Silver Lake Wines.

Sez the site: Los Angeles-based Operation USA uses 100 percent of all funds directly on relief efforts like air lifts of supplies to Jakarta, grants to NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) in India and Sri Lanka, and the rebuilding of clinics, schools and village water systems in northeast and southern Sri Lanka. In short, you know where the money is going. Which makes it that much sweeter to help them out by doing what you already do on a daily basis: eat.