It's the most wonderful time(s) of the year...

The holidays may be over; the wrapping paper and champagne bottles pushed aside and room made for Valentine's Day candies and flowers, but that doesn't mean that the excitement has to end.

In fact, for foodies like us, this week is the beginning of the Food New Year - it is Restaurant Week 2007: January Edition.

For those unfamiliar with the concept: Restaurants across the DC area offer an appetizer, an entrée, and a desert from their menu for a fixed price. $20.07 for lunch and $30.07 for dinner. For restaurants where you'd end up spending that much on one dish, it's a bargain. Not every restaurant in DC does this. Notables such as Citronelle, Maestro and Restaurant Eve don't participate, perhaps because their business/reputation is so strong, that they don't need the extra customers.

Last Summer Jill and I made our first venture into Restaurant Week, eating at Butterfield 9, Kaz Sushi Bistro, and Zola. To recap: Butterfield was a bust, Kaz didn't disappoint, but didn't blow us away, and Zola found its way into our top three dining experiences list.

This year, I'll be eating at 100 King (http://www.100king.com/rest_week.html) in Old Town Alexandria on Wednesday afternoon, and at Georgia Brown's (http://www.gbrowns.com/dir/restweek.aspx) on Thursday night.

I honestly have no expectations from 100 King. It's a pretty restaurant in probably the most beautiful area inside the beltway - it's a craps shoot, and I've got my fingers crossed.

Georgia Brown's however is another story. Supposedly the cream of the southern cooking crop, will GB's live up to expectations like Zola, or fall horribly short like BF9?

Only time and the food will tell.