Whee! There are so many fun food things coming up.

The Chinese Cultural Center got its act together this year and is having a New Year Banquet (Jan 26 - April 30). They have brought chefs from the Expo Garden Hotel in the Yunnan Province. It’s the standard 9-course meal, but they have raised the prices quite a bit. It’s $48 (before tip) for weekends! I wonder if they have also acquired more comfortable chairs.

Meanwhile, it is almost Center City Restaurant Weekagain - January 25-30, with some continuing on through February 1-6. If I’m going to do Chinese New Year, then I’ll not be able to go out for more than one night. Well, here’s my short list of places I want to try:

• Alfa - 1709 Walnut Street - Jan only (special menu)
• Bridget Foy’s - 200 South Street - Jan & Feb (special menu)
• Cuba Libre - 10 South 2nd Street - Jan & Feb (special menu)
• Downey’s Restaurant - 526 South Front Street - Jan only (special menu)
• LaCroix - 210 Rittenhouse Square - Jan only (special menu)
• Mantra - 122 South 18th Street - Jan only (special menu)
• Seafood Unlimited - 270 South 20th Street - Jan only (special menu)
• Time - 1315 Sansom Street - Jan only (special menu)

And I am discussing with a friend cooking up a dinner party for charity.