We’d like to thank the Going Out Gurus for reminding us that today is the ninth annual Dining Out for Life event sponsored by Food & Friends. If you’re looking for a good excuse to enjoy a nice meal tonight, what better reason than the fact that your dollars will be going to a good cause? Participating area restaurants will be donating between 25% and 100% of their revenue today to Food & Friends, which packages and delivers meals and groceries for individuals living with HIV/AIDS and other life threatening illnesses throughout the D.C. area. Three area restaurants — The Carlyle Grand in Arlington, the newly-opened Opera on U Street, and Ristorante Tosca in Penn Quarter — will be donating 100 percent of their revenue to the worthy cause.

Other than these three establishments, DCist thinks this charitable event is a good excuse to check out BlackSalt in the Palisades, The Little Fountain Cafe in Adams Morgan, or Corduroy in the Four Points Hotel near Metro Center. Yes, DCist did note that the latter was briefly closed in February — but we were assured by Chef/Owner Tom Power that the incident was blown well out of proportion. If you do go to Corduroy, we’re told the spring rolls are divine.

Where are you planning on dining?