The Orlando Weekly, the City Beautiful’s favorite weekly paper, just released their annual BITE dining guide this week, coinciding with the debut of the annual Orlando Weekly Restaurant Week.

Foodies rejoice.

Though not as big as some other city Restaurant Weeks – yet – Orlando Weekly’s Restaurant Week has over 30 strong local contenders for your must-try-foodie list this year.

Today starts the Orlando Weekly’s 5th annual Orlando Restaurant Week (it’s actually 9 days long) from May 3 – May 12, 2012. Restaurants offer a high value, three course prix fixe menu (2 courses for lunch), in addition to their regular menu, from May 3rd to May 12th. No need for special cards or anything…just ask for the Restaurant Week menu. Prix Fixe prices range from $10, $15, $25 to $35 for lunch and dinner. Reservations suggested at $25 and $35 restaurants. Find out more on the menus here: http://www.orlandorestaurantweek.com/restaurants.php

There are some great choices this year including local favorites like The Rusty Spoon and K Restaurant, or more fine dining at Spencer’s Steak and Chops and The Capital Grille, as well as newcomers The Gnarly Barley and food truck event TheDailyCity Food Truck Bazaars. (Check out the Weekly’s excellent reviews on some of the best food trucks here: Meals on Wheels)

Participating restaurants this year include: Blackwater Bar-B-Q, Cricketers Arms Pub, Dylan’s Deli, Linda’s Winter Park Diner, Matteo’s Ristorante, Maxine’s on Shine, OLV, Taverna Opa, The Gnarly Barley, The Nou, Tomasino’s/ Lil’ Anthony’s Pizza, Pine Twenty2, The Food Truck Bazaar – May 4 & 5, The Food Truck Bazaar – May 6 & 11, The Nou, Virgin Olive Market, Copper Canyon, The Capital Grille, Urban Flats, 310 Restaurants (Lakeside and Park South), David’s Club (at the Hilton Orlando on I-Drive), Terrace 390, The Rusty Spoon, Fleming’s Steakhouse – Sand Lake, K Restaurant, Morton’s Steakhouse, Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops, The Melting Pot, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Treasure Tavern.

I had to look up Treasure Tavern, it appears to be quite intriguing: an adult themed (but not X-rated) dinner variety show with contortionists, singers, dancers, jugglers, and more. Sounds like a fun night on the town.

Whatever you decide to do, get to it, you only have a week and three days to check them all out!

Also….Food and Drink Editor Jessica Bryce Young challenges Restaurant Week diners to an eat-and-snap bout, calling for shots of your edible adventures to be shared via Twitter, Instagram and Foodspotting, using the hashtag #ORW2012 .