What good can come from going dry for January? Thankful livers and safer drivers, certainly. Also: a decline in calorie consumption, drunk-dialing, missed deadlines, and perhaps best of all, the light-as-a-feather check that floats to the table at the end of an alcohol-free meal. And as long as the ringing-in-the-New-Year-by-wringing-out-the-liver rule is applied during NW Source’s New Urban Eats promotion, a three-course gourmet meal can be had for $30 a head. These days, that won’t get you much—especially with a taste for the top shelf. But throughout this month, weekday diners can have their pick of 20 high-end troughs offering prix-fixe menus that include appetizer, entrée, and dessert. This edition of the cyclical promotion includes participants like upper Queen Anne’s comfortably chic Betty, Madrona’s French bistro Crémant, and Steelhead Diner, whose casual prettiness feels just right in its classic-Seattle location, Pike Place Market. With their reserved-for-a-special-occasion (on my budget) menus, even if they opt to serve three of their lower-priced items, it’s still a deal. So save the cash from that daily dose of Dewars, and dining out won’t even make a dent. In your wallet or car. http://www.nwsource.com/contests/restaurants/newurbaneats/ Sundays-Thursdays through Jan. 31. AJA PECKNOLD

Mondays-Thursdays, Sundays. Starts: Jan. 21. Continues through Jan. 31, 2008