Latin Restaurant Weeks is back for its fifth year in Chicago with chefs, restaurants and pop-ups hoping to highlight the diverse flavors of the Hispanic culinary scene across the city with prix fixe menus ranging from traditional homestyle recipes to ones serving up modern mole pizza.<\/p>\n
While there is a diverse lineup and a variety of specials to pick from, this year\u2019s 20 participating restaurants is almost half what the number was last year, largely due to the political climate. Organizers for Latin Restaurant Weeks said many of its usual roster of restaurants are feeling the economic and emotional effects of the Trump administration\u2019s intensified immigration enforcement in the city and suburbs, forcing them to fly under the radar.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are just hypervigilant and we\u2019re proud of who we are and what we do,\u201d said Karinn Chavarria, founder of Latin Restaurant Weeks. \u201cFood is what brings us together, and food is such a big part of our culture, but when you\u2019re being scrutinized, it\u2019s like you\u2019re having to take a step back in order to take a step forward. It\u2019s a very, very weird dichotomy going on right now. It\u2019s a strange place to be, and it\u2019s a strange place to operate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chavarria said events like Latin Restaurant Weeks make cultural cuisines accessible to people who are unfamiliar with Puerto Rican, Venezuelan, Oaxacan dishes \u2014 beyond the usual tacos and tamales. And in the current climate, the event boosts the importance of culture and food instead of the despair and political plight the community has felt in recent months.<\/p>\n
Chavarria said that since launching five years ago, a majority of participating restaurants across Atlanta, Chicago and Miami witnessed up to a 20% increase in diners, as well as a boost in social media engagement during and after each campaign.<\/p>\n
Jessica Perjes, co-owner of family-owned Tacotlan in the Hermosa neighborhood, has participated each year since Latin Restaurant Weeks launched in 2019, serving the spot\u2019s beloved quesabirrias for a bargain. There\u2019s an added emphasis on promoting the event this year, she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis really highlights all the effort that we put into making sure that we share our cuisine, that we showcase how much love we put into every day,\u201d Perjes said. \u201cWe came to the States \u2014 we struggled so hard to try to get here that it\u2019s so important for people to show out and support everybody that\u2019s trying to make it through that struggle, especially now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perjes said a lot of people in Hermosa or Pilsen are scared to go out these days because of the fear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in predominantly Latino and Hispanic communities. On the other hand, many restaurant owners are also hesitant to keep operations open.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why Latin Restaurant Weeks is the best way to go about it, so those customers (and owners) know all of Chicago is rooting for all Latinos to keep going and keep their doors open,\u201d Perjes said.<\/p>\n
For Latin Restaurant Weeks, Tacotlan is offering a $25 special that includes a large drink, three taco dinner (choice of asada, chicken, al pastor, or beef or chicken quesabirrias) and a choice of flan, churro tres leches or duvalin for dessert.<\/p>\n