Get a taste of Latin American culture during Latin Restaurant Week in Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) -- We're celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, and this week there's an event in Chicago, celebrating Latino food.
The second annual Latin Restaurant Week highlights Chicago's Latin chefs, bartenders, and restaurant owners.
Karinn Andréa Chavarria, co-founder of Latin Restaurant Week said the theme is "El Tour de Sabor," inviting Chicagoans to try cuisine from several different Latin American countries.
"We have over 35 participating restaurants, and what they've done for you guys is create a delectable, delicious special to entice you guys to go visit them. Which, in turn, really helps the foot traffic, and really brings awareness. So they're super-excited to showcase what they have," she said.
Latin Restaurant Week started last year in Houston, and has expanded to Chicago, Miami, and Atlanta this year.
"Chicago is such a vibrant city, with such a myriad of Latin cultures. So when you think of Latin food, you might automatically think of tacos … which is amazing, because we have a lot of amazing taco spots. But there is such diversity in Chicago, and we really wanted to bring awareness to that," she said. "We wanted to make sure that there was a platform for Latinx business owners to thrive, and something for them, and to be very inclusive in Chicago. We thought it was a great city to help raise awareness."
Some of Chavarria's favorite Latin restaurants in Chicago include Tacotlan, a Mexican restaurant in the Hermosa neighborhood, run by a father-daughter duo known for their Birria style tacos; Nellie's Puerto Rican Restaurant in West Town, popular for their Pastelón, a plantain and egg casserole; and Tsukiji, a Latina-owned sushi restaurant that features guacamole rolls and other mariscos dishes.
"Just a few ways to step out of your comfort zone, and try something new," Chavarria said.
Latin Restaurant Week lasts until Friday. You can see the full menu of specials offered at all 35 participating restaurants on the Latin Restaurant Week website.