These are fine times for penny-pinching gourmands. The Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau’s Chicago Restaurant Week, which features three-course lunches for $22 and dinners for $32 at over 160 of the city’s leading restaurants, runs from Feb. 19 to 28.
Chicago Originals, a group of independent restaurants, is offering $29.10 prix fixe dinners until Jan. 31, while the Web site The Local Tourist just finished its inaugural 17-restaurant effort.
All of the organizers cite the opportunity to bolster the restaurant scene. For the tourism bureau, it is also a chance to expand its rolls — restaurants must be members to participate.
The Local Tourist donated 10 percent of each meal’s cost to the pediatric cancer organization Endure To Cure.
To Didier Durand, the leader of Chicago Originals and chef and owner of Cyrano’s Bistrot, the promotion serves a need. “We are in survival mode right now,” he said. “It’s about educating the consumer that you have an option. And if you don’t grab that option, your local neighborhood restaurant will be going.”
Sorry to point this out, Ben, but posting a column notice about a month-long promotion that ends a week later is not showing that you are on top of things.
Also, writing “To Didier Durand, left, the leader…” is pointing out that not only haven’t you posted his photo at the left as you indicate, but you haven’t edited either.