Great Deals This Weekend From Chicago Originals

By Anthony Todd in Food on Jan 27, 2011 5:40PM

If you want some great dining deals right now, for this weekend, check out Chicago Originals, the smaller, local version of the bargain dining week phenomenon. We've been hearing rumors about another "Restaurant Week"- whatever, that's not for another month. Chicago Originals, created by Chef/Owner Didier Durant of Cyrano's Bistro, showcases local restaurants. They are also offering some deals that blow the larger restaurant week out of the water. We caught Durant yesterday to ask him why Chicago needed two different bargain dining weeks.

"All of our restaurants are locally-owned and independent," Durant told us. The other restaurant week is managed by the Chicagoland Convention and Tourism Bureau, and tt also allows chain restaurants to participate. This year, it will have over 200 restaurants offering deals. Don't get us wrong, we often attend some of those dinners - but we're always on the lookout for a bargain. At restaurant week, a dinner costs either $33 or $44, depending on the restaurant - usually for three courses. At Chicago Originals, dinners cost $29.11, and Durant is offering a 5-course menu at Cyrano's for that price. Several other restaurants on the list will be serving 4-course dinners with a $29 pricetag, and others will be offering bottles of wine for $29. That's quite a deal.

Chicago Originals started in 2005 with four participating restaurants. This year, there are 16, all independent and locally-owned. If you want a great deal, try buying a gift certificate. You can buy a $50 gift certificate to any of their member restaurants (date at Cafe Bernard, anyone?) for $25. Also, keep an eye out - Chicago Originals runs several festivals throughout the year, including a Corn festival during the summer and a Mussel festival in September. These deals only run through this weekend, so reserve now!