Buen Provecho 2011, September 15th

This is the annual walking tour of Pilsen where you try samples at dozens of establishments. The price is $25 per person, I have gone to the last two and would highly recommend it if you have recovered from the great food hangover known as the LTH picnic.

More information is at http://www.eighteenthstreet.org/

This did sell out last year, so you may wish to plan in advance.

There’s No Better Way to Spend Mexican Independence Day Than A Restaurant Tour
in the Historic Pilsen Community!

Chicago, IL: On Thursday, September 15, 2011, Mexican Independence Day, the Historic Pilsen
Community will be bustling with hungry visitors attending the third annual Buen Provecho! Pilsen. Many
local restaurants, cafes and bakeries will be participating in the restaurant tour providing visitors with a
sample of their delectable dishes.

Buen Provecho! Pilsen is centered along 18th Street in the heart of Pilsen’s commercial district and will
feature many restaurants, cafes and bakeries providing a sample of their signature dishes to attendees
between the hours of 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

To purchase tickets visit www.eighteenthstreet.org

We'll be participating again this year. Offering Oaxacan chocolate cookies. Hope to see some LTHers

I'm looking forward to it. I just bought my tickets.

Anyone who has been to the event knows how this works? I purchased the tickets a while ago and got an email with the receipt but no instructions.
Do they have actual tickets? is there a place to pick up a ticket or wristband? do they provide a map of restaurants that participate?

agnesfong wrote:Anyone who has been to the event knows how this works? I purchased the tickets a while ago and got an email with the receipt but no instructions.
Do they have actual tickets? is there a place to pick up a ticket or wristband? do they provide a map of restaurants that participate?

Good questions. I'd love to know, too.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

agnesfong wrote:Anyone who has been to the event knows how this works? I purchased the tickets a while ago and got an email with the receipt but no instructions.
Do they have actual tickets? is there a place to pick up a ticket or wristband? do they provide a map of restaurants that participate?

Good questions. I'd love to know, too.

=R=

I've been a few times, but missed last year. What they've done in the past is have a few locations on the day of the event where you pick up your card. The large card has a map of all the participating locations, along with a list of the food/drink offerings.

Their website indicates that tickets "can be picked up at our office located on 1843 W. 17th street Chicago, IL 60608 Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm." But, it doesn't indicate day of tickets pick up locations.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. You can contact ESDC directly beforehand, or just wait until you arrive and ask one of the many folks walking around with a card.

Ronna

Last year, the way it worked was that the first thing you did was walk into the ESDC office. They had a list of people registered, and when they verify you, they will give you a passport, and a map with a list of the participating restaurants.

From that point on, you are basically on your own to explore the neighborhood. You can go in any order you like. hit as many or as few places as you want. When you walk into a place, they stamp your passport (so you can't go back multiple times). Different restaurants have different methods of serving. Some go with buffets, other have sit down service. Last year there was a shuttle that stopped at a couple of intersections, so if you get all the way to the end, you can get a ride back to where you started. I would recommend making a list of the places you definitely want to hit, otherwise you will likely fill up.

glennpan wrote:Last year, the way it worked was that the first thing you did was walk into the ESDC office. They had a list of people registered, and when they verify you, they will give you a passport, and a map with a list of the participating restaurants.

From that point on, you are basically on your own to explore the neighborhood. You can go in any order you like. hit as many or as few places as you want. When you walk into a place, they stamp your passport (so you can't go back multiple times). Different restaurants have different methods of serving. Some go with buffets, other have sit down service. Last year there was a shuttle that stopped at a couple of intersections, so if you get all the way to the end, you can get a ride back to where you started. I would recommend making a list of the places you definitely want to hit, otherwise you will likely fill up.

Thanks (and thanks, to REB, too).

Do you know if passports are available for pickup before the day of the event?

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Do you know if passports are available for pickup before the day of the event?

=R=

I'm going to call them tomorrow to check. I'll post the answer here.

stevez wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:Do you know if passports are available for pickup before the day of the event?

=R=

I'm going to call them tomorrow to check. I'll post the answer here.

Thanks. I'm sorry I keep asking here, instead of calling myself. I've just been so swamped at work, I keep forgetting to take care of it during the day.

=R=

Glennpan, REB,

Any favorite stops you recommend not to miss?

Agnes

agnesfong wrote:Glennpan, REB,

Any favorite stops you recommend not to miss?

Agnes

I'll step in here with a recommendation: Pace yourself.

In my experience with Buen Provecho, the restaurants do not get the concept of sample or tasting portions. Most places were serving small (and sometimes not so small) entree portions. The first time we went, we got stuffed after a few stops. We were smarter the second time, but it meant wasting a ton of food. Hopefully restaurants have figured out by now that less is more at these types of events.

It's going to be a crazy eating week already, so I think REB and I are going to pass this year. The list of participants seems to have changed a bunch since I last made it to Buen Provecho, but here are a few stops that would be at the top of my list if I were to attend:
Birreria Reyes de Ocatlan
Nightwood
Honky Tonk BBQ
Nuevo Leon
Fig Catering (stop for a cookie and say hi to LTHers figmolly and figjustin)

Enjoy and please report back,
--Rich

RAB wrote: I'll step in here with a recommendation: Pace yourself.

In my experience with Buen Provecho, the restaurants do not get the concept of sample or tasting portions. Most places were serving small (and sometimes not so small) entree portions. The first time we went, we got stuffed after a few stops. We were smarter the second time, but it meant wasting a ton of food. Hopefully restaurants have figured out by now that less is more at these types of events.

It's going to be a crazy eating week already, so I think REB and I are going to pass this year. The list of participants seems to have changed a bunch since I last made it to Buen Provecho, but here are a few stops that would be at the top of my list if I were to attend:
Birreria Reyes de Ocatlan
Nightwood
Honky Tonk BBQ
Nuevo Leon
Fig Catering (stop for a cookie and say hi to LTHers figmolly and figjustin)

Enjoy and please report back,
--Rich

I agree with everything RAB says. I still dream about the goat taco at Birreria Reyes de Ocatlan. I made the mistake of answering the siren call of a margarita at one stop. It wasn't very good and it filled me up too much.

stevez wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:Do you know if passports are available for pickup before the day of the event?

=R=

I'm going to call them tomorrow to check. I'll post the answer here.

I spoke to the ESDC office today. They will start distributing the passports at their office next week some time, if you want to pick yours up ahead of time to avoid the crowds. Call first, because they didn't know exactly which day they would begin giving them out.

agnesfong wrote:Glennpan, REB,

Any favorite stops you recommend not to miss?

Agnes

Agnes,

As everyone has said, pace yourself. What I have really liked in the past have been, in no particular order:

Birria Reyes de Ocatlan (goat tacos)
Cuernavaca (chicken mole, and they have other items on a mini-buffet)
Honkey Tonk BBQ (bbq mini pulled pork sliders)
Fig Catering (they always have creative and interesting things, last year was mexican chocolate milkshake shots)

Nightwood always has fantastic looking things but is off the beaten path for walking the event, so I keep missing it. Mundial Cucina always has liqueur tastings which are nice.

Glenn

I picked up my tickets today. It was no hassle at all. There was no line. I just had to show them my receipt and they checked me off their list and gave me the "passports". I must say that this event covers a lot of ground; both in terms of variety of cuisine and the distance over which it is spread out. On the little map I noticed that there is a shuttle. Is it realistic to consider using the shuttle to get from one end of the festival to the other, or should I plan on moving my car as I go?

stevez wrote:I picked up my tickets today. It was no hassle at all. There was no line. I just had to show them my receipt and they checked me off their list and gave me the "passports". I must say that this event covers a lot of ground; both in terms of variety of cuisine and the distance over which it is spread out. On the little map I noticed that there is a shuttle. Is it realistic to consider using the shuttle to get from one end of the festival to the other, or should I plan on moving my car as I go?

Parking can be rough, you probably don't want to try to move your car around. I parked on the Eastern end of the route on 18th st, and walked down, and took the shuttle back to the beginning. Seemed like a decent way to go. To get to some of the off 18th st locations (Lawrence fisheries, Nightwood, etc), moving your car is the best choice.

glennpan wrote:To get to some of the off 18th st locations (Lawrence fisheries, Nightwood, etc), moving your car is the best choice.

I'll be taking a pass on Lawrence's Fisheries anyway. Nightwood on the other hand...

Gifted with a ticket, I can't say I was disappointed as I had no expectations, just underwhelmed.