CHICAGO (CBS) — Latin American flavors and cuisine are on the menu this week at the fourth annual Latin Restaurant Weeks in Chicago.

The event, which began in Chicago on August 16 and runs through Friday, aims to attract people to Latino restaurants owned or operated by Latinos with deals and special offers.

A restaurant in West Town is participating in the event for the first time.

Inez Melendez serves Puerto Rican cuisine at Chicago Empanada Mama on Chicago Avenue and Paulina Street, but she says the original Mama was her late mother.

“Her passion was food. Her answer to every problem was food. It was her way of bringing people together,” Melendez said.

And that’s exactly what she’s doing now. Melendez opened Chicago Empanada Mama a little over a year ago and hopes Latin Restaurant Weeks can help spread the word about the place.

“We are a full-service restaurant/bar where you can plan a date, a birthday party or an event. And that’s exactly what we hope Latin Restaurant Weeks will do – that more people will find out about us and plan events and parties here.”

This year, 67 restaurants are participating in Latin Restaurant Weeks, including 14 first-time participants, such as Chicago Empanada Mama.

The restaurants offer specials to encourage customers to try them, but last week was the Democratic National Convention, so not many customers came.

“Last week was kind of a bust,” Melendez said. “It was such a big hassle that nobody wanted to go anywhere.”

So this week is your chance to shine and build something for yourself and your family.

“That’s what I want to be remembered for. I want to leave something behind,” she said.

Latin Restaurant Weeks were held in the Washington, DC area in May, New York in June and Houston in July. They will be held in Los Angeles in September, Miami in October and Atlanta in November.