Taqueria Don Chepe

Another GastroMob kickoff is in the books, and I believe we can safely declare Taco Tuesday a success! 36 PEOPLE! That's how many of the Mob I counted at Taqueria Don Chepe in Niles. I do believe that's our largest Mob to date! Some in GastroMob shirts, some without. Some sitting together, some sitting by themselves. I even saw three generations of the same family mobbing together. Three generations! That's pretty cool. The food was good, fast, and accurate. Tacos, tortas, tamales, burritos, tostadas, and enough variants of salsa to let everybody negotiate their own personal relationship with intestinal fortitude. One thing that let me know I was in the right place? A group of dudes in construction vests. There just isn't a better advertisement. You could hang a giant sign out front reading "GOOD FOOD! FAST! INEXPENSIVE! AND LOTS OF IT!" and it wouldn't be nearly as effective as a bunch of hungry dudes in reflective construction vests standing in line. That's an endorsement you can't buy. The Don Chepe crew? Fantastic. They had a constant flow of customers and never missed a beat. Food coming out fast, orders right, everybody moving. Those folks were ON IT! One other thing caught my eye. A little handwritten sign offering prepaid meals to anyone who was heavy on the hunger but lite in the wallet. A couple of tickets hanging there, ready for whoever needed them. No questions, no explanations, no need to ask. Just neighbors helping neighbors, and letting people keep their dignity in the process. That's how you take care of your community. Bravo, Don Chepe! The part I dig most, thirty-six people, different ages, different backgrounds, some old friends, some new faces, all getting together over something as simple as dinner. No dues, no fees, no secret handshake. Show up, eat, pay, tip, enjoy the company. THAT'S GASTROMOB! A huge thank you to everybody who voted, shared, showed up, and helped make this our biggest kickoff yet. And especially to Taqueria Don Chepe for feeding this hungry mob! REMEMBER, THE MOB LASTS ALL WEEK! Couldn't make it Tuesday? No problem! Head over to Don Chepe anytime this week, grab yourself something delicious, and tell us what you think! Post your pictures, share your experience, leave a review. Opening night is just the kickoff. The whole point is to get people into these wonderful locally owned restaurants. Bonus for me, Mother Nature decided to throw in one hell of a pink and orange sunset. Not a bad way to finish the evening. COMING IN NOVEMBER: We're trading tacos for soup! Our next GastroMob heads to Coney Express! Thanks for another great evening, everybody. Let's keep showing up for local food and each other. ¡Vamos a comer! (Let's go eat!)