After a pandemic hiatus, the California Restaurant Association is back with Restaurant Week. For 10 days starting Friday, 13 area restaurants are presenting special deals for an easy-to-remember price of $20.22.

“As important as it is to drive customers through our doors, it’s also important to have an event where restaurants are working together under the same banner. An event like this does that for us,” Raul Gutierrez Jr., president of the Fresno CRA chapter said.

The last CRA Restaurant Week was 2019.

Participating locations include area favorites like Max’s Bistro & Bar, Idle Hour Winery and Rocket Dog Brats & Brew. The variety is a tour of the world — Mexican, American, Japanese and more.

A list of participants and deals can be found here.

Three Specials At Papi’s Mex Grill

Gutierrez is a second-generation restaurateur. His parents, Raul Sr. and Maria operated Fajita Fiesta in downtown Fresno for several years (it has since closed).

“I love the industry. I love what it stands for, providing food for the community, but also being employers and employing people who you’re watching them grow through your business. Some of them stay for long term. Some of them come in as students and they leave after four years and graduate. Those are all rewarding feelings,” Gutierrez said.

He has operated Papi’s Mex Grill (1506 E. Champlain Drive #101 in Fresno) for 11 years. The restaurant is offering three specials, all for $20.22:

— A three item combo with a Papi’s margarita;

— Three enchilada plate with a Papi’s margarita;

— Chicken fajita plate with a Papi’s margarita.

“It’s kind of a fun event. On one side, a lot of our regular customers have an opportunity to come in and take advantage of a special. On the other side, you have new customers a walk in through your doors and they get to experience Papi’s at a at a discounted rate, but also get to try some of the more popular dishes combined with our our most popular margarita,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez is also in the process of opening a second Papi’s in Madera.

Other Specials Listed

Although steak is the specialty, 13 Prime Steak in Clovis (1345 N. Willow Avenue #190) is offering a taco special — three crispy sweet potato tacos and a choice of four beers.

At Banzai Japanese Bar & Kitchen (609 E. Olive Ave., suite C, Fresno, in the Tower District) is offering three specials — a sushi bento box, Tsunami roll and beer special, and a Yokozuna roll and beer special.

Max’s Bistro & Bar (1784 W. Bullard Avenue, Fresno) also has three specials to chose from — angus sliders with fries, breaded calamari steak, or pappardelle alfredo.