KIDS & FAMILIES

WHAT: Every year on September 16th, the anniversary of Grito de Dolores and the start of the Mexican War for Independence, people gather in town squares across Mexico to celebrate Día de la Independencia, Mexican Independence Day. The largest celebration takes place in Mexico City on the eve of the anniversary with a fiesta bigger than Cinco de Mayo. The streets are decorated with green, white and red lights and Mexican banderas (flags), and at 11:00PM the Mexican president steps out onto the palace balcony to ring the country’s historic liberty bell and shout “Viva Mexico,” “Viva la independencia” as the crowd echoes back and fills the air with confetti and streamers creating showers of green, white and red. This year from Saturday, September 15th to Sunday, September 16th, 2012 the Olé Restaurant Group will celebrate Mexico’s independence with a menu as vibrant as the country’s bandera, flag, at Olé Mexican Grill in Cambridge, MA and Zócalo Cocina Mexicana in Boston, MA. The green, symbolizing independence, white, signifying religion and red, for union, will all be represented in dishes like Taquitos Bandera ($9), crispy rolled corn tortillas filled with chicken and poblano peppers, fruity roasted chile de arbol tomato sauce, crema fresca and tomatillo sauce; Enchiladas Bandera ($17), pulled chicken tortillas baked in a signature ranchera sauce, crema fresca and tomatillo sauce and served with Mexican rice, black beans and fresh tomato salsa on the side and Chiles en Nogada ($22), a signature dish of the day made with stuffed peppers covered in a walnut cream sauce and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. No Independence Day celebration would be complete without a cocktail, and guests are invited to indulge in the Bandera ($10), a spicy tomato drink finished with lime and paired with Cazadores Blanco Tequila at Zócalo and MS Walker Tequila 7 Leguas Blanco at Olé. The Mexican Independence Day menu will be served in conjunction with the regular menu and is available á la carte or as a two-course prix fixe menu with Bandera cocktail for $33. Reservations are recommended. Please call Olé Mexican Grill at (617)-492-4495 or Zócalo Cocina Mexicana at (617)-456-7849.

WHEN: Saturday, September 15th, 2012 to Sunday, September 16th, 2012; 5:00PM-9:30PM at Olé Mexican Grill and 5:00PM-10:00PM at Zócalo Cocina Mexicana.

WHERE: Olé Mexican Grill, 11 Springfield Street, Cambridge, MA 02139; Zócalo Cocina Mexicana, 35 Stanhope Street, Boston, MA 02116 www.olerestaurantgroup.com

COST: Taquitos Bandera ($9); Enchiladas Bandera ($17); Chiles en Nogada ($22); Bandera Cocktail ($10). Two-Course prix fixe menu with Bandera cocktail available for $33. Served in conjunction with the regular menu. Vegetarian options available.

RSVP: Olé Mexican Grill (617) 492-4495 Zócalo Cocina Mexicana (617) 456-7849

Menu:

Appetizer Taquitos Bandera Crispy rolled corn tortillas filled with chicken and poblano peppers, fruity roasted chile de arbol tomato sauce, crema fresca and tomatillo sauce. $9

Entreé Enchiladas Bandera Pulled chicken in three corn tortillas baked with a signature ranchera (red salsa), crema fresca and tomatillo sauce and served with Mexican rice, black beans and fresh tomato salsa on the side. $17 or Chiles en Nogada Two roasted poblano chiles, one stuffed with garlic spinach, raisins, pine nuts and cheese and the other with picadillo (ground beef cooked with tomato sauce and vegetables). Both are topped with "nogada" sauce and pomegranate seeds. $22

Cocktail Bandera Lime, Cazadores Blanco tequila or MS Walker Tequila 7 Leguas Blanco and Sangrita. $10 Items available á la carte or as a two-course prix fix menu with Bandera cocktail for $33 per person plus tax and gratuity. Vegetarian options available.