By the time you read this, I'll be packing my bags for San Antonio to witness the National Chicken Cooking Contest. Utahn Ruth Kendrick is one of the nine finalists competing for the $50,000 grand prize. Kendrick also made it to the finals in 1999 and 2001; maybe this third time will be the charm.

The event runs Thursday-Sunday. The schedule is packed with seminars, workshops and cooking demos from early morning to late at night. I plan to share what I'm learning on my blog, "Flavors," at deseretnews.com.

Meanwhile, the folks here in Utah can enjoy spring Downtown Dine O'Round, which will run for the entire month of May. Thirty-two downtown restaurants will offer a three-course dinner for either $15 or $30 per person. Many will also offer a two-course lunch for $10.

The Dine O'Round keeps expanding since it began in 2003. At first, it was two weeks in September. Then a spring Dine O'Round and the $10 lunch were added. And now the spring Dine O'Round has gone from two weeks to the whole month, excluding Mother's Day.

"It's been a long, dark winter, and we know everyone is ready for great dining values this spring," said Andrew Wallace, marketing director for the Downtown Alliance.

Yes, some restaurants, such as Hard Rock Cafe, Ruth's Chris and Baxter's American have closed. But it's exciting to hear that despite the economic downturn, five new restaurants are on the list of Dine O'Round participants: Este Pizzeria, J. Wong Asian Bistro, Poplar Street Pub, Eva and The Wild Grape.

Some readers have asked what makes the Dine O'Round a "bargain." The concept is similar to that of the fast-food combo meal. The fixed-price dinner usually includes a salad, entree and dessert. If you ordered these three courses separately, you would pay a lot more than the $15 or $30.

Why the two-tier dinner prices? The $30 meals are from the higher-end restaurants, where you would likely pay $35-$40 or more for a three-course meal; the less expensive restaurants are charging $15.

Every year I make a point of visiting a few Dine O'Round restaurants. In every case, the fixed-price dinner or lunch shave $5-$10 over the cost of buying them separately. But I've gotten a couple of complaints from readers who found that the "special" wasn't much of a cost savings over the regular dinner prices. If so, you can share your comments by taking a survey at www.dineoround.com. Or you can call 801-359-5118. Those who take the survey are eligible to win dining gift certificates.

A few caveats to keep in mind:

1. Drinks, tips and tax aren't included in the price.