Dave148 wrote:

Penn Station East Coast Subs is ready to expand into Chicago, hoping its grilled and cold subs stand out in a market already stuffed with sandwich-centric chains.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... 6606.story

I drove through Grayslake on Route 120 today and saw the Penn Station there.

Not my data point--this is from my SO (yes he does eat and even occasionally discusses it with me ) but his comment on Penn Station is good sandwiches but ridiculously expensive. And they use the potato slicer to cut fresh fries.

The GP wrote:Herb has opened at 5422-5424 N. Broadway. The sign indicates "Thai redefined." I can't seem to find any online presence -- I'll try to get by for a menu this week.

Herb
5422-5424 N. Broadway
Chicago

Looks interesting.

http://media.wix.com/ugd/abdafb_03ba0b8 ... c27a18.pdf

Dave148 wrote:

Penn Station East Coast Subs is ready to expand into Chicago, hoping its grilled and cold subs stand out in a market already stuffed with sandwich-centric chains.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... 6606.story

If you like Potbelly, you'll like Penn Station. Me, not so much.

Darren72 wrote:

Dave148 wrote:

Penn Station East Coast Subs is ready to expand into Chicago, hoping its grilled and cold subs stand out in a market already stuffed with sandwich-centric chains.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... 6606.story

If you like Potbelly, you'll like Penn Station. Me, not so much.

It takes very little to improve on Subway, Jersey Mike's or Jimmy Johns. That's dumbed-down food at it's dumbest. Give me a roll that tastes like bread and has texture and you're already ahead of 90% of the competition. I'll reserve judgment on Penn Station, but at least Potbelly's has rolls that have texture, not the hot-dog-buns that the others pass off as sandwich rolls.

Speaking of sandwiches, anybody have info on when Cemitas Puebla will be opening their West Loop spot?

zoid wrote:

madopal wrote:Stopped by Butcher's Block on Cicero today. Hours on door said it should be open, but looking inside, it looked emptied out and trashed. Sign on inner door said something about no meat left, only groceries. Sad, with the cow out front, I had hoped they had good stuff.

I got a $20 groupon for Butcher Block for $10 once.
Wasn't worth it.

madopal wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:Is this the place at 3021 N Cicero that used to be called Chicago Meat, across the street from Sol de Mexico?

Yes it is. I stumbled across it after moving to the neighborhood and trying Sol de Mexico. With its size & cow, I figured it had to have something going for it. Apparently, whatever good it had, it lost at some point.

And these aren't just any old cows either. One of them has wings and a halo.



I don't know what this world is coming to if you can't look to an angelic bovine for guidance with your meat purchases.

Rene G wrote:I don't know what this world is coming to if you can't look to an angelic bovine for guidance with your meat purchases.

Banner.

Hopped Up wrote:

The GP wrote:Herb has opened at 5422-5424 N. Broadway. The sign indicates "Thai redefined." I can't seem to find any online presence -- I'll try to get by for a menu this week.

Herb
5422-5424 N. Broadway
Chicago

Looks interesting.

http://media.wix.com/ugd/abdafb_03ba0b8 ... c27a18.pdf

yeah, I walked by the space recently and hadn't noticed the posts in this thread. Elevated Thai concepts haven't really drawn me in but the menu looks pretty interesting and the space looks great.

The GP wrote:Herb has opened at 5422-5424 N. Broadway. The sign indicates "Thai redefined." I can't seem to find any online presence -- I'll try to get by for a menu this week.

Herb
5422-5424 N. Broadway
Chicago

Needs an adjacent paleteria called "Peaches"

AlekH wrote:

Hopped Up wrote:

The GP wrote:Herb has opened at 5422-5424 N. Broadway. The sign indicates "Thai redefined." I can't seem to find any online presence -- I'll try to get by for a menu this week.

Herb
5422-5424 N. Broadway
Chicago

Looks interesting.

http://media.wix.com/ugd/abdafb_03ba0b8 ... c27a18.pdf

yeah, I walked by the space recently and hadn't noticed the posts in this thread. Elevated Thai concepts haven't really drawn me in but the menu looks pretty interesting and the space looks great.

Arun's is still pretty great as far as "elevated Thai" goes.

Northwest Side Chicago - Jefferson Park - Veterans Square

Kawayan

Timeless Filipino Fare

4859A N Milwaukee Ave (in Veterans Square right next to the transportation hub)
Chicago IL 60630

phone: 773-993-0360
email: kawayanchicago@gmail.com

Scaleable JPG scan of their menu

Here's my pancit, Palabok dish (yummy!)

I didn't see that this was posted elsewhere, so Shop & Save is going in the old Dominick's at Nagle/Devon/Milwaukee.

tarte tatin wrote:

nr706 wrote:

NFriday wrote:Does anybody know the status of the BBQ place that was going to open up where Oak Street Market used to be?

That's going to be Smylie Bros. Brewpub, not necessarily a BBQ joint. The renovation is taking longer than expected, but opening will probably be summer or fall.

Re Smylie Bros., it looks like sooner rather than later:

"Smylie Brothers Brewing Company, at 1615 Oak Ave., will serve dinner Tuesday through Sunday starting June 19. Lunch and brunch service will be added later....

Here’s how Smylie Brothers describes their brewpub in a press release:
The restaurant brings craft beer, Texas-style barbecue, wood-fired pizza, and Midwestern comfort food to downtown Evanston."

http://evanston.patch.com/groups/small- ... -next-week

The official opening was yesterday. The BBQ showed a lot of promise. The brisket and ribs I tried were well flavored but dry. The pulled chicken was moist and enjoyable but with no discernible smoke. The fries were great, the Mac n cheese had little flavor.
It's a big place so I wasn't surprised by the service errors. What is encouraging is that everyone on the staff was a pleasure to deal with.
Given some time to settle in, I see a bright future ahead.

Chef Grant Achatz's next Chicago restaurant will be next to Next.

Mr. Achatz and business partner Nick Kokonas signed a lease to take over the space on West Fulton Market that previously was home to chef Homaro Cantu's restaurant Ing, according to people familiar with the restaurateur's plans.

Messrs. Achatz and Kokonas, whose Alinea restaurant in Lincoln Park has topped Elite Traveler magazine's top 100 list of international restaurants three years in a row, own the restaurant Next and cocktail lounge Aviary at 953 and 955 W. Fulton Market, neighboring the former Ing space.

Now they're set to add another establishment within the same brick building, at 951 W. Fulton, where Mr. Cantu closed Ing on May 24. Mr. Cantu's Moto remains open at 945 W. Fulton, also in the same building.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... ton-market

In the old George's Deli location, 1964 W. Lawrence, there's a sign for the grand opening of Last Pit Stop Barbecue. That being said, it was not yet open to the public and seemed to need at least a little work inside. I reached out to my Alderman for more info but never heard a word and I haven't found any other information. I'll report back if and when I do.

In the old George's Deli location, 1964 W. Lawrence, there's a sign for the grand opening of Last Pit Stop Barbecue. That being said, it was not yet open to the public and seemed to need at least a little work inside. I reached out to my Alderman for more info but never heard a word and I haven't found any other information. I'll report back if and when I do.

Confirmation from the Alderman's Facebook page about 2 hours ago

Didn't see it mentioned before, the Boston Chicken at North and Wells is closed. I always feel for people who invest in a franchise. I hope it works out for them but it seems like such a risk and the pay-off can be really sketchy. OTOH I have been frequenting that neighborhood weekly for about ten years and have been in the Boston Chicken once, so I represent the reason it closed.

Cross-posted in the Bluebird thread:

Bluebird is closing. Last night of service will be Friday, 6/27.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/ ... 4332.story

Hopped Up wrote:

The GP wrote:Herb has opened at 5422-5424 N. Broadway. The sign indicates "Thai redefined." I can't seem to find any online presence -- I'll try to get by for a menu this week.

Herb
5422-5424 N. Broadway
Chicago

Looks interesting.

http://media.wix.com/ugd/abdafb_03ba0b8 ... c27a18.pdf

At Herb, a recently opened Thai restaurant on North Broadway, you won't find favorite Thai dishes like Pad Thai and Pad See Ew anywhere near the menu.

Instead, the upscale joint will serve three- and five-course meals that include "unique elements of Thai that other Thai restaurants don't offer," owner Patty Neumson said Wednesday.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140626 ... dont-offer

cleanplateclub wrote:Didn't see it mentioned before, the Boston Chicken at North and Wells is closed. I always feel for people who invest in a franchise. I hope it works out for them but it seems like such a risk and the pay-off can be really sketchy. OTOH I have been frequenting that neighborhood weekly for about ten years and have been in the Boston Chicken once, so I represent the reason it closed.

I believe most (if not all) Boston Chicken/Boston Market locations are company-owned.

Super excited to see that signs are up for an izakaya at 1960 N Damen (southwest corner with Armitage), intensifying the bright spots of Takashi and Le Bouchon on an otherwise dim intersection. I think the name is Mitra. Coming Fall.

Matt wrote:

cleanplateclub wrote:Didn't see it mentioned before, the Boston Chicken at North and Wells is closed. I always feel for people who invest in a franchise. I hope it works out for them but it seems like such a risk and the pay-off can be really sketchy. OTOH I have been frequenting that neighborhood weekly for about ten years and have been in the Boston Chicken once, so I represent the reason it closed.

I believe most (if not all) Boston Chicken/Boston Market locations are company-owned.

It is owned by private equity firm Sun Capital Partners, headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Market

Annak just beat me to it:

annak wrote:Super excited to see that signs are up for an izakaya at 1960 N Damen ... I think the name is Mitra. Coming Fall.

I believe it is "Izakaya Mita", at least there is a business of that name that was recently licensed in Illinois.

With two restaurants downtown, GRK Greek Kitchen is opening a couple more in the Loop.

GRK owner Peter Thanoukos, who also owns the Greek-American Hub's restaurant on Lincoln Avenue on the North Side, said he signed a lease for a 1,850-square-foot GRK in the Harris Bank Building at 111 W. Monroe St. Farther south, he plans a GRK in a single-story building he owns at 400 S. Wells St.

GRK offers Greek food in a so-called fast-casual format, where patrons customize orders in an assembly line aimed at keeping wait times to a minimum. Mr. Thanoukos has GRK restaurants at 219 W. Washington St. and in Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Galter Pavilion at 251 E. Huron St.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... estaurants

Masada in Logan Square finally opened this week after a 7 year wait!

marothisu wrote:Masada in Logan Square finally opened this week after a 7 year wait!

Masada
2206 N. California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647

Dave148 wrote:

With two restaurants downtown, GRK Greek Kitchen is opening a couple more in the Loop.

GRK owner Peter Thanoukos, who also owns the Greek-American Hub's restaurant on Lincoln Avenue on the North Side, said he signed a lease for a 1,850-square-foot GRK in the Harris Bank Building at 111 W. Monroe St. Farther south, he plans a GRK in a single-story building he owns at 400 S. Wells St.

GRK offers Greek food in a so-called fast-casual format, where patrons customize orders in an assembly line aimed at keeping wait times to a minimum. Mr. Thanoukos has GRK restaurants at 219 W. Washington St. and in Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Galter Pavilion at 251 E. Huron St.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... estaurants

It's a Greek Chipotle and fairly expensive for what you get. I went there twice and realized that it just wasn't as good as the countless other Greek places I can go to.

EvA wrote:In the spot that was once Louie's diner (much missed in the 'hood) and was for a few years Moose Grill comes Relish - American Street Food, opening Summer 2014 per signs in the windows. The signs also announce "gourmet burgers." I hope that Relish has better hours than Moose Grill, which were so limited I never made it there to try it.

Relish is now open. It has counter and stool seating with counter ordering. Their hours are better than the previous occupant of the space--11 am to 7 pm--but I think they need to be open later. So far of what we tried, the fries and the chicken wings (no breading) were quite good, although skip the "blue cheese" dressing.

Another very recent opening nearby is Bina's Cafe and Mediterranean Bistro just east on Lunt from Indian Boundary Park. We haven't had a chance to try it yet, but since their Facebook page advertises their "Balkan burek," we will need to try it soon. This is around the corner from Rub's and almost kitty-corner from the soon-to-be-opened new Lickety Split at Lunt and Western.

Glad to welcome some new places to West Rogers Park!

Relish - American Street Food
7210 N. California Avenue
Chicago, IL 60645
773.654.3329
http://relish-chicago.com/

Bina's Cafe & Mediterranean Bistro
2407 W. Lunt Avenue
Chicago, IL 60645
773.840.7999
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Binas-Cafe/281796171992592

Lickity Split Frozen Custard (not yet open)
NW Corner Lunt & Western Avenues
Chicago, IL 60645
http://www.lickitysplitchicago.com

Dave148 wrote:

With two restaurants downtown, GRK Greek Kitchen is opening a couple more in the Loop.

GRK owner Peter Thanoukos, who also owns the Greek-American Hub's restaurant on Lincoln Avenue on the North Side, said he signed a lease for a 1,850-square-foot GRK in the Harris Bank Building at 111 W. Monroe St. Farther south, he plans a GRK in a single-story building he owns at 400 S. Wells St.

GRK offers Greek food in a so-called fast-casual format, where patrons customize orders in an assembly line aimed at keeping wait times to a minimum. Mr. Thanoukos has GRK restaurants at 219 W. Washington St. and in Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Galter Pavilion at 251 E. Huron St.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... estaurants

Wow, I work in the Harris building complex, I'm trying to figure out where he's going to put it before security.