eatchicago wrote:I believe this is the natural pizza concept from Michael Altenberg (of Bistro Campagne fame).

ooo... that might be interesting. ... i wonder if they'll deliver.

and you appear to be correct!

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/ ... index.html

Our Buddy Phil... wrote:Pizza--with a conscience and Midwest's first certified organic eatery--opens May 24

Posted by Phil Vettel at 4:30 p.m. CDT

Will pizza lovers embrace a flatbread-style pie that's certified organic? Chef Michael Altenberg is hoping the answer is yes; he's opening Crust (2056 W. Division St.) on May 24 in the heart of Wicker Park's restaurant row, as both a neighborhood pizzeria and the first Certified Organic restaurant in the Midwest.

Altenberg vows to use local, family-farmed products, getting his dairy from an Amish cooperative in Iowa, chicken from Good Earth Farm in Wisconsin and so on. And his restaurant will be inspected regularly to ensure organic compliance.

None of which will matter if the food doesn't taste great, but Altenberg, who once co-owned Campagnola in Evanston (he still owns Bistro Campagne in Lincoln Square), knows his pizza. And Crust's flatbread pizzas, prepared in a wood-burning oven, will feature a crunchy, ciabatta-style crust and a variety of traditional and nontraditional toppings. And there will be sandwiches and salads, plus desserts from Bleeding Heart Bakery, which is a Certified Organic bakery.

Does anyone have any idea what is going into the old GP Franklin's space at Lincoln and Lawrence in Lincoln Square?

dddane wrote:i've seen that they're putting in a new pizza place of some sort on Division, right around Leavitt.

there have been window coverings with some writing that seems to indicate their focus will be healthy, natural pizza of some sort... "monoglu dioxide, blah blah... If you can't pronounce it, it's not in our pizza" ...

As of last week, there's now a big sign up "CRUST" apparently it's called.

anyone got any info on it?

Some more info

SSDD

whiskeybent wrote:Also coming to the Square: Chicago Ale House at Leavitt and Lawrence.

Metromix says it's being run by the powers in charge of Cy's Crabhouse/Chophouse, and "60 beers from around the world" won't dent the menu at Quenchers, but I'm looking forward to seeing what they've got to offer.

Metromix page.

It will rival Quenchers in that those 60 beers are all on tap. I live just a couple blocks from the spot and can see two very long rows of taps waiting to be used through the window.

This place has been under construction for years - literally. As a craft beer lover, I really, really hope it opens before the summer is done.

schenked wrote:

whiskeybent wrote:Also coming to the Square: Chicago Ale House at Leavitt and Lawrence.

Metromix says it's being run by the powers in charge of Cy's Crabhouse/Chophouse, and "60 beers from around the world" won't dent the menu at Quenchers, but I'm looking forward to seeing what they've got to offer.

Metromix page.

It will rival Quenchers in that those 60 beers are all on tap.

It'll do more than rival Quenchers. It'll blow it out of the water. I don't think Quenchers has more than a dozen or 15 taps.

The key question is: Will they be able to maintain the popularity of 60 taps to keep those kegs fresh enough?

Best,
Michael

eatchicago wrote:
The key question is: Will they be able to maintain the popularity of 60 taps to keep those kegs fresh enough?

A fair question. Hop Leaf has about 40 taps, Map Room I think around 30. Both of those places are wildly busy, so getting through kegs is not an issue. I hope the beer advocates of Chicago flock to here to keep it afloat and keep those taps running and diverse. Of course, since it is a 2 minute walk from my house, I have a little bit of self interest involved.

lucycooks wrote:Does anyone have any idea what is going into the old GP Franklin's space at Lincoln and Lawrence in Lincoln Square?

Bryan just started this thread, and promised to keep us posted.

bryan wrote:It's going to be a southern Italian place... He hopes to open by the end of the month. But unless those workmen are on 24/7, I sincerely doubt it.

This may have been mentioned elsewhere but Meyer's Deli in Lincoln Square has closed. I am sadder about this than any closing in recent memory. I understand it was a foreclosure situation but don't know for sure. Man, that place was unique and for me it really set the tone for the area.

Mariosr wrote:Caoba has been busy trying to get this site up and running. The place was awful after taking over Pacific Cafe. The owners had a party for family and friends two weeks ago and some things did not go right. So they put back the opening till they got the kinks out.

Caoba is now open. It looks like they've put a ton of work into rehabbing the place. Really visually improved over Pacific.

Louise wrote:Anyone know what's up with the alleged Pollo Campero that was going in at the NW corner of Lawrence & Pulaski? I can't see the "Coming Soon" sign anymore, & it certainly didn't look open or finished..

Thanks for telling me what restaurant that is. I keep going by and seeing "coming soon," but I always seem to be on a bus, and I am too nearsighted to read the rest at a distance. I believe I saw the coming soon sign on the Lawrence side quite recently, like within the last few days.

According to the company website:

POLLO CAMPERO PULASKI ROAD
4830 N. Pulaski Road Suite 102
Chicago, IL 60625
Opening July 13, 2007

YourPalWill wrote:The spot formerly occupied by the O Lounge at Broadway and Diversey is being gutted and has permits in the window for a business to be named "Noodles". Hope springs eternal for a great noodle shop in the hood.

If that's 2813 N. Broadway (which seems right), it's Noodles & Co. I've never been there, but it's a chain, so I doubt it'll be too exciting.

If that's 2813 N. Broadway (which seems right), it's Noodles & Co. I've never been there, but it's a chain, so I doubt it'll be too exciting.

Yeah, Noodles & Co. and "great noodle shop" don't belong in the same sentence. I was involved in the opening of one in the area, and there's really nothing special to it - especially if you order from the Asian side of the menu.

Noodles & Company is one of those merely functional places you go because it's there and it's open. I classify it with the rest of the Asian Express-type joints where they use prepared sauces instead of authentically building each sauce from its components in the dish.
One Noodles & Company I visited did offer a serviceable mac 'n cheese, however.

Kimmerz321 wrote:On California just south of Augusta in Humboldt Park, there has been a sign up for a new place called "Cosmos Politan - an Eating Experience". They've been working on it for about a month now, but I haven't heard anything about an opening date.

I'll answer my own post here. According to Time Out Chicago, the new restaurant is called Cosmopolitan, and is a BYOB joint that will serve Mediterranean fare. Owned and operated by a husband and wife team who met at a restaurant they both worked at in Indiana. I'm not sure if it's open yet - it was listed under the "too new to review" section.

"Milk & Honey Bake Shop" is going in to a storefront just north of Pontiac Cafe, just south of the Damen Blue Line stop. No ETA. This space was formerly occupied by a couple clothing stores, so I'd imagine they have some remodeling to do. A branch of Milk & Honey on Division. I'm hoping they'll have sandwiches, but I don't think they will.

There's also a korean restaurant going in at about Leavitt and North. I'm not sure whether it's open yet or not.

Heading down Bryn Mawr last week, saw a sign in a window that said "Coming Soon! Sweet Occasions and More - Edgewater." I believe it mentioned Summer '07.

It was on a corner, north side of the street, somewhere between Sheridan and Broadway. If memory serves, it was at Kenmore.

I live closer to the Clark location, but I have friends further north that are very excited about this development.

While not a secret, I'd thought I'd mention it on this thread. Gabino Sotelino is closing Ambria to retire and LEY is (probably, according to an insde source) going to bring in one of it's protege chefs foa new concept in the same space.

You have until June 30th to get there.

There is a new place in Rolling Meadows near the old Roly Poly called Hungry? Not sure what it is at this point.

Chew Chew Cafe in Riverside is closing June 30th.

Evanston update:

Pomegranate is now open. Fairly standard "Middle Eastern" menu -- surprising, as I was expecting something more fusiony. Could be good, though.

A few feet north, Blu (Coral) Sushi Lounge (oh, sorry, "sushi.lounge") is also open in the Hotel Orrington space vacated by Narra.

The unlamented Annam Cafe on Clark has been replaced by a (soon-to-be unlamented?) standard Ameri-Thai place.

Just a couple things on my way down Division today...

According to Jerry's Website they are having their official opening in Wicker Park on Monday 7/9, but they might be having a "soft" opening right now. I saw at least one couple looking at the menu while seated outside.

The new Pizza place just to the East has now hiring signs up, furniture has been delivered and set up.

It looks like the build out between the two, which use to be a garage, looks like it has a ways to go. Anyone know what is going into this space?

Fyi all three of these locations are about a block East of Damen on Division.

Further down the way (Hoyne/Division) right across Hoyne from Crust (which seems to be doing OK, at about 6 it looks like people were waiting to be seated) there are building permits on the building for building the space out to a restaurant space. No idea what this is for.

Finally not in Wicker Park, but the East Loop, there are signs up at "Tavern at the Park" in One Pru advertising "Now Hiring". It looks from the outside there is some work still to be done, but the sign is up on the exterior, I think it went up late last week.

SSDD

Tavern at the Park has been hosting job interviews this week so I assume that they are nearly ready and are finally going to open (originally "early 2007" then "june 2007" then just "summer 2007" i think the sign now says)..


no word on if their outdoor patio space (on the roof) will be open? It's a bit unclear if there was such a space planned even, but their mock drawings seem to show it. If so, that might be a potentially amazing new outdoor space.

Tavern at the Park
130 E. Randolph Street (Prudential Plaza)

Kimmerz321 wrote:

Kimmerz321 wrote:On California just south of Augusta in Humboldt Park, there has been a sign up for a new place called "Cosmos Politan - an Eating Experience". They've been working on it for about a month now, but I haven't heard anything about an opening date.

I'll answer my own post here. According to Time Out Chicago, the new restaurant is called Cosmopolitan, and is a BYOB joint that will serve Mediterranean fare. Owned and operated by a husband and wife team who met at a restaurant they both worked at in Indiana. I'm not sure if it's open yet - it was listed under the "too new to review" section.

The latest TimeOut says Cosmospolitan has opened (its name seems to have been morphed--at least in print and elsewhere--into a single word, though take note it's not spelled like the martini there's an extra "s"--which actually helps find it when searching so as long as you realize this... I didn't initially and only today realized it)... most of the reviews i read elsewhere were raving about it (a few sound like they had bad experiences too, though), but Timeout's review was 3/5 stars... I don't think they were blown away or disappointed.. I'll probably be checking it out in the next week or two since I live 3 blocks from there now.

Super Fast Mexican Burrito (or something like that) just a few doors east of the Orange Garden on Irving Park. Was an empty storefront for years and looks like they spent a few bucks cleaning the place up.

Walked by the Prudential Building this evening. They seem to be putting the finishing touches on a new restaurant/bar in the long-vacant Chicago Bar & Grill space in the SW corner of the building. It looks nice; dark wood and stone work, comfy booths. As of now, I have no idea what they're calling it or what they'll be serving.

Gayety's Chocolates and Ice Cream is available in northwest suburban Barrington at the Barrington Chocolate and Ice Cream Shop, which opened last week. Gayetys will also be expanding to other locations soon. (Sorry,the article doesn't mention an address.)
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/business/ ... G1.article

Gayety's Chocolates and Ice Cream
3306 Ridge Road, Lansing
(800) 491-0755
www.gayetys.com

Paul SL wrote:Walked by the Prudential Building this evening. They seem to be putting the finishing touches on a new restaurant/bar in the long-vacant Chicago Bar & Grill space in the SW corner of the building. It looks nice; dark wood and stone work, comfy booths. As of now, I have no idea what they're calling it or what they'll be serving.

Back in the days when Leo Burnett was in that building, the bar never lacked for business.

Paul SL wrote:Walked by the Prudential Building this evening. They seem to be putting the finishing touches on a new restaurant/bar in the long-vacant Chicago Bar & Grill space in the SW corner of the building. It looks nice; dark wood and stone work, comfy booths. As of now, I have no idea what they're calling it or what they'll be serving.

As ddane noted a few posts up, this is "Tavern at the Park." There is a Keefer's tie-in.

http://www.tavernatthepark.com/

(No affiliation, I just work in the same building.)

A new awning has gone up on Blackhawk and Ashland (old Stevie B's) The new place is going to be moroccan. La Brochette. I've been waiting forever for a new place there, let's hope it's better than the place on Ashland, Marrakech, which I found to be enedible.

Two moroccan restaurants in a couple blocks. Weird.

I'm looking forward to it, especially if it's open for lunch.