I also heard they might relocate somewhere nearby? Maybe the old Timbers location?

Rom, the Italian coffee bar in the Prudential Building, is opening a second location, facing the park in the new River East development. According to the owner, they'll be open tomorrow.

Rom
400 East South Water St.

Tammy76 wrote:I also heard they might relocate somewhere nearby? Maybe the old Timbers location?

Well now, wouldn't that be ironic?

I hear that Sprinkles cupcakes is planning an outlet here, at a location to be determined.

I called Sweet Collective, the bakery that's opening in the old Grazers Gourmet location on North Lincoln, and they're planning to open the first week of October. Four female bakers will be sharing the space, according to Dish.

tarte tatin wrote:In Evanston: The storefront on the southeast corner of Central and Lincolnwood (across from Hartigan's Ice Cream) has large signs announcing: Taylor Street--Coming Soon to You!

Also in Evanston, Ninefish on Main St. received approval for a beer and wine license (per the Evanston Roundtable 9/19/07).

(This issue also carries a story on the Evanston city council debate over whether to allow a new pizza place in the same Main Street Marketplace as Ninefish--Sarpino's Pizzeria--to stay open until 3 am.... I'm sure the good ladies of the WCTU are spinning in their graves over the goings-on in their Evanston!)

Hss anyone found out what type of food Taylor Street will be serving?

EvanstonFoodGuy wrote:Hss anyone found out what type of food Taylor Street will be serving?

Is there any doubt that it might be Italian? (Maybe doubt about the Italian region ...)

nr706 wrote:

EvanstonFoodGuy wrote:Hss anyone found out what type of food Taylor Street will be serving?

Is there any doubt that it might be Italian? (Maybe doubt about the Italian region ...)

Yes more than likely, just hoping it not pizza with Americian style pasta with red sauce menu. The last thing Evanston (or any town) needs is another middle of the road Italian place.

EvanstonFoodGuy wrote:
Hss anyone found out what type of food Taylor Street will be serving?

Wonder if it could be another branch of this place?

http://www.taylorstpizza.com/locations.html

Our group at work had pizza brought in from their Naperville location yesterday.

I thought it was just Ok. Rather thick, tasteless crust. Mild sauce. Don't remember tasting any fennel flavor in the sausage.

I was thinking maybe Taylor Street Pizza but I checked their site and no mention. ironically, No location on Taylor street either

Bill wrote:I noted the following additions to the food scene when walking home - down Clark St., N. of Lunt - from the Rogers Park METRA station last Thursday night:

A restaurant purporting to provide food typical to the Mexican state of Michoacan

Just FYI, we ate there last night and had fajitas, which were fine, and pork with cactus, which was awful. Well, the cactus and sauce were fine, but the pork was nothing but gristle. Big hunks of it in every piece. I finally got so tired of having to spit something out with every mouthful (once I managed to saw said mouthful off a hunk of pork - it was so tough it was like it had developed an exoskeleton) that I just pushed it aside and ate my husband's fajitas instead.

(Until I accidentally ate a jalapeno. For whatever reason, I can tolerate just about every other hot thing better than a jalapeno. They just kill me. Even touching one causes burning pain that lasts for days.)

The silver lining to this was that he took me out to Healthy Food for the first time ever to make up for the unpleasant meal. It definitely made my suffering worthwhile

I see that another Halsted Street Deli is set to open in a month or two in our office building which is 222 N LaSalle.

HSD though, will probably have an address of like 205 N. Wells, as it is on the El side of the building.

I do like their soup and sandwich combo, for the price, when visiting some of their other locations. Actually looking forward to trying their breakfast options, which seem to get positive customer reviews when search the net.

Since Au Bon Pain closed up 3 years ago, our building has been dead, cold winter months food wise.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:Just FYI, we ate there last night and had fajitas, which were fine, and pork with cactus, which was awful. Well, the cactus and sauce were fine, but the pork was nothing but gristle. Big hunks of it in every piece. I finally got so tired of having to spit something out with every mouthful (once I managed to saw said mouthful off a hunk of pork - it was so tough it was like it had developed an exoskeleton) that I just pushed it aside and ate my husband's fajitas instead.

I got some food from Sabor a Michoacan a couple of weeks ago, and thought it was pretty darn good. The service was slooooow, but they had just opened, so I let it slide. I just got a torta and a couple of tostadas (tinga and ceviche). Nothing that special, but good enough to make me want to go back. I got the food to go, and they packed the tostadas separate from the toppings, which was a nice touch. They also gave me extra tostadas (probably to make up for the wait). The tostada de ceviche was only 2.75 and was quite good. Plus, they gave me about a 1/3lb of ceviche. Actually, I was headed over there tonight to try the entrees. In fact, it was the pork and nopalitos that caught my eye the last time I was there, but after reading about your experience, I might try something else (or go to Deta's instead).

dug wrote:in edgewater/uptown sabaidee featuring asian cusine,located at 5359 n. broadway looks almost ready to open.

I was a little underwhelmed when I first read this post, thinking that the new place would just be another pan-Asian type of restaurant. But walking by tonight, I see they have erected their new awning which specifies that they will be serving Lao cuisine. Could be pretty cool!

tapler wrote:

dug wrote:in edgewater/uptown sabaidee featuring asian cusine,located at 5359 n. broadway looks almost ready to open.

I was a little underwhelmed when I first read this post, thinking that the new place would just be another pan-Asian type of restaurant. But walking by tonight, I see they have erected their new awning which specifies that they will be serving Lao cuisine. Could be pretty cool!

pretty cool indeed!
thanks for the specifics,the newly refurbished space[on the east side of broadway] looks very fresh,simple and bright and it should make a real nice addition to our neighborhood.i can't wait to try it.

I'm sad to report that Samuel's Deli at Broadway and Roscoe is closed as of today. While I didn't get in as often as I would have liked, it was a neighborhood source for great bagels, cream cheese, and lox.

Am I supposed to eat those horrible puffy pillows other places around my apt. try to pass off as bagels now?

A driveby tonight confirmed what Gus had told me; two places visited by the Evanston Lunch Group™ are no longer with us (although I may be wrong about the first one).

New Soul Café, on the site of the long-lamented Cajun Charlie's, had fairly simple food in a difficult location. As I vaguely recall, the owners were neophytes at running a restaurant. (I saw a sign on the door from across the street, and the place was dark, but didn't read the sign, so they may be just severely restricting their hours.)

Also, the relatively new Ninefish is dark. All the tables are perfectly set, but it was dark and locked (its hours are listed as open seven days for dinner), and the signage had been removed from the building.

Both lunches were arranged by Mhays. Hmmm ...

nr706 wrote:A driveby tonight confirmed what Gus had told me; two places visited by the Evanston Lunch Group™ are no longer with us.

New Soul Café, on the site of the long-lamented Cajun Charlie's, had fairly simple food in a difficult location. As I vaguely recall, the owners were neophytes at running a restaurant.

Also, the relatively new Ninefish is dark. All the tables are perfectly set, but it was dark and locked (its hours are listed as open seven days for dinner), and the signage had been removed from the building.

Both lunches were arranged by Mhays. Hmmm ...

Actually, New Soul Cafe has a sign on the door stating their hours as Sun 9-5 Sat 9-5. I got the impression that they were only open those 2 days.

and don't forget, Mhays also wanted to go th Cafe Salemera. Hmmm indeed.

And I'm warning you publicly, Gus - if you close after I nominate you for a GNR, I'm...well...I don't know what I'll do. Go on a hunger strike? Start organizing lunches at Chili's in the hopes of eradicating them?

Mhays wrote:Start organizing lunches at Chili's in the hopes of eradicating them?

Excellent idea! After all, you did such a good job on Wolfgang Puck's ...

dug wrote:in edgewater/uptown sabaidee featuring asian cusine,located at 5359 n. broadway looks almost ready to open just a few doors down from the much anticipated pepitones 5437 n. broadway.

News on both fronts: according to my little birdy, Sabaidee will open on the 28th and Pepitone's, which waited on its liquor license to open, will finally (!!) open on October 3.


Edited to note: my little birdie must have been a trifle optimistic. No tables yet inside the Lao place...will keep you posted.

The Paramount Room, from the owners of GNR recipient Volo, has opened in the former 4 Taste space in River West (on Milwaukee just before hitting Des Plaines if heading South). I believe it's been open since the beginning of the month; although I've passed by on foot a few times, I've not had a chance to check it out yet. It appears to have a pretty decent beer list (I was hoping for something slightly broader with more off-the-beaten path stuff, but there should be something for most everyone). The link to the food menu on the website isn't working yet, but based on the menu on display out front, I'd probably characterize it as upscale pub food.

Paramount Room
415 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL
312-829-6300

According to Chicago Magazine's Dish newsletter, "The windows of Platiyo (3313 N. Clark St.) are papered over, and the phone has been temporarily disconnected."

Assuming it is in fact gone, I'm not so disappointed. When Platiyo first opened, I thought it was very good. But as time passed, both the quality of the food and the service went downhill significantly.

Two River North notes:

First, the NE corner of Chicago and Dearborn, across from the YMCA, which was some kind of rib place for a while has re-opened as Iggy's. It looks like it is substantially more bar inside than the last tenant of that corner.

Second, the windows of the location formerly known as Xel-Ha are papered over with pages of an Italian newspaper. I forgot to look to see which one, but this page is carefully folded and posted on the front door:

I think "The Irish Pub & Restaurant" that has taken years to build (wedged between Bertucci's & Washington Gardens in Highwood) is FINALLY ready to open in the next few months. I have nothing concrete but have just heard rumblings. If anyone has heard anything more detailed, please do elaborate.

TonySpilotro wrote:I think "The Irish Pub & Restaurant" that has taken years to build (wedged between Bertucci's & Washington Gardens in Highwood) is FINALLY ready to open in the next few months. I have nothing concrete but have just heard rumblings. If anyone has heard anything more detailed, please do elaborate.

You have to wonder what the issue is. It costs money to rehab, rent doesn't stop because you're not ready to open, so it is a continuous river of money out the door. It will be interesting to know if the same owners who conceived it are still present when it opens.

Have you been to the new restaurant in Highland Park at Elm and 2nd Street next to Jade Restaurant on Elm? It's called the Tasting Room. I arrived early, saw people at the bar chatting, the door locked and nobody bothering to check on the person looking in at the door. While I am interested in what it may be, it's not been a priority.

Regards,

Cathy2,

It took the people who opened Marge's Still in Chicago 4 1/2 YEARS to get their liquor license so they could open. I know people who have been through the process. If you don't know someone or grease the right palms, the process can be dragged out for a very long time.

I stopped in at Sabaidee last night (right next to Golden Pacific) on B'Way -- young man & his mother behind counter -- hot table for take out service, he said it was the first day -- and that it was Laotian. Menus not out yet, I had a quarter roast chicken and an order of pork wonton (basically crab rangoon with ground pork instead). Saw a sign "eggplant tofu" which will be on the menu later.

Chloe54 wrote:The Boundary.

http://www.boundarychicago.com/

the boundary has opened... haven't been but i've heard a few good things about it, and unbelievably--so far--none too bad (which is kind of the opposite of what i've heard of it's next door neighbor--Jerry's)... a lot of skeptics out there about this place, given where it is, so they must be fairly good at what they're trying to do...

I noticed last week that Lincoln Town Gyros on Halsted St. just north of Fullerton is closed. There was paper on the windows, the outside of the building was being prepared for painting and a sign in the window read: Smoke Shack Opening Soon. This was my go-to place for quality gyros, so I'm sad to see it go. I'll have to find a new place up on the north side.

There is a new restaurant opening at 1422 Morse Ave, near the Morse Ave Market. It is called The Grill Inn, and the sign in the window promises steaks, ribs and chicken. It has a mighty fancy looking awning for Morse Avenue.