Last night on my way home, I noticed that Ghareeb Nawaz seemed to be shut - at least, all the lights were off and there was what appeared to be a vending machine blocking the doorway. Does anyone know what happened? And where will I get my $.50 naan now?

I know people on this site aren't huge fans, but the Lalo's on LaSalle has closed. Went past it last weekend. It appears that the Lalo's folks still own it and an "exciting new concept" is coming.

The old Puerta Vallerta spot on the corner of Wells and Hubbard is coming back as a sports bar. Mrs. Jacketpotato was very excited about it The sign is up and I read in Metromix that it's opening in 2009.

http://chicago.metromix.com/bars-and-cl ... 64/content

A new Assyrian/Iraqi bakery opened up one store west of Uncle Kabob on Devon. Not sure what the place is called but signs in Arabic and English proclaim "samoon har" or hot samoon (bread). They also make a variety of pies (meat, za'atar and veggie) all fresh. I sampled the meat and it was tasty if a bit underspiced. Fans of Iraqi style samoon bread should take heed as it looks like they make it fresh throughout the day.

Uncle's Kabob
2816 W. Devon
Chicago, IL

Santander's favorite place, Cocina Barro, appears to have closed. There is a big banner outside that says "Thank You, Chicago, for 25 Years," and inside, most of the furniture has been removed.

Cocina Barro
73 E. Lake Street
Chicago

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:Last night on my way home, I noticed that Ghareeb Nawaz seemed to be shut - at least, all the lights were off and there was what appeared to be a vending machine blocking the doorway. Does anyone know what happened? And where will I get my $.50 naan now?

While I have not been in the area lately some of my friends have...

December 30 wrote:cannot believe how crowded this place was at 10:45 on a tuesday night. I twas PACKED! What are they, giving the food away?

December 29 wrote:Wow--it smelled SO good here! We would have loved to stop for a bite to eat but we were on our way to meet friends at a Mexican restaurant and we didn't think we could handle two meals tonight.

Should be good to go...

Jamieson22 wrote:El Pollo Loco on Milwaukee in Logan Square is closed. Went to grab lunch on Friday and the awning was down the inside seemed to be in an early stage of dismantling.

Jamie

Mannheim N of North Av too (or so I have heard)..

Rene G wrote:There's a post over on Chowhound that says Hourglass will reopen December 1 at 9850 N Milwaukee in Des Plaines.

I was at Pita Inn right next door yesterday, and 9850 is indeed no longer El Sueno, but it's about to be yet another Korean BBQ with a name beginning with two esses, like "Ssabona" or something.

Are the restaurants up there (Illinois) closing grdually? Steak and Ale went out here along with Hometown Buffet and quite a few of the family owned ones are going out. Malls are closing here as well, which do contain restaurants, also. Thought about running a restaurant here in Texas, but now doesn't sound like a good time to do so.

pattycakes wrote:Are the restaurants up there (Illinois) closing grdually?

It's getting ugly.

Out with the old...

dollbabytina wrote:from last weeks Wednesday Journal:
French Bistro Café le Coq, 734 Lake St., has been closed for close to a month, and sources say the restaurant may be gone for good.

...

In with the new...

Klay Oven Restaurant
734 Lake St.
Oak Park
(708) 386-3999

Advance notice of their opening.
Threads on the Downtown location.

We had a hankering for some New Years fare and drove by and noticed the new restaurant. It was not open at the time but upon passing by later in the day it was. No body inside eating that we could see.

Looks good!

JoelF wrote:

Rene G wrote:There's a post over on Chowhound that says Hourglass will reopen December 1 at 9850 N Milwaukee in Des Plaines.

I was at Pita Inn right next door yesterday, and 9850 is indeed no longer El Sueno, but it's about to be yet another Korean BBQ with a name beginning with two esses, like "Ssabona" or something.

Yeah, I was trying to figure that one out, too- Ssaboo? Something like that.

When did Sphinx Cafe at Dempster & Milwaukee become something else? I just noticed it today, turning left onto eastbound Dempster and I couldn't even tell what the sign said, just that it was different.

Looks like an old stalwart, Bolat African Cuisine, has gone under. Growing up in East Lakeview, I often walked by this place and admired the cool mural on the outside and wondered what was going on in the dimly lit interior. I finally tried it in high school and loved it - my first taste of a cuisine foriegn to me other than Chinese.

I haven't been back in a while and am now kicking myself. Hopefully this is only temporary.

Damn you Lakeview!!!

Bolat
3346 N Clark St
Chicago, IL

Panther in the Den wrote:In with the new...

Klay Oven Restaurant
734 Lake St.
Oak Park
(708) 386-3999

Advance notice of their opening.
Threads on the Downtown location.

We had a hankering for some New Years fare and drove by and noticed the new restaurant. It was not open at the time but upon passing by later in the day it was. No body inside eating that we could see.

Looks good!

Ahh, finally some confirmation, thanks! I had bumped into Jim August's daughter over the summer and she had mentioned that it would be an Indian restaurant moving into that location. So much time had passed without any further info that I was wondering if the deal had fallen through somehow or if I was just losing my mind

Apparently, Leona's has bought Amphora, formerly known as Gateway, formerly known as My Place For.

Mhays wrote:Apparently, Leona's has bought Amphora, formerly known as Gateway, formerly known as My Place For.

As if we need another Leona's.... Too bad.

Buenos Aires Forever

939 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, (773) 486-8081

www.buenosairesforever.com

Drove by today, paper on the windows.

A new awning at the coffee shop that recently closed at Broadway and Granville now says Bananas Foster Cafe. I walk by it daily on the way to the el so will keep posted on developments.

nicinchic wrote:Buenos Aires Forever

939 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, (773) 486-8081

http://www.buenosairesforever.com

Drove by today, paper on the windows.

It's like the last page of the Neverending Story.

Buenos Aires Occasionally. Buenos Aires Sometimes. Buenos Aires Has-Been. Buenos Aires Erstwhile? Buenos Aires Once. Buenos Aires Formerly.

Buenos Aires Nevermore.

nicinchic wrote:Buenos Aires Forever

939 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, (773) 486-8081

http://www.buenosairesforever.com

Drove by today, paper on the windows.

Thank you for posting on the original thread discussing this restaurant. It is really useful to close the chapter where it began. Especially if someone sets off to visit and comes up on an empty storefront.

Regards,

And they're back.....
Mallers' Family Restaurant
5 S. Wasbash
Chicago, IL 60603
3rd floor
312-419-2817
free delivery

Now owned by an hispanic couple. The whole front of the menu is mexican specialties, the rest of the menu is typical diner food from the past. I only stopped into today for a large soup to go and it came in a 16 oz styrofoam cup for $3.85. The prices appear the same, hamburger deluxe (with fries or onion rings and soup $4.99) pretty good loop deal.

Apparently they have been open a month. I went in at 11:45 and no one was there. I hope it makes it, but the jewelry shops in the building are closing at a rapid rate.

nicinchic wrote:And they're back.....
Mallers' Family Restaurant

I had stopped there back in July and had a disappointing meal. My look at the menu was similar to your visit and a Hispanic couple also owned it.

Maybe a new Hispanic couple? Reopening?

I miss the old Loop deli's although Ada's across the street will do nicely.

Completely new couple. She said they have been open a month.

Cocino Barro, 73 E. Lake in the loop, was not open at all last week, their web page is down, and there's no answer on their phone. Not a great loss from a culinary standpoint, but it's always hard to see the independents go belly up.

Ann Fisher wrote:Cocino Barro, 73 E. Lake in the loop, was not open at all last week, their web page is down, and there's no answer on their phone. Not a great loss from a culinary standpoint, but it's always hard to see the independents go belly up.

yep, same story a couple of weeks ago.

drove past Arun's last night at 7pm and it was locked up tight. I wonder if they are closed for vacation or something ?

tem wrote:drove past Arun's last night at 7pm and it was locked up tight. I wonder if they are closed for vacation or something ?

Closed until the 16th (verified via restaurant phone message)

Habibi wrote:Looks like an old stalwart, Bolat African Cuisine, has gone under. Growing up in East Lakeview, I often walked by this place and admired the cool mural on the outside and wondered what was going on in the dimly lit interior. I finally tried it in high school and loved it - my first taste of a cuisine foriegn to me other than Chinese.

I haven't been back in a while and am now kicking myself. Hopefully this is only temporary.

Damn you Lakeview!!!

Bolat
3346 N Clark St
Chicago, IL

They actually had a kitchen fire a couple months ago, no activity since. The windows on the upper floors of the building are boarded up.

The Bolat truck outside the Sheraton Hotel downtown is still going strong every day at lunchtime.

It seems that Jackey's Ice Cream, our local Chocolate Shoppe outlet, has closed. I believe this establishment was resurrected once before, but this time it looks closed for good. If it closed for lack of business, then I feel sorta guilty eventhough I am not a big ice cream eater. I wonder if the new Dunkin' Robbins up the street had anything to do with it.

Jackey's Ice Cream
7000 N. Western
Chicago