stevez wrote:Paper off the windows and activity going on inside the new Brasa Roja/El Llano space on Elston just north of Irving Park yesterday. It looks like the counter is installed, but I couldn't see much else as I was driving by yesterday evening.

Interesting...we drove by around 2:30 this morning and I could swear the paper was still up. Although I noticed they had banners at the top of the windows announcing their specialties, something to do with rabbit...

Opening soon:
Got Spaghetti? in the old Rusty Armadillo spot at 6154 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Don't know if that too is owned by the same folks as Jet's next door. Wonder if this is a bad idea with Pasta D'Arte directly across the street. Vying with Eattttt for #1 in bad names.
http://www.gotspaghetti.com/Home_Page.html

Closed:
It looks like the Russian deli (or is it Ukranian?) across the street from there is now defunct.
El Gato Negro is empty (1461 W. Irving Park) with an unnerving goodbye letter posted on the website. Anyone have any information on this?: http://www.elgatonegrobar.com/docs/FARE ... vents.html
and Cafe Avanti is gone too, much to my dismay (3714 N. Southport).

Cafe Avanti is soon to become a french cafe/wine bar, La Bonne Vie, from the couple who run Que Syrah---they'll have a selection of cheese and charcuterie and other nibbles, as well as pastry items. Opening some time this summer.

Also just spotted a sign in the window of what used to be the Jazze Junque (sp?) store on Belmont, just east of Paulina that reads Taco Fuego---it was a nice sign so maybe a bit of an upscale taco joint. Between that and the new pizza place (Pizza Serio) that's supposed to open soon, Scooters will be getting some potential additional customers!!

Al Primo Canto opens today in River North, old Le Lan space. See --> thread for details.

Aripos, a Venezuelan restaurant specializing in Arepas is opening in Oak Park on 14 April. It's located at 118 N Marion Street, just South of Lake.

http://www.aripos.com/swa.htm

Armand's has just opened a Pizza Place at the NE corner of 77th Ave. and North Ave. in Elmwood Park. It is a small space so I imagine they are going for the Delivery/Pickup business which was huge at the Grand ave location.

Drove by the Hoagie Hut space in Highwood (not the original, the most recent) and saw a sign indicating that GNR Maria's Bakery would be relocating to that space. FYI

New brewpub to open in the West Loop in the former Bar Louie space:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/gyrobase/h ... lText=true

cybermud wrote:New brewpub to open in the West Loop in the former Bar Louie space:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/gyrobase/h ... lText=true

Wow, this place sounds promising. Anyone know a general idea of when it would open? I didn't see that in the article. I see May 1st will be his last day at RB.

K.D. wrote:

cybermud wrote:New brewpub to open in the West Loop in the former Bar Louie space:

http://www.chicagoreader.com/gyrobase/h ... lText=true

Wow, this place sounds promising. Anyone know a general idea of when it would open? I didn't see that in the article. I see May 1st will be his last day at RB.

According to information in the Haymarket Pub and Brewing thread, it's scheduled to open in late summer. Two new brewpubs opening in Chicago within a year, this is beginning to get interesting. Yes sir, senator!

Haymarket Pub and Brewery
737 W Randolph St
Chicago
312-638-0700
http://www.haymarketbrewing.com/

iblock9 wrote:Drove by the Hoagie Hut space in Highwood (not the original, the most recent) and saw a sign indicating that GNR Maria's Bakery would be relocating to that space. FYI

Great news. Maria and Maria's are a treasure and the new location should give her more visibility.

Bella Rada, the deli at 5241 N. Harlem, is closed.

Dona Lolis, 6924 N. Clark, has the dreaded "restaurant for rent" signs in the window. They had been struggling for a long time as their offerings had grown to include hot dogs, gyros and 99 cent tacos. We did not frequent Dona Lolis much, but it does make me sad to see another empty storefront on Clark.

Marshall K wrote:Armand's has just opened a Pizza Place at the NE corner of 77th Ave. and North Ave. in Elmwood Park. It is a small space so I imagine they are going for the Delivery/Pickup business which was huge at the Grand ave location.

I hear that the tasting was last night and the Grand Opening is this Monday.

Adam's Cafe & Deli in Wheeling has closed.

Pie Lady wrote:Opening soon:
Got Spaghetti? in the old Rusty Armadillo spot at 6154 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.

Looks to be open now.

1223 Chicago Avenue in Evanston (south of Union Pizzeria and north of the former Blockbuster's) has a new sign for OrgaNick (sic). The sign is illustrated with a drawing of a strawberry topped by a swirl of yogurt.

A Google search showed that OrgaNick is a trademark owned by Fruit Chill, Inc., based in Lincolnwood. Evanston city council approved the company's proposal for a 35- to 40-seat restaurant serving "mostly" organic foods ("no fried foods," to quote the owner). No indication of opening date.

Pop's Beef opening very soon (might already be open!) at the corner of Ogden and Joliet Ave.



Nice!

Lincoln Restaurant has closed, Rolls 'n Bowls Opening Soon

4.17.10


Rolls 'n Bowls
5501 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
773-784-5225

G Wiv wrote:Lincoln Restaurant has closed, Rolls 'n Bowls Opening Soon

NOT to be confused with the Lincoln Restaurant at 4008 N Lincoln Ave., longtime meeting place of the College of Complexes.

LAZ wrote:

G Wiv wrote:Lincoln Restaurant has closed, Rolls 'n Bowls Opening Soon

NOT to be confused with the Lincoln Restaurant at 4008 N Lincoln Ave., longtime meeting place of the College of Complexes.

Thanks, I was thinking about that Lincoln, but thought that the address originally given was a bit too far north...

Chick-fil-A comes to Chicagoland, breaking ground in Aurora and Orland Park. The Aurora unit is scheduled to open first in August.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beac ... 10.article

Drove by Tsuki last night, the sushi place on Fullerton, and it was dark--closed tighter than a drum. I stopped to make sure it wasn't closed on Mondays, and the door signage posted hours indicating that it's a seven day a week operation. Too bad if it's gone--usually visited about five or six times per year and always thought it was very good (in fact, I thought it was just a slight step down from Mirai--which I've always liked for a special sushi night out). Tsuki never did seem that busy during my last few visits, and I wondered if advent of the all-you-can-eat sushi ploy in recent years (maybe offered on Wednesday nights?) was the sign of a some desperation and slow demise.....on the other hand, maybe they're just closed for vacation (although there was no such sign on the door).

I used to be a huge Tsuki fan (I proposed to my wife there), but things went seriously downhill when Ai opened. I think ownership moved a lot of resources to the new restaurant and Tsuki really suffered. This was a couple of years ago, so maybe things had gotten better, but we stopped going.

i have a friend who was a long time bartender there and they laid him off about a year ago because they couldn't support it... they were one of the very few sushi restaurants not supplied by True World Foods.

a new placed called Cloud 9 (snow ice) will be opening on belmont / broadway next to chicken hut. (in the former butterfly boutique spot, 604 West Belmont). it's some sort of shaved snow known as xue-hua-bing. which is apparently this delicious version from Taiwan: http://www.jonasapproved.com/shave-snow ... xinfating/

http://cloud9chicago.com/menu

The answering machine at Tsuki says that they are now closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Cumin in Bucktown/Wicker Park is coming soon! I'm quite excited about this!

http://cumin-chicago.com/

From MHays in the January-March 2010 Openings, Closings, etc. thread:
>>Since it's still just a rumor, but might be useful information, I thought I'd post this here: Andy's Frozen Custard has leased the old B&N space in downtown Evanston. <<

It now appears to be official. The May issue of North Shore magazine devotes a page to the story, saying the store opens "this month," and gives the following info:
Andy's Frozen Custard
719 Church Street
Evanston
847/864-8009

According to owner Andy Kuntz, his parents started their Missouri-based custard business in 1986 after meeting Leon Schneider of Milwaukee's Leon's Frozen Custard, who taught them all about the frozen treat.

Opening in May in the Evanston spot formerly occupied by Jamaica Jamaica: Donatella Mediterranean Bistro.

Menu is a bit all over the place. Pastas and risottos, but also tuna with sesame seeds and soy sauce, and for dessert, key lime pie. And I'm praying that the "scallop" in "mozzarella scallop" refers to the shape of the cheese.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll give it a try at some point.

cilantro wrote:Opening in May in the Evanston spot formerly occupied by Jamaica Jamaica: Donatella Mediterranean Bistro.

Menu is a bit all over the place. Pastas and risottos, but also tuna with sesame seeds and soy sauce, and for dessert, key lime pie. And I'm praying that the "scallop" in "mozzarella scallop" refers to the shape of the cheese.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll give it a try at some point.

I wonder if it's the same owner as the former La Cucina di Donatella. Sounds like a decent possibility.

Cordis Brothers Supper Club (1625 West Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL) is turning into The Piggery. "Coming Soon" sign is up.