Some friends of mine are opening a new restaurant, Saigon Grill, where Pier 5736 used to be.

They are ethnic Chinese who grew up in Vietnam, so the menu will be half Chinese and half Vietnamese dishes. The restaurant will be BYOB. They're hoping to open in about a month.

For those of you in Edgebrook, you may know them--Sonny and April of Demetre's dry cleaners on Devon. They do a wonderful Vietnamese New Year in the shop every year that gets a lot of neighborhood attendees.

Saigon Grill (opening July-ish 2010)
5736 N. Elston Chicago, IL 60646

Some friends of mine are opening a new restaurant, Saigon Grill, where Pier 5736 used to be.

They are ethnic Chinese who grew up in Vietnam, so the menu will be half Chinese and half Vietnamese dishes. The restaurant will be BYOB. They're hoping to open in about a month.

Thanks for the good info. Keep us posted, please!

Dave148 wrote:Shallots Bistro Inc
http://www.shallotsbistro.com
4741 Main Street
Skokie, IL 60076
(847) 677-3463
is closed.

Banner in front says Skokie Club is now open. http://skokieclub.com/
Yes, that Skokie Club from Laris brothers.

I have heard shallots will be opening on Carpenter rd where the Macaroni grill was

2146 north wrote:

Dave148 wrote:Shallots Bistro Inc
http://www.shallotsbistro.com
4741 Main Street
Skokie, IL 60076
(847) 677-3463
is closed.

Banner in front says Skokie Club is now open. http://skokieclub.com/
Yes, that Skokie Club from Laris brothers.

I have heard shallots will be opening on Carpenter rd where the Macaroni grill was

Yep - they just updated the website.

Lykorian...re: Red Lion:

All I know for now is they will not initially have a liquor license, but the alderman says should not be a promblem (hopefully)....Red Lion without beer would be odd.

This all comes from Joe (whom I'm sure you know if you were a regular at the old place)...and I believe (but am not sure) that Colin will be back too...especially once the bar gets going...

Hope it all works out....these are some really REALLY great guys...

The owners of Simone's will be opening The Boiler Room in Logan Square soon (was originally going to be called Nice Slice). Looks promising!

The Boiler Room
2210 N California Ave

Fujisan wrote:There is a sign on the Pepe's Mexican Restaurant at 3242 N Pulaski Rd saying it is becoming a Las Asadas.

Per Facebook, the grand opening is tonight.

grits wrote:Some friends of mine are opening a new restaurant, Saigon Grill, where Pier 5736 used to be. [/i]

You might want to let them know the NW side local newspaper has a restaurant ad section that gets good mileage for dollar spent.

http://www.nadignewspapers.com/

Also they might want to advertise in the local Portage Park newsletter over by here too:

http://www.portagepark.org/

We've been eating in that storefront since the 80's when a sushi bar opened there.

Okay, Habibi's on Devon doesn't seem to have closed after all.

On the other hand, Hortex on West Irving Park had paper up in the windows. Not a tragedy like if Smak Tak closed, but to my mind certainly among the better Polish places.

New Mexican Restaurant opened up at 3144 N Narragansett, Meson Del Taco. Walking by on the way to the library and saw they have an Pastor Spit. I stopped in and asked them when were going to make Al Pastor tacos, they said yes that they could heat some up, I asked when they have them on the spit and they said they run it in the AM. Ill give it a try some morning.

The site has been numerous places, the last incarnation was going to be a pizza place that had a sign on the side announcing award winning pizza, before it even opened.

kenji wrote:

grits wrote:Some friends of mine are opening a new restaurant, Saigon Grill, where Pier 5736 used to be. [/i]

You might want to let them know the NW side local newspaper has a restaurant ad section that gets good mileage for dollar spent.

Thanks, I will mention this to them.

ParkLaBrea....re: Red Lion Pub,

I saw your post yesterday and was very surprised at the news. Colin is a good friend of mine and so I had to ask "Himself". His reply was there will be no other location for The Red Lion anywhere but at the original site at 2446 N. Lincoln Ave. The Red Lion shall rise - Phoenix like - at the original site, to take it's rightful place once again as the finest English pub in all of Chicago. I just wish it were sooner rather than later. Due to problems with architects, contractors etc. this has been a painfully slow process, but it is still moving forward.

The Red Lion will rear its head once again but not in Lincoln Square. Maybe Joe was wistfully dreaming out loud or sending out a weather balloon to gauge interest. He may want to do something on his own up there in Lincoln Sq., I don't know.

This much I do know - The Red Lion is sorely missed and when it comes back I'll be there with a Scotch in one hand, an ale in the other and a big grin on my fat ruddy face.

I was at the Promenade in Bolingbrook on Monday and saw the Five Guys opened that day.

Planning to check it out tonight for dinner, and see if Five Guys is to my liking

Five Guys
741 E. Boughton Rd. Suite # 128
Bolingbrook, IL.

The question of what is going in at the corner of Irving and Sacramento has been answered:

The Leader Bar
3000 W. Irving Park Rd.
Chicago, IL

"This pizza and beer bar from the owner of Uberstein and Max Bar aims to open in August at the corner of Irving Park and California [sic]. Expect more than a dozen beers on tap, thin-crust pizza making in the kitchen and both a sidewalk cafe and beer garden for your outdoor-imbibing pleasure."

http://chicago.metromix.com/bars-and-cl ... 49/content

BigDCB:

Either way would be wonderful as far as I'm concerned.......But in some way, I hope you are right.....I really liked that location, and would hope they keep the same general decor/layout...

I will miss the creaky floors and sinking bar though....that can never be recreated!

just stopped in to Gaztro-wagon, who opened yesterday at pederson/elmdale and clark. the two nice folks at the counter were dressed in their chef whites which was a nice added touch.One of the owners(i assume)said they use house made sausages on the sausage naan-wich. I got the Wild boar belly,fennel, olives, yogurt,shaved red onions naan-which. its was excellent but i wished the portion was a tad larger. they are open til 2 on the weekends if i recall which is nice since they are down the street. They are closed on mondays and tuesdays if i recall. I must say that i really like the concept and i will be a regular here no doubt.
info
http://streetfoodnow.blogs.chicago.time ... stro-wagon
website
http://www.gaztro-wagon.com/Gaztro-Wagon/Home.html

Yolk is opening at McClurg and Grand. Signs went up in the window the past day or so.

Bunaken Cafe is gone already, after just a few months. I never even got a chance to try it! 8018 Lincoln Ave., Skokie.

gastrognome wrote:just stopped in to Gaztro-wagon.... They are closed on mondays and tuesdays if i recall.

They are closed Sundays and Mondays.
Hours: 11 am- 9 pm Tuesday
11 am- midnight Wednesday-Thursday
11 am- 2 am Friday
2 pm- 3 am Saturday
(I also posted this info on the main thread for Gaztro-wagon.)

I heard what I hope is just an ugly rumor on the radio today that Johnnie's Italian Beef, at least the Elmwood Park location, is closing? Anyone heard anything?

The Cold Stone Creamery on Wells St. in Old Town is closed. According to the signs in the window, a fancy-looking pasticcieria/gelateria will be opening in its place. I can't remember the name of the new place for the life of me, but they had a URL on their sign...if I find more info, I'll add it to this post.

Khaopaat wrote:The Cold Stone Creamery on Wells St. in Old Town is closed. According to the signs in the window, a fancy-looking pasticcieria/gelateria will be opening in its place. I can't remember the name of the new place for the life of me, but they had a URL on their sign...if I find more info, I'll add it to this post.

Paciugo perhaps (their website shows an unidentified Chicago location...)

I'm sad to report that Sun View market in Niles and the Chicago location of Renee Gourmet/Odessa Market just south of Niles have both closed. (I believe the Odessa location at 1241 W. Dundee Road, Buffalo Grove, still exists -- or it did about a month ago.)

boudreaulicious wrote:Paciugo perhaps (their website shows an unidentified Chicago location...)

Are they opening another Chicago location? They've already got one at 3241 N. Broadway in Lakeview...

blipsman wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:Paciugo perhaps (their website shows an unidentified Chicago location...)

Are they opening another Chicago location? They've already got one at 3241 N. Broadway in Lakeview...

They've actually opened two additional stores (Forest Park and Lincoln Square--I think this one is open--if not, it's about to). They also show another unidentified (no neighborhood noted yet) Chicago location on the website.

boudreaulicious wrote:

blipsman wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:Paciugo perhaps (their website shows an unidentified Chicago location...)

Are they opening another Chicago location? They've already got one at 3241 N. Broadway in Lakeview...

They've actually opened two additional stores (Forest Park and Lincoln Square--I think this one is open--if not, it's about to). They also show another unidentified (no neighborhood noted yet) Chicago location on the website.

Forest Park was the first Chicagoland Paciugo location, according to this thread and the store itself, which I frequent. I think I'm one of the only people to frequent it, since its 30 flavors of delicious gelato move very, very slowly and I rarely see anyone else in there. The staff enjoys web surfing and gaming in a cool room in the back.

Santander wrote:Forest Park was the first Chicagoland Paciugo location, according to this thread and the store itself, which I frequent. I think I'm one of the only people to frequent it, since its 30 flavors of delicious gelato move very, very slowly and I rarely see anyone else in there. The staff enjoys web surfing and gaming in a cool room in the back.

Richa and I have been enjoying Paciugo for a while now. With the nicer weather she's actually been using their gelato to entice friends from work out to the area - very effectively once they've actually tried some.

boudreaulicious wrote:

Khaopaat wrote:The Cold Stone Creamery on Wells St. in Old Town is closed. According to the signs in the window, a fancy-looking pasticcieria/gelateria will be opening in its place. I can't remember the name of the new place for the life of me, but they had a URL on their sign...if I find more info, I'll add it to this post.

Paciugo perhaps (their website shows an unidentified Chicago location...)

I don't think it's Paciugo...the URL had the word "pasticceria" in it.

LAZ wrote:Galena Garlic Co. opening at 318 W. State St. in Geneva.

http://www.galenagarlic.com

I wonder if they'll be sharing shipping costs with the Galena Vineyard outlet at 477 S. 3rd St., Geneva.

I wouldn't have believed it till I tried it, but Illinois Chambourcin from Galena Cellars Vineyard is the best wine I've ever tasted. I'm on my second case, and my uncle also demanded I get a case for him.

Don't judge my wine tastes based on the fact that I also have a jar of pickled garlic from Galena Garlic, and I periodically open the fridge, spear a wedge and eat it straight up as a snack. I admit that's weird. But my taste in wine is on the mildly well-informed side of normal.

This is apparently a ways off (construction beginning in the winter) but Culver's has plans to come to Roosevelt Road.

http://www.wednesdayjournalonline.com/m ... leID=17597