Suzy Creamcheese wrote:The food was serviceable but dull, food for a Chicago that really no longer exists. Still, I liked that it was there, and I'll miss it.

kenji wrote:

Panther in the Den wrote:

Panther in the Den wrote:Maple Tree on Lake St will now be Delia's Kitchen (Comming Soon! ).

Not!

All the signage announcing the new restaurant has been removed and a orange STOP WORK! sticker in on the front door.

That's not good. Someone didn't get permits. That's never good.

All of the orange stop work stickers on businesses in my ward and precinct that I see tend to be there for long stretches of time not just days or weeks.

lsher wrote:It appears that the new Five Guys is open in Gurnee.

Local grocer expanding

Tony's Finer Foods Inc., which has six locations in the Chicago area, paid about $4.7 million in cash and assumed a $12.6-million loan when it acquired Ballard Plaza at 8888 N. Greenwood Ave. in north suburban Niles from Newport Capital Partners LLC, says Derrick McGavic, a managing principal with Skokie-based Newport. The 90,867-square-foot retail center includes a vacant Dominick's that closed in 2007. Meanwhile, Tony's paid $8.6 million for a shuttered Jewel-Osco at 3120 N. Pulaski Road on the Northwest Side, property records show. The seller was Chicago grocer Pete's Fresh Market, which had contemplated a store there but never submitted plans and is focused on a store planned for Madison Street and Western Avenue on the Near West Side, Endy Zemenides, a lawyer at Chicago firm Johnston Greene LLC who represents Pete's, said recently. Pete's owner James Dremonas and the owners of Chicago-based Tony's did not return calls requesting comment. Tony's will spend an additional $5 million to renovate Ballard Plaza, says Dino Geroulis of Chicago-based Axis Realty Inc., who represented Tony's in that deal.

duppie wrote:Scheduled opening date is September 10th. Look for their website here: http://vincentchicago.com/ (warning: work in progress)

Reportedly they will be serving vlaai for desert.

halincandenza wrote:The news has been making the rounds that La Tache in Andersonville/Edgewater will be changing over to Vincent, which will serve New American cuisine with an "Amsterdam twist" courtesy Joncarl Lachman of HB Home Bistro.

La Tache
1475 West Balmoral Avenue
Chicago, IL

Appetizers
Maatje Haring Shot Pickled herring, young genever shot, onion, pickle
Dutch Mustard Soup Jonah crab, crème fraiche, tarragon pesto
Dutch Onion Soup Duck confit, sweet onion, leiden, brown bread
Uitsmijter Fried egg, brown sugar bacon, edam kaas, greens, toasted brioche vinaigrette
Braised Chicken Satay Peanut sauce, toasted cashews, chive
Grilled Whole Madagascar Prawns Anchovy butter, parsley
Sauteed Escargot Orange, garlic, tomato, herbs, croutons
Crab Croquettes Old Bay mayonnaise, grilled lemon, baby greens
Duck Liver Crostini Wild mushroom, herb drizzle, goat cheese
Housemade Charcuterie Board
Foie Gras Quince gastrique, mustard oil, potato crisps
Harvest Moon Farms Heirloom Tomatoes Basil, feta, aged balsamic
Frites Various dips
Groen
Endive and Mixed Greens Mustard seed vinaigrette, grilled bread, shaved aged gouda
Watercress Hard boiled quail egg, pickled onion, cucumber, brown bread, almond, Champagne mint vinaigrette
Grilled Romaine Housemade lardons, anchovy, torn parsely, Ceasar

Mains
Grilled Lamb Burger Stuffed with roasted garlic and mint butter, melted fontina, roasted tomato, fried shallot rings, aioli, frites
Housemade Sausage on grilled bread With shellbean puree with frisee salad, lardons
Brown Sugar Cured Pork Belly and Suckling Pig Zuurkool, roasted fingerlings, mustard
Braised Rabbit Risotto Roasted pear, artichoke, rabbit leg, thyme
Two Duxelles Stuffed Quail Creamy mushroom barely , shiitakes, feta, parsley
Seared Salmon on Tuscan Bean and Faro Soup Beet chutney
Olive Oiled Poached Cod Oyster chowder, corn off the cob, spinach, nutmeg, sourdough croutes
Skate Amandine on French Cauliflower Puree Roasted cauliflower, pancetta, parsley puree
Chicken
Steak
Moules Frites Five kinds: Amsterdam, Portuguesa, Marinara, Breton, Provencal
Shellfish Stew
Whole grilled fish cooked in banana leaf

Desserts
Vlaai
Licorice flavored ice cream
Appelgebak
Cheese Cart

ekreider wrote:From Crain's web site

Local grocer expanding

Tony's Finer Foods Inc., which has six locations in the Chicago area, paid about $4.7 million in cash and assumed a $12.6-million loan when it acquired Ballard Plaza at 8888 N. Greenwood Ave. in north suburban Niles from Newport Capital Partners LLC, says Derrick McGavic, a managing principal with Skokie-based Newport. The 90,867-square-foot retail center includes a vacant Dominick's that closed in 2007. Meanwhile, Tony's paid $8.6 million for a shuttered Jewel-Osco at 3120 N. Pulaski Road on the Northwest Side, property records show. The seller was Chicago grocer Pete's Fresh Market, which had contemplated a store there but never submitted plans and is focused on a store planned for Madison Street and Western Avenue on the Near West Side, Endy Zemenides, a lawyer at Chicago firm Johnston Greene LLC who represents Pete's, said recently. Pete's owner James Dremonas and the owners of Chicago-based Tony's did not return calls requesting comment. Tony's will spend an additional $5 million to renovate Ballard Plaza, says Dino Geroulis of Chicago-based Axis Realty Inc., who represented Tony's in that deal.

Tony's web site lists the Ballard Plaza store as coming soon.

jsagoff wrote:Surprisingly -- no, incredibly -- the Caffe Florian, one of the two mainstays and student hangouts in Hyde Park, has closed its doors for good.

ekreider wrote:I wonder if buying the much larger building and parking lot at Belmont and Pulaski means that Tony's will close the store at 4600 W. Belmont, about 3/4 mile away. That store has seriously inadequate parking.

Kennyz wrote:The Reagle Beagle has morphed into something called Grami (Grand and Michigan) which should instantly jump to the top of eatchicago's list. A quick glance at the menu led me to believe that it's the same horrendous bar food, now without the 80's shtick.

Pie Lady wrote:So exciting!
In the old Joe Box Grill space (3918 Touhy Ave.), there's work being done inside and a sign on the window that says Pita Inn Out. I sure hope that means what I think it means!

LAZ wrote:Carlos & Carlos in the Metropolis theater complex in downtown Arlington Heights was papered over when I went to see "Rod Blagojevich Superstar" last night.

Pie Lady wrote:Other than that, how was the show?

Pie Lady wrote:If only they'd feed you falafel while you sit.

Fujisan wrote:

ekreider wrote:I wonder if buying the much larger building and parking lot at Belmont and Pulaski means that Tony's will close the store at 4600 W. Belmont, about 3/4 mile away. That store has seriously inadequate parking.

That's true, but then I won't have a Tony's only 1/2 a block away any more!

Dave148 wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:If only they'd feed you falafel while you sit.

A fantastic marketing plan. I'll pass it along to my barber.

Pie Lady wrote:

Dave148 wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:If only they'd feed you falafel while you sit.

A fantastic marketing plan. I'll pass it along to my barber.

I can't take full credit for this one, but if your barber would like to spread the wealth on this new venture, I'll give you my address. I used to get my 'do done at Hair Performers in Norridge and they gave me hot chocolate to sip during the cut. Quite a luxury when you're 8.