Not sure when they reopened...

The stalwart...

Giovanni's Pizza (closed)
6823 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn
(708) 795-7171

Had closed a long time ago. Pretty good red sauce Italian and baked ribs.

Driving along the Metra tracks I happened to notice that they had reopened joining forces with a local bar...

Garv Inn/Giovanni's Bar & Grill
6546 Windsor Ave, Berwyn
(708) 317-5892

The owner wrote:We've joined forces with that other Berwyn staple Giovanni's Restaurant and are now serving those world famous ribs and Au Graten Potat

Meanwhile in the Forest Park Mall...

In the long shuttered...

Old Country Buffet (closed)
Ste 109, 7610 Roosevelt Rd
(708) 366-3886

There is a sign in the window mentioning another restaurant is planning to move in.

Tried to grab a picture of the sign to maintain the memory but the glare was working against me.

Something about an Oriental Grill???

On a cursed corner at Balmoral and Broadway, new signs in the windows: coming soon, Burke's Public House, 5401 N. Broadway.

I just drove down Division and noticed that there are signs up at the former August Grocery location for "Sea Dog," a sushi restaurant.

Sea Dog
1500 W. Division
Chicago, IL 60622

Panther in the Den wrote:Not sure when they reopened...

The stalwart...

Giovanni's Pizza (closed)
6823 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn
(708) 795-7171
...
Garv Inn/Giovanni's Bar & Grill
6546 Windsor Ave, Berwyn
(708) 317-5892

The owner wrote:We've joined forces with that other Berwyn staple Giovanni's Restaurant and are now serving those world famous ribs and Au Graten Potat

Have you tried Mug's (nee Mugavero's nee Giovanni's) in Des Plaines (Central near Wolf)? I believe it's the same recipes, but a family falling out led to a name change.

JoelF wrote:

Panther in the Den wrote:Not sure when they reopened...

The stalwart...

Giovanni's Pizza (closed)
6823 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn
(708) 795-7171
...
Garv Inn/Giovanni's Bar & Grill
6546 Windsor Ave, Berwyn
(708) 317-5892

The owner wrote:We've joined forces with that other Berwyn staple Giovanni's Restaurant and are now serving those world famous ribs and Au Graten Potat

Have you tried Mug's (nee Mugavero's nee Giovanni's) in Des Plaines (Central near Wolf)? I believe it's the same recipes, but a family falling out led to a name change.

Now I have two places to stop at. Thanks for the heads up!

Does anyone know if Toscana in Skokie is still open? I haven't been there in awhile, and when I drove down Oakton the other day and thought to look for it, I must have missed it, either just by chance, or maybe it closed and there were no lights on to attract my eye. It was a little east of Tub Tim Thai.

As far as I know it's still there. It's easy to miss.

abe_froeman wrote:Does anyone know if Toscana in Skokie is still open?

I believe it's closed. The phone's disconnected.

Driving around today I thought I would check in on goings on near The Kingdom of Oak Park...

Opened not too long ago...


Yova
818 S Oak Park Ave, Oak Park
Neat and clean little coffee shop. Beans from an independent roaster and a nice selection of prepackaged sweets and light food.
The owner is of Oriental decent and I had a pretty good BBQ pork sticky bun last week.
Bring in a thermos or your own mug and they will fill it for a buck.

Looks like they are getting ready to pour foundations for the new Culver's at Roosevelt and Home.



I needed to stop for a bite...


Taqueria Jalisco
7021 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn
(708) 788-6391
Tired, not too fresh, rubbery asada and the pastor was more like pork without much seasoning.
They haven't been open too long and the building is for sale and the man at the counter said they will move when the sale goes through. Bye.

Panther in the Den wrote:Meanwhile in the Forest Park Mall...

In the long shuttered...

Old Country Buffet (closed)
Ste 109, 7610 Roosevelt Rd
(708) 366-3886

There is a sign in the window mentioning another restaurant is planning to move in. Tried to grab a picture of the sign to maintain the memory but the glare was working against me. Something about an Oriental Grill???

Pie Lady wrote:News on Caldwell's (7201 Caldwell Ave., Niles): although the Opening Soon signs are still there and there seems to be logo signs in some windows, there is a sandwich board on Caldwell Ave. that says
A prpoperty hearing will be conducted regarding this property... I didn't catch the date or time but there's a phone number there.

I was at the red light on Caldwell and I believe the logo signs said "Aegean Isles."

Is the sandwich board still there?

Pie Lady wrote:Is the sandwich board still there?

I didn't notice the sandwich board,b ut I wasn't looking for it.

The GP wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:News on Caldwell's (7201 Caldwell Ave., Niles): although the Opening Soon signs are still there and there seems to be logo signs in some windows, there is a sandwich board on Caldwell Ave. that says
A prpoperty hearing will be conducted regarding this property... I didn't catch the date or time but there's a phone number there.

I was at the red light on Caldwell and I believe the logo signs said "Aegean Isles."

Looks like it's on the 11/1/10 agenda - http://www.vniles.com/content/articlefi ... Agenda.pdf

New pizza place, and Bleeding Heart back to Chicago ave...

From MetroMix link above

You heard it here first: The guys behind Wicker Park sports bar the Fifty/50, Scott Weiner and Greg Mohr, are hard at work launching their next project at 1916-1924 W. Chicago Ave., and it's going to be a big one: A 200-seat pizzeria and bar called Roots alongside the new home base for Bleeding Heart Bakery & Cafe. It won't open until March 2011, but these tidbits should help whet your appetite:

....

Quad cities style....known for its hand-tossed pies cut into strips with scissors. "It's not crispy thin-crust, but it's definitely not deep-dish," says Weiner. "The crust has a very specific spice mix ... and it has dark malt in it, which gives it a sweet nuttiness."

....

Michelle will also flex her brunch muscles (she once co-owned and designed the menu at Humboldt Park's Flying Saucer) with dishes such as mushroom polenta eggs Benedict with persimmon hollandaise and decadent doughnut breakfast sammies

I just realized that this isn't slated to open until March, 2011; which means it should be in the next one of these threads...

SSDD

Roots and Bleeding Heart
1916-1924 W. Chicago Ave

Saw the signage for Pierogi Heaven at approx 177 N Wells in the old fortune tellers spot about to open.

Its in the same ground level for the parking garage that MacKelly's is in, just furhter south on Wells.

There was a posting on May Street Market's twitter feed saying that they will be closing their doors on October 30th.

http://twitter.com/maystreetmarket

May Street Market
1132 W Grand
Chicago, IL 60622

Don't think I've seen this news posted yet; a friend told me that Caputo's (the "Joe" branch of the family) is in the process of buying the entire Oaks shopping center in Des Plaines at Lee & Oakton and relocating the Caputo's currently at Oakton & Webster, once Dominicks' lease runs out in 2017. That store is TINY, especially compared to the other Joe Caputo locations, so it will be a vast improvement in many ways.

I found an article about it here, though at that time it was unclear whether Caputo's would actually be there, or just own the property. My friend said they planned on putting in a cafe and gelateria, so I'd guess that would be in their own store. That shopping center has been dying a slow death, so they should be able to put new blood into it! And it will make the Caputo's even closer to Buddy Roadhouse's house, which I know will make him happy!

The Claim Jumper in wheeling is closed as the company goes through a chapter 11 restructuring

Other area locations remain open


Claim Jumper
781 N Milwaukee Ave
Wheeling, IL 60090-3026
(847) 520-9922

irae 60 in Vernon Hills has closed.

Philly Cheesesteak Express has opened near Five Guys in Vernon Hills. I don't think they have a website yet.

Stopped by Steve's Shish-Kebob House this afternoon despite no answer when we tried calling. We could tell right off that something strange was going on: dark, not a single diner, screaming kids in the kitchen. When a woman emerged we asked if they were open and she said yes. We hesitatingly placed a to-go order. Then we had this brief conversation:

Me: Does Steve still own this place?
Other: No.
Other: Yes but he doesn't come in.
Other: Well, he may start coming in.

Wish we had this heart to heart before placing the order. The pita was rock hard and nothing tasted good.

Does anyone know what's going on?

Stopped by Caffe Gelato tonight after dinner and had their blood orange gelato. The Sicilian guys behind the counter told me that I was lucky I stopped in today since tonight is the last night they will be open this year. They're closing up for winter and heading for Sicily to hibernate and will open again in March.

Coming to Batavia....Smashburger to the Trader Joe's strip at the southeast corner of Randall Road and Fabyan Parkway. No details other than signage.

LikestoEatout wrote:Coming to Batavia....Smashburger to the Trader Joe's strip at the southeast corner of Randall Road and Fabyan Parkway. No details other than signage.

This will be an interesting area addition to the pantheon of 5 Guys and Meatheads. Gave them a try in Des Moines and they were pretty good!

Can I see a three way taste test coming up?

Map

Armands Pizza on Western Ave. (where the O'Fame used to be) seems to be open now, but I haven't gone in to see what they're serving up.

Pictures of their menu board are in a photo album on their Facebook page.

4159 N Western Ave.
773-463-5200

I stopped in to Dinkel's Bakery for a quick treat yesterday and noticed that "Dinkel's Café" was under construction next door. Opening date TBD. It could be an interesting addition to the neighborhood.

Dinkel's Bakery
3329 N. Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 281-7300

Got Spaghetti? at 6154 N Milwaukee is now called Cucina Madonna. I can't wait to try their vegan dish, Like a Sturgeon.

Patel Bros. has opened their "Patel's Café," a "Mumbai Juice Bar," just east of the store. Huge glass doors allow opening fully to the street, like a bar. I love that the Mumbai feel extends to British spelling of "flavour" on the website.

Patel's Café
2600 W. Devon
Chicago, IL 60645
773-262-0100
http://www.patelscafe.com/

Due Lire opens tomorrow, Nov 2nd, in Lincoln Square. The owner spent time at Bice and Gioco according to Chicago Magazine. The menu posted on the door looks promising, a nice smaller selection of Italian dishes. The renovated space looks inviting as well, rather intimate with maybe 20-25 seats.

Due Lire
4520 N. Lincoln Avenue

Spring is going to close at the end of the year:

http://bit.ly/d9OwAZ