JoelF wrote:The latest to sign a lease at the reimagined Randhurst is Tony Sacco's Coal Oven Pizza. It'll be across from the new (smaller and fewer, but better apportioned theaters - now with controversial bar!) AMC movie barn.

Source: Mount Prospect Journal

According to the Tony Sacco's website, they have other locations in Florida, Michigan and Indiana. Not exactly a convincing pizza pedigree.

The new Randhurst is distinctly disappointing. Not that the old Randhurst was so exciting, foodwise....

Not exactly an opening, but a big sign was draped across the Darien Culver's stating that it was now owned by the management of the Downers Grove franchise. This explains a lot, as I had thought that Culver's was on a rapid downward spiral last fall until a couple of visits to other locations while on the road demonstrated that it was just local mis-management.

Panda Panda at 5458 N. Broadway is apparently no more, windows papered over, construction going on inside.

trpt2345 wrote:Panda Panda at 5458 N. Broadway is apparently no more, windows papered over, construction going on inside.

Panda Panda has been closed for a while. It's nice to see some life in that corner. It's going to be a Thai restaurant. (I believe Gypsy Boy had reported this, but I can't find the post.)

The Jumbo Chinese Buffet in the post office strip mall at Ashland and Wellington has an "out of business, thank you to all our customers" sign on its door.

I didn't see this earlier in the thread but the Fontano's in Elmhurst has closed. I guess the sign on the door said that they may reopen but now that sign is no longer there.

John

LAZ wrote:The new Randhurst is distinctly disappointing. Not that the old Randhurst was so exciting, foodwise....

I miss that sandwich shop in the center top of the food court - the one that was its own little island. They made quite a tasty sandwich and had pretty good soups.

vinyl endive wrote:Emil's by the Lyric Opera House has closed. Not sure what's going in there or future plans, but I wouldn't be surprised if the construction helped kill off their business.

101 N. Wacker
Chicago, IL

I saw an entry in the Chicago Tribune, last week, I believe, that said the owner had lost 30 - 40% of their business since the construction started, and that they were tired of bleeding money to keep Emil's open.

It's really too bad. I went there regularly when I worked in the loop, food there was serviceable and fairly priced - they had a niche, especially before the Opera.

Of course, that means more business for Lloyd's, which I always liked better!

There's an "Austin's Tacos Coming Soon" sign up in the window of the former Al's Italian Beef on Davis in Evanston.

as I mourn Al's awesome fries (and their beef was no slouch either)

As I contemplate new tacos in Evanston

As I'm sitting here eating lunch from Edzo's

jkseger wrote:I didn't see this earlier in the thread but the Fontano's in Elmhurst has closed. I guess the sign on the door said that they may reopen but now that sign is no longer there.

John

They're probably not going to reopen. The owner says the franchise owners are trying to buy it back and keep it open but there are some building code issues that need resolving first.

However signs are up for a new Wood Fired Pizza place just across the tracks in the old Wine and Vine spot.

There is a new Coopers Hawk Winery/Rest coming to Naperville. Opening Summer 2011 according to their website

Across the street from Naf Naf Grill

Coopers Hawk Naperville
1740 Freedom Dr
Naperville, IL 60565

In Vernon Hills (in the same strip mall as Dick's) there is a new Sushi Bar and Brazilian steakhouse opening called Sake & Samba. It looks like it's close to being open.

Also new opening up in Vernon Hills is a new sushi place (in the Dominick's strip mall) called Krazy Sushi. It looks like it'll be more time until it's open though (the windows were still covered up). Yes, ANOTHER sushi place in Vernon Hills.

Roka Akor and Bombay Spice are "opening soon" on Clark at Ilinois. Roka Akor was interviewing staff apparently today ...
but I found their sign saying something about "when he wants steak and she wants sushi" rather ... hmmmm.

Bombay Spice is supposed to be affordable or something.


http://rokaakor.com/

http://www.bombayspice.com/

There's also some kind of Japanese noodle shop opening on Hubbard near LaSalle and another restaurant going into the first floor of 415 N LaSalle or so I was told.

Siun wrote:
There's also some kind of Japanese noodle shop opening on Hubbard near LaSalle and another restaurant going into the first floor of 415 N LaSalle or so I was told.

Really looking forward to this. I've been hoping for some new lunch options around those parts. They are also opening a Protein Bar at 352 N. Clark and another at Washington & Wells in the near future.

Also just 26 days after being on Groupon, Marrakech has closed (according to Groupon). That might be a new record.

The GP wrote:

trpt2345 wrote:Panda Panda at 5458 N. Broadway is apparently no more, windows papered over, construction going on inside.

Panda Panda has been closed for a while. It's nice to see some life in that corner. It's going to be a Thai restaurant. (I believe Gypsy Boy had reported this, but I can't find the post.)

Sign says Jin Thai Restaurant coming soon.

Not alot of information yet, but Chef Foss will be opening "EL" in June. Phillip Foss to open restaurant alongside Meatyballs kitchen

The space is tight. Depending on how it's configured it might fit 15-20 people. After soft launching, it will open to the public for reservations a limited number of nights during the week and potentially for a Sunday brunch. He described it as "small, exclusive and probably BYOB."

After "El" opens, he and his crew will pull double duty. They'll do meatballs by day and more refined dishes by night, including wife Kenni's couscous and pastries.

EL
off Western.

SSDD

There's a sign up in the old Aladdin's space on Diversey (614 W. Diversey) for Pizza Persona. The signage makes it sound like a "make your own pizza" place (pick your dough, toppings, cheese, etc).

Ted Mavrakis, who owns the Giordano's franchise in Evanston as well as several commercial buildings in downtown Evanston, has applied for a liquor license in connection with opening a Tilted Kilt in Evanston's Fountain Square Building at Sherman and Davis, which he also owns. This being Evanston, the proposal was met with much heated debate--pro and con--at the 4/26/11 city council meeting. The mayor, who has the power to decide who gets a liquor license, says she will issue her decision on Tilted Kilt this coming week.

SmashBurger opened this week in Schaumburg. Right next to Portillo's on Golf Rd, down the street from Fuddrucker's, around the block from Five Guys, and a hop, skip, and a jump away from Meathead's.

Dine will be coming soon to 6169 N. Northwest Highway.

Lickety Split, a new ice cream place, is coming soon just a block or two south of the Ethiopian Diamond at 6120 N Broadway.

Deleece, now at 4004 N. Southport, will be moving at some point to the old Take Five spot at 3747 N. Southport Ave.

The spot that was Charlie's Ale House on Webster, and has been closed for some time, has signs on it saying "Derby" and "A British American" (pub, restaurant, place, something). The signs have pictures of cars, horses, hats

1224 W Webster

leek wrote:The spot that was Charlie's Ale House on Webster, and has been closed for some time, has signs on it saying "Derby" and "A British American" (pub, restaurant, place, something). The signs have pictures of cars, horses, hats

1224 W Webster

More info here...

http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2011/ ... m.php#more

Pie Lady wrote:Deleece, now at 4004 N. Southport, will be moving at some point to the old Take Five spot at 3747 N. Southport Ave.

Cool. Although it will take some "getting used to"; Deleece isn't just located in that space at 4004 N. Southport, Deleece is that space at 4004 N. Southport.

I can imagine why they're doing it, though. The character of Southport changes drastically in the short stretch of it north of Irving, which is crazy since it's fifteen steps away from Southport south of Irving, but there you go.

jesteinf wrote:There's a sign up in the old Aladdin's space on Diversey (614 W. Diversey) for Pizza Persona. The signage makes it sound like a "make your own pizza" place (pick your dough, toppings, cheese, etc).

But isn't that fairly standard for pizza places? I generally expect to be able to pick my toppings etc.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:

jesteinf wrote:There's a sign up in the old Aladdin's space on Diversey (614 W. Diversey) for Pizza Persona. The signage makes it sound like a "make your own pizza" place (pick your dough, toppings, cheese, etc).

But isn't that fairly standard for pizza places? I generally expect to be able to pick my toppings etc.

Yeah, I don't know. They further describe it as "picture a Chipotle-like line for pizza." So, we'll see.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:

jesteinf wrote:There's a sign up in the old Aladdin's space on Diversey (614 W. Diversey) for Pizza Persona. The signage makes it sound like a "make your own pizza" place (pick your dough, toppings, cheese, etc).

But isn't that fairly standard for pizza places? I generally expect to be able to pick my toppings etc.

Yes, but it's a fast-food pizza, not an "order ahead" pizza. So rather than the 2 or 3 options you get at most take-out pizza places, they'll let you pick what you want for quick service. How that works in a fast-food setting remains to be seen.

I'm gonna speculate: precooked crust, topped at the counter, goes through a quizno's/potbelly style oven to melt the cheese/warm the toppings.

Maybe they'll surprise me by not using a prebaked crust, but I doubt it.

tarte tatin wrote:Ted Mavrakis, who owns the Giordano's franchise in Evanston as well as several commercial buildings in downtown Evanston, has applied for a liquor license in connection with opening a Tilted Kilt in Evanston's Fountain Square Building at Sherman and Davis, which he also owns. This being Evanston, the proposal was met with much heated debate--pro and con--at the 4/26/11 city council meeting. The mayor, who has the power to decide who gets a liquor license, says she will issue her decision on Tilted Kilt this coming week.

The application was denied. "Not consistent with community standards" was the reason. Yeah, why enliven downtown Evanston with a place that features servers more conservatively dressed than you'd see at the local beaches all summer long? (Although I'm sure it'd have average at best food and a lousy beer list.)

[/quote]
The application was denied. "Not consistent with community standards" was the reason. Yeah, why enliven downtown Evanston with a place that features servers more conservatively dressed than you'd see at the local beaches all summer long? (Although I'm sure it'd have average at best food and a lousy beer list.)[/quote]

This is Evanston. They're a little slow to conform. Many people on this forum were probably born when Evanston was still a "dry" town. And the squeaky conservative wheel still gets the grease (not to mention likely pressure from nearby tavern owners).