KajmacJohnson wrote:

WestRidgeFoodie wrote:Not sure if it has been mentioned but Chipotle is coming to the "Strip mall" at Lincoln & Peterson Avenues across from Walgreens. The sign is up but they are still working on the interior.

Also from the Lincolnwood website, they are developing 2 outlots at Lincolnwood Towncenter and a Chipotle may be one of the tenats there as well
http://www.egovlink.com/public_document ... ebsite.pdf

Is that in the same lot as Walgreen's? Chipolte has to be the mosy unimaginative chain spreading like wildfire having recently been placed at the Jewel by me at Elston and Kedzie. If only the Corner Bakery was as aggressive in expansion instead.

This is the same lot as the Walgreen's, it's actually across from the Drive Thru Pharmacy window. It is cramped and the parking island jets into the driveway off of Lincoln. Honestly, it is a welcome addition to the fast food choices around the High School but they are now closed campus so it sucks for them.. Anyone that lives or works around the area knows this stretch need a couple more options. I agree a Corner Bakery would be nice to add to the mix but I'm happy with a Panera up the street at Lincoln Village, which is hurting as well. The Payless is closing along with the now shuttered What's cooking and empty Borders.

WestRidgeFoodie wrote:

KajmacJohnson wrote:

WestRidgeFoodie wrote:Not sure if it has been mentioned but Chipotle is coming to the "Strip mall" at Lincoln & Peterson Avenues across from Walgreens. The sign is up but they are still working on the interior.

Also from the Lincolnwood website, they are developing 2 outlots at Lincolnwood Towncenter and a Chipotle may be one of the tenats there as well
http://www.egovlink.com/public_document ... ebsite.pdf

Is that in the same lot as Walgreen's? Chipolte has to be the mosy unimaginative chain spreading like wildfire having recently been placed at the Jewel by me at Elston and Kedzie. If only the Corner Bakery was as aggressive in expansion instead.

This is the same lot as the Walgreen's, it's actually across from the Drive Thru Pharmacy window. It is cramped and the parking island jets into the driveway off of Lincoln. Honestly, it is a welcome addition to the fast food choices around the High School but they are now closed campus so it sucks for them.. Anyone that lives or works around the area knows this stretch need a couple more options. I agree a Corner Bakery would be nice to add to the mix but I'm happy with a Panera up the street at Lincoln Village, which is hurting as well. The Payless is closing along with the now shuttered What's cooking and empty Borders.

That area is completely wrong for Corner Bakery and only marginal for Chipotle. While I certainly don't agree with Chipotle being any more or less "imaginative" than other chains, certainly those nearby (KFC, McDonald's and Panda Express are hardly "imaginative) I also don't see a huge market for fast food in the area. The once-planned Jaffa Bakery which was set to go into the nearby space at McCormick and Devon also seems to have evaporated. It's a very iffy location; lots of people driving by and very few stopping. Although the 24-hour Walgreen's is generally busy.

It's the end of the line for Freddy's Fast Food at 5364 W. Gale St.

That Irish Place, formerly known as The Blue Angel at 5310 N. Milwaukee, is still closed, but they have an awning up with a shadow outline of their new name: Annegans.

Highland Park's Once Upon a Bagel will be opening another location in Winnetka in the former Hubbard Woods post office location.

Not sure yet how far along construction is but I assume it will be open by the summer.

I'll throw another chain into the general neighborhood for everyone...Au Bon Pain, opening in August at Foster and California in the new Medical Building at Swedish Covenant. I work at Swedish and have known for awhile, but until the press release came out today, I didn't want to say anything.

Coverage via Center Square Journal:

http://www.centersquarejournal.com/news ... california

Dave148 wrote:

WestRidgeFoodie wrote:Is this not the same owners of George's What's Cooking??? Is the Northbrook location still open??

It's in Deerfield and still open - http://www.georgeswhatscooking.com/

Sounds like I'm not the only one who keeps forgetting that a portion of the Village of Deerfield lies in Cook County (the part south of Lake-Cook Road), even though most of it is in Lake County!

I don't think this is mentioned here yet, but Eight Piece Sushi opened up recently in Vernon Hills in the strip mall on Milwaukee and Rt 45.

http://www.eightpiecerolls.com/

Lerdawg wrote:Highland Park's Once Upon a Bagel will be opening another location in Winnetka in the former Hubbard Woods post office location.

Not sure yet how far along construction is but I assume it will be open by the summer.

I wonder what the name will be, because every location (except Mean Wiener) has a play on, "Once Upon a (fill in the blank)"

Regards,

Clearly, "Once Upon a Weiner" wouldn't work.

Eddie Merlot's, a high end steakhouse with six locations throughout the Midwest, opened their first Illinois restaurant in late November in Burr Ridge.

http://lagrange.suntimes.com/entertainment/9346499-421/eddie-merlots-food-decor-aim-for-wow.html

Their website says another Chicagoland location is scheduled to open this coming March at 28254 Diehl Road, Warrenville, Illinois 60555.

Eddie Merlot's
201 Bridewell Drive
Burr Ridge, Illinois 60527
Phone - (630) 468-2098
Fax - (630) 590-5847

HOURS:

Lounge
Mon-Thurs 4:00-11:00 PM
Fri-Sat 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Sun 4:00-10:00 PM

Dinner
Mon-Thurs 5:00-10:00 PM
Fri-Sat 5:00-11:00 PM
Sun 5:00-9:00 PM

http://www.eddiemerlots.com/

Bread & Wine in Independence Park opened yesterday. My bride and I went there for snacks early. I do not feel it fair to give a full review just eating three small plates on the menu when a restaurant is open literally an hour. But, that said, we look forward to going back. The three things eaten were fries (great), chorizo minitacos (great) and duck confit pierogi (fine, not great).

Bread & Wine
3732 W. Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL

http://breadandwinechicago.com/

A new soul food restaurant opened this month in Evanston, according to the Daily Northwestern:

Ruby G's
1623 Simpson Street
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 733-0190

"I'm 100 percent sure there is a demand because there's no other soul food place that I know of in Evanston," [Cora] Galbreath [owner] said. "A lot of people have welcomed me to the neighborhood to say, ‘Oh my God, this is just what we need.'"

Perhaps a future destination of the Evanston Lunch Group!

EvA wrote:"I'm 100 percent sure there is a demand because there's no other soul food place that I know of in Evanston," [Cora] Galbreath [owner] said. "A lot of people have welcomed me to the neighborhood to say, ‘Oh my God, this is just what we need.'"

Perhaps a future destination of the Evanston Lunch Group!

New Soul Cafe, a now-closed soul food place that was on that same block, was visited by the Evanston Lunch Group five years ago.

Wasn't there a Jamaican or Soul place near Now We're Cookin' on Payne?

Here we go again at this location in the Maller's Building:

Belden Deli
5 S Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL 60603-3000
(312) 236-0208

I walked by today on my way to Oasis, I just didn't have it in me to go up and check it out. Doesn't sound all that exciting. I don't know if it's the old timey Belden Deli or what. Maybe I'll see tomorrow.

In the spot formerly known as Patty's Diner:

Rama's Diner
3358 Main St.
Skokie, IL. 60076

Just to reply to the previous posts regarding the area around Petersen and Lincoln, you may want to try Hoanh Long, 6144 N. Lincoln. Great Chinese Vietnamese.

Fritz Pastry on Diversey has reopened. The reason for the closing by the new owners was a remodeling, but based simply on a drive-by, peering through the mainly glass storefront, it looks the same. The next time I get there I'll report on whatever changes I observe.

Country Squire closed two weeks ago. It will be demolished to make way for a medical facility.

The Country Squire Restaurant
19133 E Belvidere Rd
Grayslake, IL 60030
(847) 223-0121

The brew-pub Flatlanders in Lincolnshire will close its doors after this Sunday, 1/22.

While the quality has certainly been up and down through the years, my husband and I think the beer has been a lot better the past year or so. I'll be sad to see them go.

The principles are opening a couple of new ventures, per the Daily Herald: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120120/business/701209912/

I can't say that I'm surprised. The last time we were there, they were out of everything, and it was freezing in there. My husband has been back a couple of times since and the quality was not that great. The place was nearly dead each time. It's a shame; it's a nice place. It's already set up like a RAM...maybe they'll buy it.

Pie Lady wrote:I can't say that I'm surprised. The last time we were there, they were out of everything, and it was freezing in there. My husband has been back a couple of times since and the quality was not that great. The place was nearly dead each time. It's a shame; it's a nice place. It's already set up like a RAM...maybe they'll buy it.

There is a RAM not even 5 miles from Flatlanders already at Lake Cook and Milwaukee...probably not gonna happen

seebee wrote:My beloved Salerno's On Grove is suddenly no more as of a few weeks ago. Rumored to re-open only a block or two away though. You can go ahead and keep ordering your pizzas from the second best option in the vicinity at Villa Nova without interruption.

I AM JUST KIDDING ABOUT VILLA NOVA, RELAX.

Just called in an order and everything was successful so they must be back open.

NFriday wrote:Hi- I am sorry to hear that Casteel has closed. If I would have known that they were closing yesterday, I would have gone there to purchase some coffee. I have not been there in a while, but I knew that the place had been sold a few years ago. When they were roasting the coffee themselves, I thought the coffee was fantastic. I wonder why they quit roasting it themselves?

An old and dear high school buddy of mine worked there under the former ownership and was one of the guys who roasted the coffee. My memory of why they stopped is that it was very labor-intensive and generally a pain in the ass, and demanded too much time of their limited staff to be worth their while, even at a price premium.

Jasubar wrote:The brew-pub Flatlanders in Lincolnshire will close its doors after this Sunday, 1/22.

While the quality has certainly been up and down through the years, my husband and I think the beer has been a lot better the past year or so. I'll be sad to see them go.

The principles are opening a couple of new ventures, per the Daily Herald: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20120120/business/701209912/

I had dinner there in November with another couple on a Friday night. At 7:30, it wasn't even half full. The food was pretty mediocre overall. My friend had a lousy meatloaf, my girlfriend hated her pulled pork so much, she had to send it back for a burger, and my friend's wife had a tasteless pasta dish. I had the best meal of all, a butt steak, but it wasn't worth going back for. My band played a gig here in 2009 to a very empty room as well. I remember my friend and I riding our bikes to Lincolnshire one summer day and we ate a forgettable lunch there too. Hopefully something much better will open in that location.

It's open!
Siunik Armenian Grill
4839 Oakton St.
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 329-4200

I think Bluette in Wilmette is closed. I don't know any more than that - I tried to make a reservation on Opentable.com and was told they are offline and then googled them to get their number and Yelp says they are closed.
We loved going there on Sunday nights, we'd bring wine and eat their chicken or steak.
Perhaps they were too quirky for Wilmette? At first they didn't take credit cards, only checks or cash and that was a bit annoying. Plus the decorating was a big off-putting. Very noisy and kind of barren.
Maybe they needed to have a liquor license? I always felt bad for the staff, there was only one person who worked the front of the house doing everything from answering phones, waiting on tables, serving food and bussing tables. The turnover was pretty great...I think it's hard to keep staff when the tips aren't very high - liquor helps the checks to be larger therefore the tips larger.

TCK wrote:

seebee wrote:My beloved Salerno's On Grove is suddenly no more as of a few weeks ago. Rumored to re-open only a block or two away though. You can go ahead and keep ordering your pizzas from the second best option in the vicinity at Villa Nova without interruption.

I AM JUST KIDDING ABOUT VILLA NOVA, RELAX.

Just called in an order and everything was successful so they must be back open.

What number do you call to order?

Diane wrote:I think Bluette in Wilmette is closed. I don't know any more than that - I tried to make a reservation on Opentable.com and was told they are offline and then googled them to get their number and Yelp says they are closed.

Isn't this the same owner as Sweets & Savories?

Big surprise.

We drove by Sweeta & Savories last night and there's finally paper over the windows. So, safe to say officially closed. Very sad on many levels.