Koda Bistro has closed. I learned this from a colleague whose son worked there and it is confirmed on their website, www.kodabistro.com. It will be interesting to see where Chef Aaron Browning lands.

Any update on the opening of Lao Sze Chuan in Evanston? Is progress being made there?

Shame about Koda. My mom was a big fan.

Could it be true? Eater Chicago is reporting that Three Dots and a Dash will open at 5pm tomorrow.

Cafe Versailles opened recently on Pulaski a bit north of Irving. Coffee shop that features crepes (and apparently is going to expand to lunch, too) and has gotten some early raves on Yelp.

Cafe Versailles
4102 N Pulaski Ave
Chicago, IL 60641
(773) 283-8891

incite wrote:Could it be true? Eater Chicago is reporting that Three Dots and a Dash will open at 5pm tomorrow.

It opens today. Friends & Family was last night. Great space, great drinks. I'll post more later in the dedicated thread.

=R=

I don't think I've seen it mentioned yet that Bad Wolf Coffee opened in the building immediately North of the Paulina Brown Line station about a month ago.

It's run by Jonathan Ory who is keeping some insane hours right now with no other employees - open 6:30am to 6pm 7 days a week and he's baking his amazing pastries before he opens too. It's a nice-sized spaced with a few tables to stand and drink your coffee but no seating -- he's going for more a communal/community feel than the camp out with your laptop for hours thing many coffee shops have.

The coffee itself is top notch. And the pastries as I've already mentioned are really outstanding and (lately) have been selling out by around lunch time. I'm super excited to have this in the neighborhood!

Tambreet wrote:I don't think I've seen it mentioned yet that Bad Wolf Coffee opened in the building immediately North of the Paulina Brown Line station about a month ago.

Disagree posted about it here and here.

Did Chicago Taco close?

jbrady3324 wrote:Did Chicago Taco close?

Didn't it just open? Isn't that what West Town Tavern morphed into last week?

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

jbrady3324 wrote:Did Chicago Taco close?

Didn't it just open? Isn't that what West Town Tavern morphed into last week?

=R=

Comments 10-12 to this article seem to suggest it may be closed.

Matt wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:

jbrady3324 wrote:Did Chicago Taco close?

Didn't it just open? Isn't that what West Town Tavern morphed into last week?

=R=

Comments 10-12 to this article seem to suggest it may be closed.

Wow, interesting. Thanks.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

jbrady3324 wrote:Did Chicago Taco close?

Didn't it just open? Isn't that what West Town Tavern morphed into last week?

=R=

I walked by yesterday and it was closed. The Chicago Taco signs hanging in the windows were also gone. The facebook page is also gone

Tacos were pretty good though. Mashed potato and short rib taco.. brilliant

It was either all a dream or their business partners were Jason Alexander and Brittney Spears.

Pie Lady wrote:It was either all a dream or their business partners were Jason Alexander and Brittney Spears.

Maybe it will morph back into West Town Tavern

Anybody know what's going in at 1157 N State? I was walking by the other night and noticed some tables, counters, coolers, etc in there but no signs. I couldn't find any records online of it either. This is on the East side of State between Elm and Division.

In other news, I saw a building permit or something posted for the Just Grapes right around there on 1149 N State dated 7/24.

apack wrote:Any update on the opening of Lao Sze Chuan in Evanston? Is progress being made there?

Looks like August.

Eva Luna wrote:

apack wrote:Any update on the opening of Lao Sze Chuan in Evanston? Is progress being made there?

Looks like August.

That's the old news...it's almost August so I'm hoping that someone can provide an update.

Hi- I just walked past Lao Sze Chuan today on my way to the dentist, and there is an opening soon sign on the front entrance. It looks like they are not doing any major work on the place. It used to be a middle eastern restaurant, and I think they are pretty much keeping the same interior. It could be ready by the end of the month.

In contrast Naf Naf is moving in right down the street in the old old Border's location on Orrington, and they are no where near ready to open up. They are totally revamping the inside of the building.

NFriday wrote:Hi- I just walked past Lao Sze Chuan today on my way to the dentist, and there is an opening soon sign on the front entrance. It looks like they are not doing any major work on the place. It used to be a middle eastern restaurant, and I think they are pretty much keeping the same interior. It could be ready by the end of the month.

In contrast Naf Naf is moving in right down the street in the old old Border's location on Orrington, and they are no where near ready to open up. They are totally revamping the inside of the building.

Addresses?

Drover wrote:

NFriday wrote:Hi- I just walked past Lao Sze Chuan today on my way to the dentist, and there is an opening soon sign on the front entrance. It looks like they are not doing any major work on the place. It used to be a middle eastern restaurant, and I think they are pretty much keeping the same interior. It could be ready by the end of the month.

In contrast Naf Naf is moving in right down the street in the old old Border's location on Orrington, and they are no where near ready to open up. They are totally revamping the inside of the building.

Addresses?

Naf Naf - 1629 Orrington Ave.

Lao Sze Chuan - 1637 Orrington Ave.

The Eater reports that Dillman's is now open. http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2013/ ... s-open.php

Ursiform wrote:The Eater reports that Dillman's is now open. http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2013/ ... s-open.php

Thanks for pointer to this. More here: http://www.chicagomag.com/Radar/Dish/Ju ... mans-Deli/

Dillman's Old World Deli
354 W. Hubbard St.
Chicago, IL
312-988-0078

Glad Dillman's is open. Based on the Chicago Mag article, they get high marks already. I wish their "late night dining" was more true though. They are open until midnight, but I guess I don't think of that as super late night (though it does qualify as late). Wish they were open until 1 or 2am at least.

marothisu wrote:Glad Dillman's is open. Based on the Chicago Mag article, they get high marks already. I wish their "late night dining" was more true though. They are open until midnight, but I guess I don't think of that as super late night (though it does qualify as late). Wish they were open until 1 or 2am at least.

I'm looking forward to getting in there myself, I have to find out what an $18.00 French Dip tastes like.

Ursiform wrote:

marothisu wrote:Glad Dillman's is open. Based on the Chicago Mag article, they get high marks already. I wish their "late night dining" was more true though. They are open until midnight, but I guess I don't think of that as super late night (though it does qualify as late). Wish they were open until 1 or 2am at least.

I'm looking forward to getting in there myself, I have to find out what an $18.00 French Dip tastes like.

It better be damn good and make you full. I want to see how their lox stacks up against some other places (that aren't even Jewish delis). I am a huge fan of that stuff. Unfortunately no Gefilte Fish on the menu, just kidding.

RobK wrote:

Smassey wrote:There is a sign at the former Pompei location at 2955 N. Sheffield announcing "City Dough Chicago". I found a website, http://www.citydough.com, but only a sketch of the building and "Coming Soon", no details are yet on the site.

As I stopped at Crisp the other day I noticed that Kluck-U chicken across the street has been replaced by Pompeii Xpress. Note the extra "i" in the name which is confirmed by the pictures on the Yelp page. The lone review mentions the Struzone instead of the Strudels that Pompei serves. Probably not related but no other web links to confirm.

Pompeii Express
2931 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 549-9800

As it turns out, it is somewhat related and now there is a lawsuit to try and shut them down. http://lakeview.patch.com/groups/busine ... wsRef=true

Layalena Restaurant, formerly Our Night, at 8801 N. Milwaukee in Niles is now Miraj. I wonder how many more incarnations of Middle Eastern we're going to get, and whether I will ever, ever get there.

Pie Lady wrote:Speaking of martinis, Martini's on Milwaukee near the Jefferson Park terminal is gone.

But it either is or soon will be Rex's.

Ursiform wrote:

RobK wrote:

Smassey wrote:There is a sign at the former Pompei location at 2955 N. Sheffield announcing "City Dough Chicago". I found a website, http://www.citydough.com, but only a sketch of the building and "Coming Soon", no details are yet on the site.

As I stopped at Crisp the other day I noticed that Kluck-U chicken across the street has been replaced by Pompeii Xpress. Note the extra "i" in the name which is confirmed by the pictures on the Yelp page. The lone review mentions the Struzone instead of the Strudels that Pompei serves. Probably not related but no other web links to confirm.

Pompeii Express
2931 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 549-9800

As it turns out, it is somewhat related and now there is a lawsuit to try and shut them down. http://lakeview.patch.com/groups/busine ... wsRef=true

You didn't have to be a lawyer to see that lawsuit coming from a mile away.