Empirical Brewery LLC is joining the rush of brewery-taprooms opening in the next year

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... ravenswood

The storefront at about 3810 N. Clark St. is covered with paper signs reading "mmmmmm beer." So I feel confident in saying that a beer place is going in there. A nearby store owner--one I trust and someone I think _is_ probably well-connected to neighborhood developments--told me that it will be a brewery owned by Uncommon Ground.

(Sorry, not sure if this should go in its own thread in the Drinks board or in the Openings... thread on the Eating Out board.)

A banner over the former Pita Bite space at 4801 N Milwaukee reads "COMING SOON: SAHARA BAR AND GRILL." One wonders what they'll serve at a bar named after a traditionally Islamic region. Vitamin water perhaps?

chgoeditor wrote:The storefront at about 3810 N. Clark St. is covered with paper signs reading "mmmmmm beer." So I feel confident in saying that a beer place is going in there. A nearby store owner--one I trust and someone I think it probably well-connected to neighborhood developments--told me that it will be a brewery owned by Uncommon Ground.

Until I happened to drive by today I didn't put together that this location is only two doors up from Uncommon Ground.

Drover wrote:A banner over the former Pita Bite space at 4801 N Milwaukee reads "COMING SOON: SAHARA BAR AND GRILL." One wonders what they'll serve at a bar named after a traditionally Islamic region. Vitamin water perhaps?

Eh, don't read too much into it. There are areas in the "muslim world" that actually do drink. Morocco, especially in areas like Casablanca, actually has bars and night clubs. Beirut is one of the craziest nightlife areas in the entire world too with loads and loads of night clubs and bars (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hxTK1Hy8B8 albeit, it's not in the Sahara..and Istanbul has a fair amount of clubs and bars too, and restaurants serving Turkish produced wine and beer ).

marothisu wrote:

Drover wrote:A banner over the former Pita Bite space at 4801 N Milwaukee reads "COMING SOON: SAHARA BAR AND GRILL." One wonders what they'll serve at a bar named after a traditionally Islamic region. Vitamin water perhaps?

Eh, don't read too much into it . . .

Don't read too much into my comment.

Bayless to open Wicker Park eatery

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/a ... ark-eatery

An authentic Thai place has opened in Chinatown called Sala Bua. I think they had their soft opening last week or middle of the week before. According to their facebook:
"We serve authentic Thai cuisine, we do not fusion or Americanize our dishes. If you want true Bangkok style Thai cuisine, this is the right place to be."

There's a lot of "Americanized" Thai out there in this city, so I'll be excited to try this.

Sala Bua
2002 S Wentworth Ave Unit 103 (Chinatown)
(312) 808-1770
Sun-Th: 11am - 10pm
F-Sat: 11am - 2am

Pie Lady wrote:In the old Tanzitaro spot at the intersection of Elston & Milwaukee, we will soon be getting a Noon-O-Kabob.

NOW OPEN signs were up today.

Sitting in Four Belly, recently tweeted by Mr. Dolinsky, awaiting my takeout order of Tonkotsu Ramen and assorted mushrooms. He liked it. They're BYO. They deliver. Feelin hopeful. I'll let you know.

Four Belly
3227 N. Clark
773-661-6182
www.fourbelly.com

marothisu wrote:An authentic Thai place has opened in Chinatown called Sala Bua. I think they had their soft opening last week or middle of the week before. According to their facebook:
"We serve authentic Thai cuisine, we do not fusion or Americanize our dishes. If you want true Bangkok style Thai cuisine, this is the right place to be."

There's a lot of "Americanized" Thai out there in this city, so I'll be excited to try this.

Sala Bua
2002 S Wentworth Ave Unit 103 (Chinatown)
(312) 808-1770
Sun-Th: 11am - 10pm
F-Sat: 11am - 2am

Wow - great find . . . looking forward to trying it out, although living in Lincoln Square near so many of the great Thai spots, I doubt I'll get there often. But for those living farther south, this could be huge. I say that because my review of the menu reveals that they are in fact serving many more traditional Thai dishes (and many of my favorites), that is, the ones you'd expect to find at many LTH favorites. Thanks for pointing this one out.

chgoeditor wrote:The storefront at about 3810 N. Clark St. is covered with paper signs reading "mmmmmm beer." So I feel confident in saying that a beer place is going in there. A nearby store owner--one I trust and someone I think _is_ probably well-connected to neighborhood developments--told me that it will be a brewery owned by Uncommon Ground.

I can confirm this.

BR wrote:

marothisu wrote:An authentic Thai place has opened in Chinatown called Sala Bua. I think they had their soft opening last week or middle of the week before. According to their facebook:
"We serve authentic Thai cuisine, we do not fusion or Americanize our dishes. If you want true Bangkok style Thai cuisine, this is the right place to be."

There's a lot of "Americanized" Thai out there in this city, so I'll be excited to try this.

Sala Bua
2002 S Wentworth Ave Unit 103 (Chinatown)
(312) 808-1770
Sun-Th: 11am - 10pm
F-Sat: 11am - 2am

Wow - great find . . . looking forward to trying it out, although living in Lincoln Square near so many of the great Thai spots, I doubt I'll get there often. But for those living farther south, this could be huge. I say that because my review of the menu reveals that they are in fact serving many more traditional Thai dishes (and many of my favorites), that is, the ones you'd expect to find at many LTH favorites. Thanks for pointing this one out.

In true LTH fashion, the real question is what else can they serve that's not on the Grubhub menu....

sdrucker wrote:

BR wrote:

marothisu wrote:An authentic Thai place has opened in Chinatown called Sala Bua. I think they had their soft opening last week or middle of the week before. According to their facebook:
"We serve authentic Thai cuisine, we do not fusion or Americanize our dishes. If you want true Bangkok style Thai cuisine, this is the right place to be."

There's a lot of "Americanized" Thai out there in this city, so I'll be excited to try this.

Sala Bua
2002 S Wentworth Ave Unit 103 (Chinatown)
(312) 808-1770
Sun-Th: 11am - 10pm
F-Sat: 11am - 2am

Wow - great find . . . looking forward to trying it out, although living in Lincoln Square near so many of the great Thai spots, I doubt I'll get there often. But for those living farther south, this could be huge. I say that because my review of the menu reveals that they are in fact serving many more traditional Thai dishes (and many of my favorites), that is, the ones you'd expect to find at many LTH favorites. Thanks for pointing this one out.

In true LTH fashion, the real question is what else can they serve that's not on the Grubhub menu....

The good news is that many of the items on the Grubhub menu are off-menu items at many LTH favorites. But yes, there's always more.

The owner of the Lakeview Wishbone is opening a communal Southern-themed cafeteria-style restaurant in the Loop.

Yonder is a new concept from Guy Nickson, who owns Wishbone in Lakeview. (Mr. Nickson's brother Joel owns the Wishbone in the West Loop.)

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... r-the-loop

chgoeditor wrote:The storefront at about 3810 N. Clark St. is covered with paper signs reading "mmmmmm beer." So I feel confident in saying that a beer place is going in there. A nearby store owner--one I trust and someone I think _is_ probably well-connected to neighborhood developments--told me that it will be a brewery owned by Uncommon Ground.

(Sorry, not sure if this should go in its own thread in the Drinks board or in the Openings... thread on the Eating Out board.)

Uncommon Ground, recognized for having the two "greenest" restaurants in America, soon will be brewing its own beer. Owners Michael and Helen Cameron are adding Greenstar Brewing to their Wrigleyville location this December.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... craft-beer

Oh boy, that Yonder space has been doomed. Not being on the ground level has been a huge challenge for that space. I've given everything that has been there a chance (Chinese place was the best) , here we go again. Wonder why they didn't take the old Ada's space across the street?

nicinchic wrote:Oh boy, that Yonder space has been doomed. Not being on the ground level has been a huge challenge for that space. I've given everything that has been there a chance (Chinese place was the best) , here we go again. Wonder why they didn't take the old Ada's space across the street?

Guessing there's a pretty significant difference in the rent. Heaven on 7 made it work for many years--maybe that's the model.

Courtright's closing at the end of 2013

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/ ... 3966.story

When will the second Hashbrowns location in River North open? They're killing me.

nicinchic wrote:Oh boy, that Yonder space has been doomed. Not being on the ground level has been a huge challenge for that space. I've given everything that has been there a chance (Chinese place was the best) , here we go again. Wonder why they didn't take the old Ada's space across the street?

Ada's for the last few years has been owned by the hotel and not rentable. It closed so the Silversmith could move their lobby. At one point they talked of replacing it w another restaurant but now it seems there will just be a lounge somewhere in the hotel but no restaurant.

Yonder this week was giving free breakfast to the building. Haven't made it or heard feedback. To make it they are going to have to pull from the outside, tenants in that building aren't so much into Southern Food.

Biggie's opened yesterday in Morton Grove in the old Charhouse Grill space.

http://eatbigg.com/

Biggie's
6004 Oakton St
Morton Grove

wrgpt9 wrote:Biggie's opened yesterday in Morton Grove in the old Charhouse Grill space.

http://eatbigg.com/

Biggie's
6004 Oakton St
Morton Grove

I was ready to give them a try . . . until I saw the website photo of ketchup on a hot dog.

wrgpt9 wrote:Biggie's opened yesterday in Morton Grove in the old Charhouse Grill space.

http://eatbigg.com/

Biggie's
6004 Oakton St
Morton Grove

It's near our office and I'm sure we'll try it out soon but what an incredibly annoying website, with a menu that requires a .pdf download, and no phone number or address on the main page. And when you click on the pictures of the food on the main page, close-ups of donuts appear, not the items in the initial pictures.

=R=

Hitting Al's Deli for a sandwich this afternoon, I noted the storefront next door has signs up for Tomate Fresh Kitchen opening soon.

According to this Patch article, owner Tania Merlos-Ruiz has been selling empanadas at various farmer's markets in the area. Tomate Fresh Kitchen will also serve tacos, gourmet burritos, gorditas, tamales and Guatemalan tamales, much of it vegetarian. It's supposed to open in October.

Tomate Fresh Kitchen
914 1/2 Noyes Street
Evanston, IL 60201
(773) 757-3322
Tomatefreshkitchen@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/TomateFreshKitchen

ronnie_suburban wrote:And when you click on the pictures of the food on the main page, close-ups of donuts appear, not the items in the initial pictures.

I actually find that to be sublime rather than annoying. Certainly not useful, but sublime.

TomInSkokie wrote:

wrgpt9 wrote:Biggie's opened yesterday in Morton Grove in the old Charhouse Grill space.

http://eatbigg.com/

Biggie's
6004 Oakton St
Morton Grove

I was ready to give them a try . . . until I saw the website photo of ketchup on a hot dog.

I'd be willing to give them a try, but apparently dinner can never be an option---

(From website) 10:30am-4:30pm MON-FRI
10:30am-3:00pm SATURDAY
Closed SUNDAY

cito wrote:

TomInSkokie wrote:

wrgpt9 wrote:Biggie's opened yesterday in Morton Grove in the old Charhouse Grill space.

http://eatbigg.com/

Biggie's
6004 Oakton St
Morton Grove

I was ready to give them a try . . . until I saw the website photo of ketchup on a hot dog.

I'd be willing to give them a try, but apparently dinner can never be an option---

(From website) 10:30am-4:30pm MON-FRI
10:30am-3:00pm SATURDAY
Closed SUNDAY

Just adopting the Paradise Pup business model.

spinynorman99 wrote:
Just adopting the Paradise Pup business model.

More power to 'em if they can succeed. They better have deep pockets or exceptional food ala Pup, Hot Doug's, or Edzo's-- limited hour establishments.

Passion Café, the Turkish restaurant/café at 1154 N Wells, has closed. Yet another vaguely Mediterranean place fails at the ethnic culinary death zone of Wells and Division, next store to the soon to be rumored to open Hashbrowns. It was preceded in death by Euphrates Café, a sort of Middle Eastern/Iraqi place, and La Sera, the Turkish/Ethiopian hybrid.

Too bad: whatever was at that spot was always a funky place to eat breakfast and work on their WiFi, as well as have unusual things (for the neighborhood) like a whole grains bulgur/apricot/lentil salad with chicken, or in Ethiopian fusion times, a homestyle version of a tibs wrap with berbere. Unfortunately they were never that busy regardless of whom owned the place. But they always had good coffee - Julius Meinl at one point, and in the last incarnation an absolutely killer pastirma breakfast sausage and granola/yogurt. Someone high carb Midwestern breakfast food on the nearby street corner doesn't have the same feel...