I pity the first person who walks into Bull & Horn Taco Bar while thinking they were at Bow & Stern Oyster Bar. Which could happen if they've been drinking beforehand at Bull & Bear.

The discussion of Dominick's is being actively discussed and debated both here and in the 'I've joined the "I loathe Dominick's" crowd' thread. The latter is a better place for it, so let's keep this thread devoted to announcements about openings and closings, and move the discussion of Dominick's over there.

Darren
For the moderators

Autentico Cinco de Mayo (3223 N. Halsted Ave.) is now closed. I talked to the landlord and he said that the owners pretty much fled overnight some time last week.

Lao Sze Chuan Evanston now scheduled to open around Thanksgiving:
http://evanston.patch.com/groups/busine ... s-november

Boustan Mediterranean now open in Logan Square underneath Suite 25, not far from Rocking Horse, Owl, etc. Middle Eastern/Mediterranean. They were originally going to be called Zaytune, then Mimosa, and now Boustan.


2529 N Milwaukee Ave

The team behind Wood in East Lakeview is planning a new place on Randolph Street's restaurant row. They signed a lease Oct. 1 and hope to open Salero, a Basque-inspired restaurant, in April.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... n-randolph

Not sure what day City Dough (Sheffield and Wellington) opened, but it seems to be open now. My wife saw people in there eating lunch as she walked by today. She brought home a menu--which kind of looks appealing, to tell you the truth! Apparently the place closes at 3 each day (or that's what she believes). Perhaps they will extend their hours into the evening as time goes by.

Dave148 wrote:

The team behind Wood in East Lakeview is planning a new place on Randolph Street's restaurant row. They signed a lease Oct. 1 and hope to open Salero, a Basque-inspired restaurant, in April.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... n-randolph

Here's hoping they have an extensive selection of Basque cidre.

Al Dente on Irving Park near Pulaski has called it quits.

Anyone know the fate of San Soo Gab San with the passing of its owners?

We were at San Soo earlier this month, if that helps. When did they pass on?

Pie Lady wrote:We were at San Soo earlier this month, if that helps. When did they pass on?

http://skokie.suntimes.com/news/gvfatal ... 13:article

The former Nick's at the North East corner of Madison and Ridgeland in Oak Park is now Cuzzo’s.
I tried it recently and it’s not bad at all. I got a pesto chicken Panini and an Italian beef pizza.






The Panini needed salt but other than that it was very good.
The pizza had a nice crispy crust and good giardiniera (could use a little more though) but the green bell pepper really didn't add anything. Good food, good prices and fast service means I'll be back.

Cuzzo's
330 Madison
Oak Park, IL
60302

La Macchina Cafe is open in Evanston. Combination coffee shop/Italian restaurant/wine bar. Went on opening day when they were serving food buffet-style. Will reserve judgment until after a few more visits.

1620 Orrington Ave.
Evanston

I know this is not a big deal to most and I feel reporting it, but... Chick-Fil-A opens November 14th in Vernon Hills on Milwaukee just north of Route 60. Finally a great chicken biscuit sandwich within close range of home!

zoid wrote:The pizza had a nice crispy crust and good giardiniera (could use a little more though) but the green bell pepper really didn't add anything. Good food, good prices and fast service means I'll be back.

The places that I've seen Italian Beef pizza have only done giardiniera on it, never green pepper. But technically, it's a beef pizza with hot and sweet isn't it? I tried a Beef and Sausage pizza (with hot) at Vito and Nick's a month ago. It didn't work for me, but my brother loved it.

Ram4 wrote:I know this is not a big deal to most and I feel reporting it, but... Chick-Fil-A opens November 14th in Vernon Hills on Milwaukee just north of Route 60. Finally a great chicken biscuit sandwich within close range of home!

... also in North Riverside at the SW corner of Cermak and Harlem. Great Corner!

Not sure of the opening date but construction is proceeding nicely.

Panther in the Den wrote:

Ram4 wrote:I know this is not a big deal to most and I feel reporting it, but... Chick-Fil-A opens November 14th in Vernon Hills on Milwaukee just north of Route 60. Finally a great chicken biscuit sandwich within close range of home!

... also in North Riverside at the SW corner of Cermak and Harlem. Great Corner!

Not sure of the opening date but construction is proceeding nicely.

Where the Pearl eyeglass shop is right? That is a great corner, tons of traffic. Looking forward to finally trying it.

Ram4 wrote:

zoid wrote:The pizza had a nice crispy crust and good giardiniera (could use a little more though) but the green bell pepper really didn't add anything. Good food, good prices and fast service means I'll be back.

The places that I've seen Italian Beef pizza have only done giardiniera on it, never green pepper. But technically, it's a beef pizza with hot and sweet isn't it? I tried a Beef and Sausage pizza (with hot) at Vito and Nick's a month ago. It didn't work for me, but my brother loved it.

I figured that were going for hot and sweet, but for my taste I think I'll ask them to leave off the sweet and double down on the hot next time.

Cuzzo’s at Madison and Ridgeland in Oak Park...

Ram4 wrote:

zoid wrote:The pizza had a nice crispy crust and good giardiniera (could use a little more though) but the green bell pepper really didn't add anything. Good food, good prices and fast service means I'll be back.

The places that I've seen Italian Beef pizza have only done giardiniera on it, never green pepper. But technically, it's a beef pizza with hot and sweet isn't it? I tried a Beef and Sausage pizza (with hot) at Vito and Nick's a month ago. It didn't work for me, but my brother loved it.

My Bride and I also stopped by and had a good meal. The Italian beef was solid and she enjoyed her Classic Panini (Sorpressata Salami, Tomato and Mayo). Also pleased to see Arancini and Potato Crocchette on the menu.

They have a more 'family owned' feel than Nick's and there is no relation.

As far as a Italian Beef Pizza, Rosati's has always been my baseline. I am eager to give theirs a try.

Boss Burrito is now open in the former Golden Lamb space in Oak Park at 1110 Westgate.
I had an al pastor and a carne asada taco for lunch today when I stumbled across the place after a trip to Penzeys.
The good: The tortillas for the tacos are fantastic; the coarsely ground corn packs a ton of flavor
The not so good: no vertical spit for the al pastor, no pineapple or even a hint of the slight sweetness I've come to expect. both tacos were really bland. At 2 bucks a taco I might stop back if I was walking past.

On the up side the Turkish oregano from Penzeys is wonderfully fragrant and worth every penny at a very reasonable $3.19 an ounce.

fropones wrote:

Dave148 wrote:

The team behind Wood in East Lakeview is planning a new place on Randolph Street's restaurant row. They signed a lease Oct. 1 and hope to open Salero, a Basque-inspired restaurant, in April.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... n-randolph

Here's hoping they have an extensive selection of Basque cidre.

Here's hoping it's like this (but I doubt that's what they have in mind

Hi,

According to this Patch snippet, In the Raw in Highland Park might be closed or they are taking a longer vacation than expected.

http://highlandpark.patch.com/groups/bu ... wsRef=true

Regards,

It's possible their legal issues were finally coming to roost.

Downtown HP is getting kinda depressing with lots of closings. Last month when Benjamin closed, I happened to say that it seemed "odd" that the chef/owner's wife "liked" the status update on their public facebook page about the closing, thinking that they would be at least a bit sad about it.

Benjamin Brittsan then told me to F off and mind my own business and how his wife was happy that he wasn't trying to 'please people who didn't appreciate him'. Oy. Nice business sense, people.

I think it was discussed at length in the Moderno/Royce thread but I wonder why Highwood can support so many restaurants whereas there have been 5 failed better/fine dining restaurants (M, Moderno, Royce, Benjamin, In The Raw) in HP in the last year and all they can do is go after a new Panera.

May have missed this in an earlier iteration of this thread, but saw a handwritten sign this weekend at River Valley Ranch noting that they'll be opening a store on 1820 W. Wilson Ave in Ravenswood. Not a bad addition to the neighborhood.

River Valley Ranch and Kitchen
39900 60th St, Burlington, WI 53105

KevinM wrote:May have missed this in an earlier iteration of this thread, but saw a handwritten sign this weekend at River Valley Ranch noting that they'll be opening a store on 1820 W. Wilson Ave in Ravenswood. Not a bad addition to the neighborhood.

River Valley Ranch and Kitchen
39900 60th St, Burlington, WI 53105

That's the former location of City Provisions.

After separating from his partners at Hubbard Inn and Barn & Co., restaurateur Adolfo Garcia is set to open Pearl Tavern in an iconic space: the shuttered Coogan's Riverside Saloon. The 130-seat spot that overlooks the Chicago River at 180 N. Wacker will be an oyster bar.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... oyster-bar

I don't understand what is going on in HP, but could it be that people are cooking in their kitchens more?!

If HP is primarily families going out to eat, how about the basics - where is our pizza joint? On the weekends, they're all at Barnaby's in Northbrook. I've begged Lou Malnati's to make our carryout location a dine-in restaurant, but they won't do it. They feel it will take away business from their Lake Forest carryout location. I know they'd do really well in HP. A place like Coalfire would be great to have, there isn't really anything like that in the North Shore. If not Lou's, maybe a D'Agostino's or a Pizano's will consider opening here.

We don't have frozen custard (my favorite) which tends to do well, but we do have gelato, yogurt and DQ. I don't see Culver's coming to downtown HP. They should tear down Fuddrucker's and make that a Culver's, then we'd have a decent burger joint with custard. And lastly I'd love a Portillo's, but where to put one?

Ram4 wrote: And lastly I'd love a Portillo's, but where to put one?

At the north end of Renaissance Place where Saks used to be.

Dave148 wrote:

Ram4 wrote: And lastly I'd love a Portillo's, but where to put one?

At the north end of Renaissance Place where Saks used to be.

Or here...http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball- ... --nba.html

...but seriously, a Portillo's in HP would be awesome. I always thought the spot on 41 and Park where they built the CVS and Starbucks would have been perfect.

As for shuttered HP restaurants of late, don't forget the two quickly forgotten cupcake joints on the eastern blocks of Central and Lincolnshire Gourmet at Central and Green Bay. There are some signs of life, though, in the storefronts just east of In the Raw, there are notices that a take-home bake-your-own pizza place and a juice place are opening.

And as for HP's dining woes, I keep wondering why no one is trying to emulate Real Urban BBQ, seemingly the only successful opening of recent vintage, not so much in opening another BBQ place, but in picking a specific food genre, pricing it decently, and pleasing customers. How about Thai, Greek, Korean, burgers, seafood, fried chicken, donuts? Anything with a specific POV. Love or like RUB, they have a passion for the product.

AlexG wrote:

Dave148 wrote:

Ram4 wrote: And lastly I'd love a Portillo's, but where to put one?

At the north end of Renaissance Place where Saks used to be.

Or here...http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball- ... --nba.html

...but seriously, a Portillo's in HP would be awesome. I always thought the spot on 41 and Park where they built the CVS and Starbucks would have been perfect.

As for shuttered HP restaurants of late, don't forget the two quickly forgotten cupcake joints on the eastern blocks of Central and Lincolnshire Gourmet at Central and Green Bay. There are some signs of life, though, in the storefronts just east of In the Raw, there are notices that a take-home bake-your-own pizza place and a juice place are opening.

And as for HP's dining woes, I keep wondering why no one is trying to emulate Real Urban BBQ, seemingly the only successful opening of recent vintage, not so much in opening another BBQ place, but in picking a specific food genre, pricing it decently, and pleasing customers. How about Thai, Greek, Korean, burgers, seafood, fried chicken, donuts? Anything with a specific POV. Love or like RUB, they have a passion for the product.

I miss Sloppy Jo's; fairly idiotic idea but every now and then it satisfied a craving.

Portillo's isn't even as good as Michael's Chicago Style Red Hots. Seems like having one in HP would be redundant and unnecessary.

As for RUB, that's exactly what sells in HP: good-quality ingredients, prepared consistently, with no strong flavors, which might offend. This may explain why so many places don't make it in HP. They try to be unique and do too much. That's just not what the audience seems to want.

Is City Park Grill still in business? They seem to have it dialed-in in the "give 'em what they want" category.

=R=