buttercream wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:

fropones wrote:GNR The Brown Sack is closing for good this Saturday, Oct 25.

That sucks. Any news on why? Didn't see anything on their FB page.

According to this article, the owners want to pursue new things and reinvent themselves:
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20141024 ... gan-square

I've never been to the Brown Sack. I'm tempted to run over there today and check them out.

Get the BLAST and a shake.

Dave148 wrote:Is Libertyville far out enough for you? The LTH North Lunch Group recently dined at - http://www.phohousemenu.com/

I'z gonna say ...

Gilsons in Wilmette closed earlier this month. Sorry to see them go because I always enjoyed their food but this story about their last weekend was even more disturbing.

http://wilmette.suntimes.com/2014/10/17 ... estaurant/

My part of the world looks to be getting a lot more delicious soon. That's North Av between Oak Park Av and Ridgeland, on the Chicago side, about Natoma to be exact.

B2B wrote:Gilsons in Wilmette closed earlier this month. Sorry to see them go because I always enjoyed their food but this story about their last weekend was even more disturbing.

http://wilmette.suntimes.com/2014/10/17 ... estaurant/

That is disturbing. Also disturbing is that the article makes no mention of the owner's name, referring him only as "the owner." And no other names are named--the restaurant managers, the police officers who were at the party, none. Seems to violate a principal tenet of journalism. (The "who" in "who what when where" is distinctly missing.) Reads more like a blind item.

stevez wrote:BIG Three Happiness has closed, or more accurately is "Closed for Remodeling", but the phone is disconnected and there's no sign of life on the inside along with a lein on the door from the owner of the ice machine. It's nice to see that our namesake restaurant outlasted its much bigger and much worser (is that a word) neighbor across the street.

To be clear, Little Three Happiness is still open as usual.

(Big) Three Happiness
2130 S. Wentworth Ave
Chicago, IL 60616
312-791-1228

Little Three Happiness (LTH)
209 W Cermak Rd
Chicago, IL 60616
312-842-1964

I heard rumors a while back but I guess it really is in the works - they are tearing down the 3 buildings east of the fire department to widen Wentworth Ave and city redevelopment:

http://chi.streetsblog.org/2014/05/05/w ... evelopment

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/WellsWentworthConnector.html

The new iteration of Dinotto is now open...

http://chicago.eater.com/2014/10/24/706 ... menus-more

I love Neapolitan style pizza so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Pasadita Express, Pasadita's erstwhile Mayfair outpost, appears to have changed hands from one branch of the Pasadita/Asadas/Palapita family empire to another. The Pasadita Express sign went down and the fencing around the outdoor seating area now bears big hand-painted letters spelling out "Mini Palapita" -- all of this occurred with no disruption in service, so I don't know if this counts as a closing/opening, or an internal family re-branding, or what.

Mini Palapita
4957 N Elston Ave
312-730-0639

Patch Cafe in Rogers Park - the erstwhile GNR Deta's Cafe - appears to be closed. Tables look to have been removed, and the phone is disconnected. A message posted on their facebook two days ago paged wondered, "You guys still open? Tried to come by today and the place looked like you weren't open anymore." No response.

Patch Cafe
7555 N Ridge Blvd
Chicago, IL
(773) 973-1505

We had planned to go to Patch for the Evanston Lunch Group™ on 9/17 - until we discovered it was already closed then. We went to Curt's Café instead.

Palatine (yes, Palatine) is getting a ramen place. Looks like opening is imminent.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ramen-Ho ... 7400069531

L2O to close at end of year...

http://chicago.eater.com/2014/10/29/709 ... -years-eve

2 Sparrows also shuttered.

A Russian-French fine-dining brasserie called Deka will open in mid-November in north suburban Wheeling.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... o-wheeling

Deka Restaurant
401 E. Dundee Rd.
Wheeling Illinois 60090
http://dekarestaurant.com

Kosher Gino's East Pizzeria, Underground Mikvah Coming to Wicker Park

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20141029 ... icker-park

I feel like someone's trolling the board. Kosher Gino's East and Russian French fine dining brasserie?

Couldn't swear to it that it hasn't been this way for months, but when I drove by the former City Dough (former Pompei) today at Sheffield and Wellington, I thought I saw building supplies through the translucent windows that I hadn't seen before. Has the snail moved one millimeter forward?

As reported in the Evanston Review, Lush Wine and Spirits is apparently going to open a wine bar and retail liquor operation in an empty storefront at 2022 Central Street in Evanston. The folks next door, where I get my hair cut, were quite excited about the news. According to the news article, the store hopes to sell "retail food" and 'hold special events."

Also from the Review article:

The (North Branch Evanston) library had other prospects for tenants including a hair salon which would have paid higher rent.

Unless the aforementioned salon next door, Copenhagen Coiffeur, was thinking of expanding, why on Earth would they entertain the notion of leasing the space to another hair salon?

Dave148 wrote:

Kosher Gino's East Pizzeria, Underground Mikvah Coming to Wicker Park

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20141029 ... icker-park

What? They couldn't hook up with Malnati's?

A pair of North Shore food truck operators is opening a lunchtime sandwich spot in Morton Grove next week.

Chef David Robin and his partner, Daniel Slater, who launched the Hoof & Feather food truck in early 2013, are putting the final touches on a 1700-square-foot storefront on Waukegan Road near Golf Road that will specialize in a handful of gourmet sandwiches, salads, and macaroni and cheese dishes.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... /141039976

spinynorman99 wrote:

Dave148 wrote:

Kosher Gino's East Pizzeria, Underground Mikvah Coming to Wicker Park

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20141029 ... icker-park

What? They couldn't hook up with Malnati's?

Gino's East franchises and Lou Malnati's prides themselves on being an entirely family-owned corporation.

New lunch spot being built out on Wells just south of Randolph. Fresha Place (yes, spelling is correct) has a sign up with a notice it will be serving sandwiches, wraps, etc. Small spot on a busy street for food - and right next door to the newly opened Halsted Street Deli and across from Jersey Mike's.

Couldn't come up with any info on Google or social media?

stoutisgoodfood wrote:New lunch spot being built out on Wells just south of Randolph. Fresha Place (yes, spelling is correct) has a sign up with a notice it will be serving sandwiches, wraps, etc. Small spot on a busy street for food - and right next door to the newly opened Halsted Street Deli and across from Jersey Mike's.

Couldn't come up with any info on Google or social media?

That's becoming the "Island of Broken Toys" of the fast food outlets. As long as Cafecito, BaLe and even Hannah's Bretzel stick around they aren't offering much competition.

New owners for Polk and Western Hot Dogs

Last winter, sometime around Christmas or New Year's, Polk and Western abruptly closed. I was too upset to post about it here.

After missing their sublime fries for months we were delighted to see a new awning go up and a "Grand Opening" banner out front this weekend. We hastened to try it out.

It's not the same people running the place -- it's now owned by Damenzo's. The menu still has the basics but has expanded to include burgers, a chicken sandwich, fish sandwich, and a pork chop sandwich. The french fry sandwich of the old menu is gone. "Everything" is no longer the minimalist style of old, but rather "Chicago style". And, sad to say, the fries are exactly like those found at Damenzo's two blocks away, limp and greasy. <sigh>

The woman I spoke to said they will re-open the ice cream side of the business next spring, and are trying out homemade ice cream recipes. So that sounds promising...

Polk and Western Hot Dogs
749 S Western Ave

Damenzo's Pizza
2324 W Taylor St

spinynorman99 wrote:

stoutisgoodfood wrote:New lunch spot being built out on Wells just south of Randolph. Fresha Place (yes, spelling is correct) has a sign up with a notice it will be serving sandwiches, wraps, etc. Small spot on a busy street for food - and right next door to the newly opened Halsted Street Deli and across from Jersey Mike's.

Couldn't come up with any info on Google or social media?

That's becoming the "Island of Broken Toys" of the fast food outlets. As long as Cafecito, BaLe and even Hannah's Bretzel stick around they aren't offering much competition.

Prefer Saigon Sisters to BaLe and really like NaanSense (in the old Curried spot) and Siam Rice....but you are correct - they aren't giving us anything new in the neighborhood, although I'll give them a chance just in case!

Vital Information wrote:



My part of the world looks to be getting a lot more delicious soon. That's North Av between Oak Park Av and Ridgeland, on the Chicago side, about Natoma to be exact.

On my way home from work, every other evening I go out of my way to drive past this, hoping that one day, the paper will be off the windows. Maybe today will be the day....

Got this email from Barrington Country Bistro over the weekend....

"Time to say goodbye... with heavy hearts we write to let you know that after twenty years of bistro fun and friendship, we have decided not to renew our lease and will cease operations at the close of business on Saturday evening December 20th

We've celebrated many milestones -- yours and ours -- and created many memories over the years. We're grateful for the appreciation and loyalty you have shown us. Thank you for such a remarkable run."

In downtown Evanston at Davis and Sherman in the window of the former Argo Tea location, there's a sign saying that a permit application has been filed to open a new Freshii there.

I guess they were looking for a location as close as possible to the Lyfe Kitchen which opened last summer, LOL!

Carmen's Pizza in Evanston has relocated to 817 University Place, where Las Palmas is also located.