El Pollo Real in Prospect Heights (Wolf & Camp MacDonald) now has a sign "Carnitas El Paisa Alegre."
There is another Carnitas El Paisa Alegre on Dundee in Wheeling -- I don't know if this is a move or expansion.

No great loss of Pollo Real -- a little overpriced and a pretty narrow menu.

Pie Lady wrote:

nr706 wrote:Sadly, another Evanston restaurant closing - Dixie Kitchen.

Noooooooooooooo

.

Not germane to the discussion. But the use of "Nooooooooooo" is an offensive and distressing reminder of the sins of George Lucas. The potential of an ugly permanent reminder on the lake front is bad enough, please refrain from the application of salt (aha, this should be on the cooking forum) to an already gaping wound.

Roger Ramjet wrote:

riddlemay wrote:

Roger Ramjet wrote:A new Beatrix opening soonish in the former Cicchetti space at Northwestern Hospital (671 N. Orleans).

Probably 671 N. St. Clair?

Why, yes. Yes indeed. Wonder where I got Orleans from.

Beatrix Streeterville opens today

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... pens-today

Za'atar MedGrill, an apparent Middle Eastern restaurant, is coming to the former Chilapan at 2466 W. Armitage, according to coming soon signage.

http://chicago.eater.com/2015/10/23/959 ... 910-brunch

"Blue Door Farm Stand Too" has opened in the very recently vacated Armitage Pizzeria space at 711 w. Armitage. I've never seen a space turn over so quickly, with a new restaurant openeing less than a week after the previous one closed. The new restaurant is going to be short-lived, they plan on closing it once work is finished on their main location around the corner at 2010 N. Halsted.

Ten Ren Tea is gone . . . but with the promise of hand drawn noodles at 2247 S. Wentworth . . . let's pay attention to this!







And at 1637 W. Montrose, this:






Some Google searches suggest a Venezuelan restaurant named Bienmesabe, but empty Facebook/Yelp pages leave me wondering what this will be.

ekreider wrote:The former Pizza by Alex site has windows papered over with Fannie's cafe, bakery and boutique coming soon. Pizza by Alex had a little attention on LTH in 2008 with less than favorable reports. After one or two management changes in the last year they closed down with the furniture removed and a for lease sign in the window.

Fannie's web site really only has a home page as of today. The papers in the windows are basically large versions of the home page.

This will be a second location for a bakery in Harwood Heights called Fannie Schmoe's, which produces only sweet stuff. I wonder whether they will use the brick oven that Alex's probably left behind to produce bread.

Fannie Schmoe's Bakery
http://www.fannieschmoesbakery.com/index.html
4613 N Oketo
Harwood Heights

Fannie's Cafe
5040-44 W Montrose
Chicago

I believe Pizza by Alex relocated to Lawrence and Austin.

Joe Caputo's Northbrook (Dundee & Sanders) is now closed - not shocking.
Also, La Tavola Trattoria Niles (Milwaukee & Dempster) is also history. This address has been cursed since Rossini's departed...

cito wrote:Joe Caputo's Northbrook (Willow & Sanders) is now closed - not shocking.
Also, La Tavola Trattoria Niles (Milwaukee & Dempster) is also history. This address has been cursed since Rossini's departed...

I think you mean Dundee and Sanders. Willow and Sanders is Mariano's. It's a shame, it wasn't a bad store, just not right for the neighborhood, and doesn't really offer anything that nearby Fresh Farms doesn't do at least as well.

JoelF wrote:

cito wrote:Joe Caputo's Northbrook (Willow & Sanders) is now closed - not shocking.
Also, La Tavola Trattoria Niles (Milwaukee & Dempster) is also history. This address has been cursed since Rossini's departed...

I think you mean Dundee and Sanders. Willow and Sanders is Mariano's. It's a shame, it wasn't a bad store, just not right for the neighborhood, and doesn't really offer anything that nearby Fresh Farms doesn't do at least as well.

Corrected, thanks... The meat section at that store was abominable, definitely a non-starter for me.

Chains come and go:
Hardee's on Milwaukee between River and Palatine is gone.
Outback at Randhurst looks like it's open (might only be staff training, but it's full)

And the Hardees on Milwaukee, between Golf and Ballard is also close. Not a long life for them.

LOOP SOUP recently opened in the NW station French Market. Homemade grilled cheese sandwiches and soups. Numerous flavorings of each. Tried the BBQ chix GC and turkey chili - both very good.

Here's the skinny on Hearth, the restaurant replacing Quince at the Homestead in Evanston. They're aiming for a mid-November opening.


Hearth will be open Tuesday-Thursday, 4-9:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 4-10 p.m. and Sunday, 4-9:30 p.m.

Hearth Restaurant
1625 Hinman Avenue
Evanston, Illinois 60201
847.570.8400
Site: http://www.hearthrestaurant.net/
Twitter: @Hearth_Evanston
Facebook: Hearth-Restaurant

Dr. Andrew Weil is bringing his True Food Kitchen restaurant to Chicago. True Food's owners, Fox Restaurant Concepts of Phoenix, is planning to build a 7,625-square-foot restaurant at 9 W. Erie St., now a parking lot. It's slated to open in fall 2016.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... -open-here

PortPkPaul wrote:I believe Pizza by Alex relocated to Lawrence and Austin.

According to Yelp reviews, it's nothing at all like the previous location -- apparently no brick oven being an obvious fundamental difference -- with one reviewer even suggesting it's a different owner (don't know if that's true?). The new iteration has definitely not been received favorably.

Bayless Veterans Opening Mexican Spot on Logan Square's 'Restaurant Row'

Dos Urban Cantina will be the latest addition to a hot stretch of Armitage that's been dubbed Chicago's other restaurant row and includes Osteria Langhe, Scofflaw, Sink|Swim, Table, Donkey & Stick, La Bomba and most recently Ugo's.

Dos Urban Cantina will replace Katakana Sushi Bar at 2829 W. Armitage Ave.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151028 ... aurant-row

Drover wrote:

PortPkPaul wrote:I believe Pizza by Alex relocated to Lawrence and Austin.

According to Yelp reviews, it's nothing at all like the previous location -- apparently no brick oven being an obvious fundamental difference -- with one reviewer even suggesting it's a different owner (don't know if that's true?). The new iteration has definitely not been received favorably.

Actually the ownership and recipes changed well before the move. I don't think it's good, it's just incorrect to say it closed when it moved.

PKramer wrote:And the Hardees on Milwaukee, between Golf and Ballard is also close. Not a long life for them.

This might explain why those two Hardee's on Milwaukee are gone:

http://nrn.com/franchising/large-carl-s-jr-hardees-franchisee-files-chapter-11


It also might explain why their new store at 180 W. Ogden Avenue in Westmont never opened after the construction was completed over a year ago. Sometime in the last 30 days, the Westmont location had the "Hardee's" sign removed from the building and a "For Lease" sign placed in front of the property.

Coogles wrote:

ziggy wrote:According to their Facebook post, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken (from Memphis) will be opening an outpost in our fair city (among many others).

Since so many of you shared your enthusiasm about wanting Gus's in your neighborhood, here are the 2015 openings...
Atlanta, GA
St. Louis, MO
Los Angeles, CA
Ft. Worth, TX
Knoxville, TN
Kansas City, KS
Chicago, IL
Philadelphia, PA
There are more to come, but we have to take it slow to ensure you get the same quality and experience you have come to expect from Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken! As we progress, we will be sure to share locations and opening dates.

Gus's is probably my favorite fried chicken ever and I eat there almost every time I'm in Memphis (which is at least once a month for work), but I still don't know how I feel about this. I've eaten at most of the 'branches' in Memphis, and I don't feel quality suffers much at all, so i guess I'm hopeful.

I searched google and could not find any other info on location or date.

More info...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertain ... story.html

Memphis, Tenn.-based Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken will finally open its first Chicago restaurant during at 11 a.m. on Monday in Fulton Market, nestled among some of Chicago's most prodigious restaurants like Next and The Publican.

http://chicago.eater.com/2015/10/27/962 ... ening-date

New to Chicago fancy coffee place Caffe Umbria is now open in River North next to the Protein Bar on Clark.

Caffe Umbria
346 N. Clark St.

I noticed today that the former Fuddruckers on the south end of Downers Grove is finally reopened with a new tenant after being empty for a long while.

Keystone Bar and Grill
7231 Lemont Road
Downers Grove
630-541-8130

threadkiller wrote:I noticed today that the former Fuddruckers on the south end of Downers Grove is finally reopened with a new tenant after being empty for a long while.

Keystone Bar and Grill
7231 Lemont Road
Downers Grove
630-541-8130

Their "official" grand opening was September 26th but they actually opened 4 weeks earlier. Nice to see something finally open there as the Fuddruckers closed over five years ago.

website for Keystone Bar: http://keystone.bar/

their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/keystonebarandgrill/

Sign in Dixie Kitchen window: "Dixie Kitchen re-opening soon! Under new management



Dixie Kitchen
825 Church St
Evanston, IL 60201

Latinicity, a Latin-inspired dining marketplace, makes its debut in Block 37 at 108 N. State, on Nov. 5. It's the latest attempt to breathe some life into the troubled Block 37, a multi-use indoor mall that has struggled for years to establish itself as an important shopping, dining and entertainment destination in the heart of Chicago's Loop business district.

Latinicity is the biggest food-related project to debut at Block 37, where it will occupy a large chunk of the complex's third floor. The Latinicity food hall is comprised of 12 kiosks offering foods representing Cuban, Columbian and Spanish cuisines, among others. The facility also will feature a sit-down full-service tapas restaurant and wine bar. Menu items available will include Latin flatbread sandwiches, Peruvian stir-fry dishes, Argentinian-style grilled and smoked meats, a raw bar and a salad bar.

http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news ... -with.html

Rif wrote:

Octarine wrote:Middle Eastern Flair on Harlem is closed. I loved their falafel and breads. I hadn't gone in for a week or two because of Ramadan but I stopped by today and the place is empty, bare to the walls.

The sign on the door promises info on a new location "soon".

This is what happened to Middle Eastern Flair

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/norridge/news/ct-nhh-mattress-store-tl-0326-20150323-story.html

Before they closed, the owners son in law who worked the pm shift, said they were moving around Irving Park Rd and Cumberland Av.
I guess that fell thru! Hope they open soon. Nicest people.
Rif

Good news - it did not fall through. Middle Eastern Flair will be reopening on Irving Park, a little east of Cumberland at Pittsburgh . . . just across the street from Bob-O's. The space is large, but there's a lot of work to be done. I walked in to find some familiar faces and spoke to them. They said there hoping to open in about two months. I'll keep you posted.

Here's the building, with the old sign moved here from the Harlem Avenue location. I can't wait!

BR wrote:Good news - it did not fall through. Middle Eastern Flair will be reopening on Irving Park, a little west of Cumberland at Pittsburgh . . . just across the street from Bob-O's. The space is large, but there's a lot of work to be done. I walked in to find some familiar faces and spoke to them. They said there hoping to open in about two months. I'll keep you posted.

Here's the building, with the old sign moved here from the Harlem Avenue location. I can't wait!

Just to clarify, that would actually be east of Cumberland. West of Cumberland would put it in the middle of the Forest Preserve.

midas wrote:

BR wrote:Good news - it did not fall through. Middle Eastern Flair will be reopening on Irving Park, a little west of Cumberland at Pittsburgh . . . just across the street from Bob-O's. The space is large, but there's a lot of work to be done. I walked in to find some familiar faces and spoke to them. They said there hoping to open in about two months. I'll keep you posted.

Here's the building, with the old sign moved here from the Harlem Avenue location. I can't wait!

Just to clarify, that would actually be east of Cumberland. West of Cumberland would put it in the middle of the Forest Preserve.

Correct - thanks for pointing this out . . . I have edited the post to avoid confusion.

sundevilpeg wrote:La Principal in Evanston looks like it's going to be up and running soon - and the coffee bar on the Custer St. side of the building is now open in the AM, Monday-Friday 6:30-10 a.m. Bulletins as events warrant.

La Principal/Cafecito
700 Main St.
Evanston IL (Just west of the Main St./Evanston Metra and CTA stations)

I walked by today around lunchtime and noticed that they are definitely open. The menu leans towards tacos and tortas. They have a website at laprincipalevanston.com.

PINE YARD LOVERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!
YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT YOUR MOFUKU!*

If you are still sitting shiva for the old Pine Yard, stop tearing your garments and call 847-251-8881 for a take-out order from the folks who ran Pine Yard before the change in ownership that preceded the place doing a patty melt.

This is not a sit-down restaurant, but hey also deliver – and if you ask nicely, they might go beyond their stated 5-mile delivery area. Last night’s order to the Dempster-Dodge neighborhood in Evanston brought back a flood of pleasant memories that have long been missed.

PINE YARD IS DEAD! LONG LIVE MEI LIN HOUSE!

Mei Lin House
3207 Lake Avenue – 6A (at Skokie Highway)
Wilmette

http://www.meilinhouse.net

*You won’t find mofuku on the Pine Yard menu, as it is the Japanese term for mourning clothes. This is as close to China as I could get.