blipsman wrote:

marothisu wrote:So, Papjin in Wicker Park (1551 N Milwaukee) had closed awhile ago because the owners demolished the building to build a new, larger building on the same site. The owners in interviews said that they would come back with a restaurant on the ground floor with the new development.

There is a building permit at the same address to build out a new clothing store - so either say goodbye to Papjin ever coming back there (or maybe anywhere?) or coming back at half the size...

DNA Info reported a couple weeks ago that it wasn't re-opening.

Ahhh, guess that's what I get for being less active on the internet for the last few weeks Thanks.

In case anybody cares, the store will be a Zumiez.

Macaron And Patisserie Shop Opening In Uptown Storefront Near Ba Le

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2017032 ... erie-ba-le

A sister of French restaurant Cochon Volant is planned in a plaza alongside an office tower in the city's financial district, part of the landlord's efforts to attract office tenants.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... olumn.html

So the great Roscoe Village Shuffle of 2017 is just about complete. Bow Truss and Banh Mi Ba Get both closed... pay attention because there will be a quiz at the end.

The former Bow Truss location (2004 W. Roscoe St) is now a Banh Mi/Pho shop from one of the former partners in Banh Mi Ba Get. That new venture is called Cafe Ciat and it opened last Saturday. I went Sunday night and it was better than BMBG ever was.

The old Banh Mi Ba Get location has turned into The Region, a Northwest Indiana style cheeseburger spot. Their soft open is scheduled for today.

admich wrote:The old Banh Mi Ba Get location has turned into The Region, a Northwest Indiana style cheeseburger spot. Their soft open is scheduled for today.

Would that be Schoops they wish to emulate?

You are right about needing a scorecard.

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy2 wrote:

admich wrote:The old Banh Mi Ba Get location has turned into The Region, a Northwest Indiana style cheeseburger spot. Their soft open is scheduled for today.

Would that be Schoops they wish to emulate?

You are right about needing a scorecard.

Regards,
Cathy2

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170302/roscoe-village/northwest-indiana-style-burgers-coming-roscoe-village-at-region

"During high school and college, the now 35-year-old Rund worked at Schoop's, which sort of is to Northwest Indiana burgers what Lou Malnati's is to deep dish Chicago pizza."

"It's all about the extreme smashing of the beef, which produces a pattie so thin that when grilled, it crisps around the edges, Rund explained."

Pie Five has closed all Chicago locations but one, and pulled out of Minneapolis yesterday.

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

Willkat98 wrote:Pie Five has closed all Chicago locations but one, and pulled out of Minneapolis yesterday.

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

I thought Pie Five was the worst of the fast pizza chains like Blaze and MOD that have sprung up in recent years so I'm not surprised.

The place on the 2900 block of N. Halsted that was Erwin, and then became Macku, is now going to become Saigon Lotus, according to a banner on the building. (I think; I was driving.)

Brother's Beef at 723 W. Armitage has been replaced with Big Bob & Fritzy's. Not sure if they're officially open yet. Their Facebook page is here

Brendan Sodikoff is planning an "affordable" sushi restaurant, for a space at 226 W. Kinzie St., next to Gilt Bar, Sodikoff's first restaurant, which opened in 2010.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... iver-north

Didn't see it mentioned anywhere here, we discovered to our horror on Monday that Elephant Thai had a fire last week. Pretty extensive damage.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca ... story.html

Vinny wrote:Didn't see it mentioned anywhere here, we discovered to our horror on Monday that Elephant Thai had a fire last week. Pretty extensive damage.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca ... story.html

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=43618

I gotta say, the concept struck me as a little too esoteric.

Q-Tine, Logan Square's Late-Night Poutine And BBQ Spot, Closes

Drover wrote:I gotta say, the concept struck me as a little too esoteric.

Q-Tine, Logan Square's Late-Night Poutine And BBQ Spot, Closes

It could be definitely much less esoteric with 20%-25% lower prices. Kinda like esoteric (and very average) pelmeni in Madison, WI.

Lenny007 wrote:

Drover wrote:I gotta say, the concept struck me as a little too esoteric.

Q-Tine, Logan Square's Late-Night Poutine And BBQ Spot, Closes

It could be definitely much less esoteric with 20%-25% lower prices. Kinda like esoteric (and very average) pelmeni in Madison, WI.

Conceptually, great drunk food and there are plenty of bars on that block that should have helped it thrive. But the food was low-grade and pretty lousy. Not even serious drunkeness made it compelling and lower prices wouldn't have changed that.

=R=

Budlong Hot Chicken Technically Made Good On March Lincoln Square Opening

"We staged what I would call a soft pop-up open," [owner Jared] Leonard told DNAinfo via text.

"It was a glorious sight to be seen: Budlong chicken being served at 4619," he posted to Facebook.

Then the doors closed — temporarily.

This week has been set aside for staff training, with the official, permanent opening to follow.

Eater reported the Lincoln Square location of Julius Meinl has closed. Sorry to see that one go - it was my favorite location even thought he Lakeview one is closer.

Anyone know what's happening at Dragonlady Lounge at Elston/Belmont/California? I drove by during business hours this evening. The bottom half of the windows are papered over, the lights were out, nobody's answering the phone, etc. The windows and door looked kind of grimy in the way that vacant storefronts get when they haven't been used for a while. Yet nobody has announced on Google or Yelp or anywhere else that I can see that it's closed. You'd think word would get around quickly when a neighborhood institution like this shutters.

Bistro Bordeaux announced in an email today that they will be closing after dinner service April 16th (Easter Sunday).

Creperie St. Germain and Pastisserie Coralie (same owners, I believe) will continue in business.

Giovanna

Got an email that Wisma, Inovasi chef John des Rosiers' high-end takeout/prepared food place in Lake Bluff has closed.


To all of our Wisma Customers and our community:

I want to take a minute and give as much information as possible on my decision to close our store this week. I know everyone will have their own opinions, thoughts, and ideas. But I am going to try and be as honest as I am allowed to be right now.

First I want all of you to know that I am truly saddened that we had to close, and I promise no one is more sad and more upset than I am. We poured our hearts into the little store, and I think we did a pretty damn good job over the 6 years or so we were open.

I want to thank all of you for your amazing support when the store was open. Your energy and your enthusiasm made it what it grew to be and we never could have gotten as far as we did without it. Our community was incredible to us, and I want you to know how much I personally appreciate that.

As far as the reasons why the store closed, I honestly cannot explain the details. It is something that is private between the partners of the company. And I promise you that only myself and my other 2 partners know our particular situation and the company details. I worked tirelessly to make Wisma work better and better every year, but it is simply not feasible in our current companies form.

I am sorry to everyone for letting you down. I promise it was never my intention to close the store and I tried vigorously over the past few months to find ways of keeping it open. If there was more that I personally could have done, I would have.

I don’t know what the future brings, but I want all of you to know that you have made me proud to own Wisma, and it is something I will always appreciate. Thank you again for your amazing support and outpouring.

- John

A lot of construction/destruction going on at the old Ravinia BBQ & Grill on Roger Williams in Highland Park. Anyone have any intel on what's going in that space.

Also anyone have a target date for the Ravinia Brewing Company's opening across the street?

Giovanna wrote:Bistro Bordeaux announced in an email today that they will be closing after dinner service April 16th (Easter Sunday).

Creperie St. Germain and Pastisserie Coralie (same owners, I believe) will continue in business.

Giovanna

Yes, same owner, and Patisserie Coralie is opening a second location and production kitchen on Howard Street, where the old Evanston Police outpost was. We'll miss Bistro Bordeaux (especially the escargot and the steak tartare), but last time we were there, the place was virtually empty — only one or two other tables occupied.

Drover wrote:Anyone know what's happening at Dragonlady Lounge at Elston/Belmont/California? I drove by during business hours this evening. The bottom half of the windows are papered over, the lights were out, nobody's answering the phone, etc. The windows and door looked kind of grimy in the way that vacant storefronts get when they haven't been used for a while. Yet nobody has announced on Google or Yelp or anywhere else that I can see that it's closed. You'd think word would get around quickly when a neighborhood institution like this shutters.

I walked past today. On the window paper is a note that states "Closed for spring cleaning/repainting, re-opening in May." From what I hear the place was in desperate need of a re-fresh.

Drover wrote:

Drover wrote:La Riviera Maya on Elston at Irving Park (former Latin Sandwich Cafe/Rapa Nui space) is papered over with a sign indicating that another Mexican seafood place is taking over soon. I'll try to remember the name next time I roll by.

OK, so the name of the forthcoming "new" restaurant is "Mariscos Costa Grande." Then underneath it says "estilo Riviera Maya." Meanwhile when it was Riveria Maya the sub-script on the awning said "Mariscos Estilo Costa Grande." So I don't know if this is just a refresh with re-branding or a new restaurant under new ownership or what. I know the building was for sale but the For Sale sign is now gone so I don't know if that's tied into any of this.

Mariscos Costa ([re-?]opening soon)
4009 N. Elston Ave

Now the "Coming Soon: Mariscos Costa Grande" sign has been replaced with a "Coming Soon: Taco Max" sign. There's an LED sign in the window indicating they'll be serving up tacos, burritos, tortas, etc. -- in other words they'll be doing typical taqueria fare instead of seafood because the 846 other standard taquerias in the area weren't sufficient.

Alarmist Brewing is opening its taproom across the street from the Sauganash Whole Foods this Sunday (April 9th).

I'd never heard of Alarmist until today. This town has gone from a craft-brew desert to being impossible to keep track of them all in the last decade.

Alarmist Brewing
4056 W. Peterson
http://alarmistbrewing.com/
https://www.facebook.com/alarmistbrewing

Drover wrote:Alarmist Brewing is opening its taproom across the street from the Sauganash Whole Foods this Sunday (April 9th).

I'd never heard of Alarmist until today. This town has gone from a craft-brew desert to being impossible to keep track of them all in the last decade.

Alarmist Brewing
4056 W. Peterson
http://alarmistbrewing.com/
https://www.facebook.com/alarmistbrewing

It's actually not across from Whole Foods. It's further east on Peterson, nearly to Pulaski on the south side of the street (My office is in the same building).

The address is actually 4055 W. Peterson. We've been waiting for the taproom to open for quite some time. This is good news.

My bad...

AlekH wrote:Looks like a Korean place is coming to the former Inspiration Cafe location on Sheridan in Uptown. Crossing fingers for something good, would be a nice addition.

Sol’s Kitchen is a new Korean restaurant that opened in the Inspiration Kitchens space.

http://chicago.eater.com/2017/4/7/15223 ... ummer-2017

nr706 wrote:

Giovanna wrote:Bistro Bordeaux announced in an email today that they will be closing after dinner service April 16th (Easter Sunday).

Creperie St. Germain and Pastisserie Coralie (same owners, I believe) will continue in business.

Giovanna

Yes, same owner, and Patisserie Coralie is opening a second location and production kitchen on Howard Street, where the old Evanston Police outpost was. We'll miss Bistro Bordeaux (especially the escargot and the steak tartare), but last time we were there, the place was virtually empty — only one or two other tables occupied.

We used to love going to Bistro Bordeaux. But recently Pascal hired a new chef and it seemed like the classic preparations changed. The bouillabaisse was almost all mussels and just tasted off. They Lyonaisse salad recipe was different-and not in a good way. The reason we loved going there was to have the French standards and once that changed, well, then why go?
And another pet peeve-I don't like when restaurants serve red wine at room temperature! We would have to ask for an ice bucket for the reds. No excuse for a French restaurant not to properly chill wine:)