Not sure if this has been posted - I dug around and did not see a lot of info on it here - but former Batters and Berries chef Derek Rylon is now at Frances' Deli.

Here is a link:

https://www.francesdeli.com/about/

and here is another with some background:

https://chicago.eater.com/2018/5/14/173 ... rries-chef

I am so glad to hear he has landed somewhere that looks like it will support him. I loved Batters and Berries and only stopped going when the lines got too long. Again, my apologies if this is old news.

Howells & Hood is closing September 30.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... y,amp.html

New neopolitan pizza place opened up in Schaumburg.


Napoli per Tutti
181 North Barrington Road, Schaumburg, Illinois 60194, United States
https://napolipertutti.com

They are in soft open mode, and are not open for lunch yet. I like the chew of their crust. Feel the oven needs more breaking in time to get those nice black bubble chars consistent. I also feel like some of the pizzas are slightly underseasoned. Personal opinion of course, and it could be adjusted after some tuning up.

It looks like Danny, of Toon's and Pearl's Southern Comfort fame has acquired the old Drinkingbird space on Clybourn. Not just opening a new bar there but purchasing the property itself.

I'm excited to have another location for Toon's-quality wings and I am excited for Danny since I think this is an interesting play as the behemoth Lincoln Yards project slowly progresses. That stretch of Clybourn has always seems tricky to keep a restaurant in business (unless you're Pequod's) but hopefully that will all be changing.

https://chicago.eater.com/2018/8/15/176 ... gbird-open

Beck’s
2201 N. Clybourn Avenue
(773) 661-1573

Tech entrepreneur Kimbal Musk will open Next Door, his second Chicago-area restaurant
https://trib.in/2vNjYVg

Bella Bacinos leaving Wacker Drive after 36 years; owners looking for new spot
https://trib.in/2MSZ1Pr

Coogles wrote:Cedar House at 655 W. Armitage has a "Closed for Remodeling" sign across their entrance.

Has reopened as "Cedar Palace" (~3 weeks ago).
(312)643-0933
http://www.cedarpalacechicago.com

Fry The Coop opened their second area location in Elmhurst this month. They have a simple menu of Nashville Hot Chicken sandwiches including one on a glazed donut. The first one is in Oak Lawn. Reviews have been very positive.

Fry The Coop
623 W North Ave
Elmhurst IL 60126
https://www.frythecoop.com/

bweiny wrote:

Coogles wrote:Cedar House at 655 W. Armitage has a "Closed for Remodeling" sign across their entrance.

Has reopened as "Cedar Palace" (~3 weeks ago).
(312)643-0933
http://www.cedarpalacechicago.com

Cedar House ownership wrote that “we would just like to make it clear that we have no affiliation with it and have not been involved at the location since Memorial Day weekend.”

https://chicago.eater.com/2018/1/2/1684 ... sures-2018

ronnie_suburban wrote:

scottsol wrote:

LPython wrote:[updated]We have it on good authority (the proprietor's) that there is a South African barbecue place, Baobab BBQ, opening in the long-shuttered Dorado space on Foster at Oakley in Lincoln Square.

Baobab BBQ
2301 W Foster Ave.
https://www.baobabbbq.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Baobabbbq/

I hope they smoke their meats with more attention to detail than they do their website:

2301 North Foster Avenue
Chicago, IL, 60625
United States

Sadly, they don't. Pellet smoker. Nothing to see here.

=R=

As predicted, there's nothing in the food that suggests the use of a smoker.

The brisket had a bark, but in all other respects was more like your mothers braised brisket than BBQ. Not bad for what it was, but not good if you want BBQ.

While not quite fall off the bone, the ribs had the mushy texture and the absence of pork flavor that you expect from chicago "baked ribs". It must be said, however, that the dry rub and the sauce that was heat thickened combined to create a captivating flavor, partially compensating for the uninspiring meat.

The half chicken was properly cooked so even the white meat was juicy and while the skin was not exactly crisp, neither was it soggy. Again, good flavors but nothing to suggest that it had ever been in a smoker.

The chef knows his flavors. If he can learn how to get his Cookshack smoker to sing he might be on to something.

Elgin's Colonial Cafe closes after 40 years; Crystal Lake site shuts, too
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/e ... story.html

Dave148 wrote:

bweiny wrote:

Coogles wrote:Cedar House at 655 W. Armitage has a "Closed for Remodeling" sign across their entrance.

Has reopened as "Cedar Palace" (~3 weeks ago).
(312)643-0933
http://www.cedarpalacechicago.com

Cedar House ownership wrote that “we would just like to make it clear that we have no affiliation with it and have not been involved at the location since Memorial Day weekend.”

https://chicago.eater.com/2018/1/2/1684 ... sures-2018

Wow. The new place is using the exact same logo with just the one word changed. Their menu is arranged a bit differently but appears to have mostly the same items, descriptions and prices as the Cedar House menu did.

Eastman Egg Company Shutters All its Restaurants.

The Eastman Egg Company, which had previously planned a major expansion, shuttered its three remaining restaurants in the Loop, West Loop’s Randolph Randolph Restaurant Row, and inside the Trunk Club in River North, founder and CEO Hunter Swartz confirms. “While we had a great run, we couldn’t find a sustainable way to make the breakfast sandwiches we wanted to serve,” Swartz wrote in an email.

https://chicago.eater.com/2018/8/21/177 ... oop-closed

polster wrote:Eastman Egg Company Shutters All its Restaurants.

I went there at least once a week when they opened but the pricing was just too high for an egg sandwich. I've had some great breakfast sandwiches that were worth $7 or more, but their offerings were $4-$5 sandwiches with much higher price points.

ronnie_suburban wrote:

G Wiv wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:Pellet smoker. Nothing to see here.

I'd venture its the cook not the cooker. I used a pellet cooker, pair of fast eddies by cookshack, at Barn & co to pretty darn good effect. Took me a while to dial it in but settled on pellets from a company in Arkansas and supplemented the smoke with mojobricks. Quality meats, spices, technique and a healthy does of obsession are key.

As an aside, most who use pellet cookers, or most commercial cookers for that matter, just set it and forget it resulting in not so wonderful BBQ. Though, as I'm sure you have experienced, having a wood fired cooker such as an Aquarium does in no way guarantee tasty BBQ.

There are lots of expectations, for example Smoque, which uses Southern Pride cookers, does a wonderful job with BBQ. Quality meat, spices and technique, plus a healthy does of obsession are key.

Once again, its the cook not the cooker.

My 2 pennies on the subject.

Gary,

I think you're the exception that proves the rule when it comes to pellet smokers. It takes someone with your level of expertise to produce desirable results on one. In fact you're the only person I know who's produced appetizing bbq on a true pellet smoker. So yes, it can be done by someone with a mess of skill but that's just not very common. More likely, these rigs are being run by someone who has very little skill or experience, and has chosen one for that very reason. I'd also posit that any experienced cook would produce superior product on just about any other smoker than a pellet smoker, all other factors being equal.

=R=

I think this may be a dated view. Pellet smokers have won plenty of bbq competitions recently. They are also particularly well suited for restaurants due to their ease of use. If you think they lack enough smoke, there are plenty of ways to remedy that. Frankly I think the only reason to use a traditional stick burner at this point is if you want to be old-fashioned. Especially if you are not that great a chef like myself.

Of course, I am biased. Here are some photos of my smoker on my rooftop + pork ribs money shot: https://imgur.com/a/mcxZmgg

As a certified KCBS judge I can say that competition BBQ is some of the worst oversauced, style over substance BBQ out there and nothing to aspire to.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:As a certified KCBS judge I can say that competition BBQ is some of the worst oversauced, style over substance BBQ out there and nothing to aspire to.

=R=

Fair enough, but my opinion on pellet smokers still stands. Don't see a reason to use stick burners anymore if you have a modern pellet.

Paczki fans take heart!
The staff from the abruptly shuttered Old Warsaw are in the final stages of opening a new shop just north of their old location.
The manager and all the bakers will be at Paczki Polish Cafe. It will be located in the mall at Harlem and Foster.

At first they will be only selling paczki but they plan to offer a selection of Polish favorites such as stuffed cabbage, chop steak, kielbasa and the like.
My cite is the manager who is purchasing plumbing products from me to get ready for final inspection.

OH BOY!! Is this in the old Oven Fresh location?

Octarine wrote:Paczki fans take heart!
The staff from the abruptly shuttered Old Warsaw are in the final stages of opening a new shop just north of their old location.
The manager and all the bakers will be at Paczki Polish Cafe. It will be located in the mall at Harlem and Foster.

At first they will be only selling paczki but they plan to offer a selection of Polish favorites such as stuffed cabbage, chop steak, kielbasa and the like.
My cite is the manager who is purchasing plumbing products from me to get ready for final inspection.

I loved their rose paczki with the orange glaze.

Pie Lady, I’m not certain of the exact address as my Polish isn’t so great:). When I find out I will update.

I guess it's been a couple weeks since I've been over to the French Market, but Lillie's Q stall is now gone...

Recently I walked by Leung's Chop Suey in Portage Park and saw that they were totally gone, moved out, closed. That was my old standby for Chinese when I lived in Mayfair in the 2000s...bummer.

Leung's Chop Suey
5713 W. Irving Park Rd.

Baghdad Family Restaurant has reopened this past Monday (8/20) after being closed for the last 5 months in downtown Skokie. From the storefront sign the business has been reopened under new management.



Baghdad Restaurant
4839 Oakton St,
Skokie, IL 60076
https://www.yelp.com/biz/baghdad-family ... =date_desc

As has been posted in the Sabatino's thread... management has confirmed recent rumors of its pending closing; I think the date they gave was December 23rd.

lodasi wrote:Dunlay's on the Square in Logan Square has closed.

https://chicago.eater.com/2018/3/26/171 ... aurant-bar

Lincoln Park bedrocks Dunlays on Clark and neighboring D.O.C. Wine Bar are closing in September after 15 years on Clark Street.

https://chicago.eater.com/2018/8/28/177 ... k-for-sale

Woodman's grocery store in Buffalo Grove is finally open after a year of construction.

1550 Deerfield Parkway Buffalo Grove.

I just received an e-mail from Prairie Moon that they are now open in their new location on Chicago Avenue in Evanston, next to Found.

We are thrilled to inform you we are now officially open at our new location at 1635 Chicago Avenue.
Serving dinner only from 4PM - Close.
Open for lunch starting September 7!

The third iteration of Almaida in about as many years, in the old Baked Tomato space on Elston south of Montrose, is papered over with a "For Rent" sign in the window.

lodasi wrote: Dunlay's on the Square in Logan Square has closed.
https://chicago.eater.com/2018/3/26/171 ... aurant-bar

This is correct. However, a new venue, Merchant, has opened in its stead. I have actually already visited it, when a planned evening at Billy Sunday {adjacent} was just not working for me.
Merchant
3137 W. Logan Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60647