At the site of the recently demolished strip mall that once was home to Blue Nile and Barwaqo Kabob (6118 - 6130 N Ravenswood) a sign has gone up saying "Misericordia Bakery and Coffee Drive Through - Coming Soon". Seeing as how the site is currently a hole in the ground "soon" may be in geological terms.

Tuxpan Mexican Grill has opened in downtown Skokie in the former Sugo Italian Street Food and Kabul House locations. This looks to be there second location as Tuxpan Mexican Grill has a location on Milwaukee:

5540 N Milwaukee Ave,
Chicago, IL 60630
http://www.tuxpanmexicangrill.net/

and new location:

4949 Oakton St
Skokie, IL 60077
https://www.yelp.com/biz/fiesta-en-tuxp ... ill-skokie

polster wrote:Tuxpan Mexican Grill . . .
and new location:

4949 Oakton St
Skokie, IL 60077

A former Kabul House location.

=R=

2 Lanterns Cafe has opened next to Wholly Frijoles in the same strip mall in Lincolnwood. I believe there was a carry out american chinese food place there before.

2 Lanterns Cafe
3900 W Touhy Ave,
Lincolnwood, IL 60712

ronnie_suburban wrote:A former Kabul House location.

That's almost a whole food crawl

Carlos Gaytan heading back to Chicago with two new restaurants

https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/c ... story.html

Restaurant Sarajevo, a fairly old Bosnian restaurant in Lincoln Square, has closed per signs in windows and Open Table listing as permanently closed.

Signs in windows for Himalayan Sherpa Kitchen coming soon. Subtitle is Spices of Mountain. Menu on web site is a work in progress.
Himalayan Sherpa Kitchen
2701 W. Lawrence Ave.
Chicago 60625
https://himalayansherpakitchenchicago.com/

Edit to note that more of the web site than the menu is a work in progress. I seriously doubt that hours on any day will be 9 am to 5 pm or that a Tuesday happy hour will happen anytime soon.

tesori, previously announced as closed due to CSO strike and then closed for the rest of the CSO season, is now closed permanently.

From the tesori web site:

thank you from all of us at tesori

after six wonderful years as tesori, and fifteen before that as Rhapsody, we have closed our doors. we will sincerely miss serving each and every one of our guests and being a part of their day. thank you to our incredible staff for their passion and dedication over the years. we hope to have the opportunity to cross paths with each other again, perhaps on one of our projects in the west loop with our friends at Blue Plate.

we wish you all the best, tesori.thank you from all of us at tesori

An e-mail from the CSO today raises the question as to whether the change is to a new operator or is a reconcepting.

Please note that tesori is closed for the remainder of the 2018/19 season. A new, exciting dining experience will open in advance of the 2019/20 season.

Hi,

The CSO strike was a major hit. I was at Rhapsody for a dinner with no plans to attend a concert. Once the concert attendees left, you could have rolled a bowling ball down the aisles.

Regards,
Cathy2

Drover wrote:CLOSED: Beef & Burger on Montrose and Keokuk. Bold move to open right next to the massively overrated Susie's but ultimately a losing cause.

Someone else is giving it a go. Tim Tim's Express Grill has apparently been open since September but managed to escape everyone's notice on these here boards. Positive feedback on Yelp so far, FWIW.

Tim Tim's Express Grill
4148 W. Montrose
(773) 657-3180
https://tim-tims-express-grill.business.site/

Cathy2 said

The CSO strike was a major hit. I was at Rhapsody for a dinner with no plans to attend a concert. Once the concert attendees left, you could have rolled a bowling ball down the aisles.

Emptying out before curtain times applies to quite a a few Loop restaurants these days albeit to a lesser extent than a decade ago. The increased number of condos, rental apartments and hotel rooms in the Loop has contributed to more mid-evening dining. People living around there will learn that making your dinner reservation for 7:30 or so will give a much quieter and more relaxing dinner.

tesori was obviously drawing quite a few diners going to Hamilton and the Auditorium Theatre, especially before dance performances. Lunch business had been pretty strong. The strike might have affected lunch business due to picket lines as well CSO employees other than musicians and orchestra members watching their spending due to financial uncertainty. The strike began after the contract extension expired on March 10. tesori did not suspend operations until April 3, by which time the strike looked as though it could be long.

Combining the phrasing on tesori's web site and the CSO e-mail makes me think that tesori was going to close down at the end of the CSO season anyway at least for remodeling for new concept and quite possibly a new operator. Either way makes not reopening for less than two months seem logical.

Flora Fauna opening in former Bohemian House space, embracing Caribbean and Southeast Asian flavors
http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct ... story.html

Busghetti wrote:
The new restaurant is "Speedy Tamales - Homemade Mexican Cuisine" according to the food truck parked out in front of the restaurant. Looks like renovations are still taking place judging from the contractor material visible around the entrance. Per their Facebook page this is their 2nd location (the 1st in Berwyn) in addition to their food truck.

https://www.facebook.com/speedytamalestruck/

Speedy Tamales replied to my comment on their FB page and said they were just waiting for menus to be printed and their new sign to be delivered.

Drover wrote:

Drover wrote:CLOSED: Beef & Burger on Montrose and Keokuk. Bold move to open right next to the massively overrated Susie's but ultimately a losing cause.

Someone else is giving it a go. Tim Tim's Express Grill has apparently been open since September but managed to escape everyone's notice on these here boards. Positive feedback on Yelp so far, FWIW.

Tim Tim's Express Grill
4148 W. Montrose
(773) 657-3180
https://tim-tims-express-grill.business.site/

I haven't been to Susie's since trying Tim Tim's, except for a late night milkshake.

In other news on that stretch of Montrose, it appears that Afghan Kabob is closed. I have been hoping maybe they went on vacation but it shows as permanently closed on Google and closed on Yelp, so perhaps this is my wishful thinking for my chapli kabob to come back to me.

AdmVinyl wrote:In other news on that stretch of Montrose, it appears that Afghan Kabob is closed. I have been hoping maybe they went on vacation but it shows as permanently closed on Google and closed on Yelp, so perhaps this is my wishful thinking for my chapli kabob to come back to me.

Yeah, I discovered this when I tried to order from there on Thursday. It's one of those places that was just there forever with little fanfare so it never occurred to anyone that some day it wouldn't be there.

And in yet more news in that vicinity, Fish & Go on Pulaski at Lawrence is closed. Well, this isn't exactly news as apparently it's been closed for over a year now, but it didn't merit a mention in these forums until now. I had wanted to try it but they were cash-only and, being a creature of the 21st century, I rarely carry cash.

It has since been replaced by some wing joint called Fire Wings. Online reviews so far are middling to positive.

Fire Wings
4749 N. Pulaski
(872) 208-5019

Choong Man Chicken looks to be a new Korean Fried Chicken place in Glenview.

Choong Man Chicken
9850 Milwaukee Ave
Glenview, IL 60025
https://www.yelp.com/biz/choong-man-chi ... =date_desc

And Another new Chicken Wing place, Miss Saigon Express has opened on Lincoln Ave in Chicago:

Miss Saigon Express
5848 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
https://www.yelp.com/biz/miss-saigon-express-chicago

polster wrote:Choong Man Chicken looks to be a new Korean Fried Chicken place in Glenview.

Praise be the glory of you-do, I-do, we-all-do!

polster wrote:And Another new Chicken Wing place, Miss Saigon Express has opened on Lincoln Ave in Chicago:

If the past few places at this address are indication of longevity sooner rather than later is suggested if one has interest. Don't mean to be needlessly negative, but this seems one of those "haunted" spaces where even Barry Sorkin offering low slow Doug Sohn dogs on a stick for .40c would have trouble.

G Wiv wrote:

polster wrote:Choong Man Chicken looks to be a new Korean Fried Chicken place in Glenview.

Praise be the glory of you-do, I-do, we-all-do!

polster wrote:And Another new Chicken Wing place, Miss Saigon Express has opened on Lincoln Ave in Chicago:

If the past few places at this address are indication of longevity sooner rather than later is suggested if one has interest. Don't mean to be needlessly negative, but this seems one of those "haunted" spaces where even Barry Sorkin offering low slow Doug Sohn dogs on a stick for .40c would have trouble.

That reminds me, does anyone have any experience with that Japanese restaurant that is a couple doors down? I believe it's called Makoto but have never seen info about it online.

polster wrote:Choong Man Chicken looks to be a new Korean Fried Chicken place in Glenview.

Choong Man Chicken
9850 Milwaukee Ave
Glenview, IL 60025
https://www.yelp.com/biz/choong-man-chi ... =date_desc

That the spot next to Pita Inn that was originally a Burger King and has changed hands I'd guess every three years on average.

From 2013 O&C Page -

ekreider wrote:Caponies closed in 2012, purportedly for remodeling that did not happen. From post in Openings and Closings thread by 2146 north:

Caponies on Harlem closed with a sign in the window saying they are remodeling, and will reopen in mid May. The place is cleaned out. If they do remodel, I might start eating there again. The old layout was a mess.

After a few months the reference to remodeling disappeared replaced by a for rent sign. Meanwhile Caponies reported on their web site that they had moved. ...
Caponies Trattoria, 7419 W. Irving Park Rd, Chicago

Even though I concede Caponies Trattoria wasn't being run with the vigor the restaurant business seems to require, I was still a fan of their wood oven pizza, specifically one of their specials with zucchini and eggplant. As such, I was mildly disappointed to see that they had closed (temp at a min.) around the start of this year.

Well the same space is now DBA La Vecchia Trattoria Restaurant and Pizzeria. It appears to have reopened under new owners and management about 12-15 weeks ago. Based on their website, it may have been opened by cooks who worked at Caponies, which one of the guys I briefly would speak to when picking up suggested was their hope. Best part of all - they kept the menu the exact same (phone # too). I hope to check it out before long.

La Vecchia Trattoria Restaurant and Pizzeria
7419 W Irving Pk Rd, Chicago, IL 60634
(773)804-9024
M-Th 11a-10p, F-S 10.30a-10.30p, Su 11a-9p
http://www.lavecchiachicago.com

Beloved Skokie bakery Sweety Pies to close in August.

The family behind Sweety Pies, the bakery that has been serving Skokie residents pies, cookies, cakes and cupcakes for more than a decade, has made a bittersweet decision to close in August.

With customers lining up regularly to purchase pastries baked from secret family recipes, or to order customized cakes for various celebrations, choosing to close Sweety Pies was difficult.

“We haven’t failed. We’ve built our dream and have so many loyal customers, but life has changed a lot for all of us and we’ve all decided that we are moving on to the next phase,” said Dana Davidson.

Tribune Article:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ ... story.html

Sweety Pies
8042 Lincoln Ave.
Skokie, IL 60077
http://www.sweetypiesbakery.com/

Imperial Lamian opening Phat Phat with Shanghai dumplings and Taiwanese ice in Schaumburg
http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct ... story.html

Chicagoland’s Premier Japanese Market Adds Yakitori Restaurant’s First U.S. Location. Mitsuwa in Arlington Heights adds Toritetsu as part of a massive facelift

https://chicago.eater.com/2019/5/29/186 ... enovations

Eater reports Leghorn Chicken is closed.

The state department of revenue revoked the restaurant’s license which leaves the future of Leghorn’s parent company, Element Collective, in question. The once promising restaurant group is now left with only Nellcote and RM Champagne Lounge in West Loop. Furthermore, workers are once again accusing Element of not paying its workers on time.

In the location of the lamented LTH favorite Thali Bites:

5b2f Akira Sushi
143 Skokie Blvd
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 920-5332

It appears to be a carry-out only space. It's run by the same folks that ran 153 Akira in downtown Wilmette.

Looks like another sad loss. Awning is down and a for-rent sign at Lincoln Quality Meat Market space.

Lincoln Quality Meat Market
4661 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60625

When I was in the Lincoln Quality Meat Market just before Memorial Day weekend, they were clearing out merchandise. I was told that the lease was up on May 31. If they did not reach agreement by 5 pm on Saturday, May 25, they would close and clear the space the next week.

They are looking for a new space but did not want to get in the position where they had two leases as all workers are family with not enough to staff two stores.

James Beard-winning owners of Parachute opening second restaurant, Wherewithall, this summer
http://bit.ly/2Xu5XYK

Square Biscuits on Lincoln (4160 N Lincoln Ave) has closed. There's white paper over the windows and Yelp and Facebook confirm that it closed. Went there once and it was good, but just a little too far to go back regularly.