07/01/09
Like Hopleaf, But With More Wine
After a long negotiation, Michael Roper of Hopleaf (5148 N. Clark St.; 773-334-9851) has purchased the La Donna (5146 N. Clark St.; 773-561-9400) property next door to his Andersonville beer haven, which he will turn into a charcuterie/wine-oriented spot with a wood-burning grill. “It’s going to be more straightforward grilled fish and meat and...
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06/24/09
BTW, It's Slang for "Butter"
Zebda (4344 N. Elston Ave.; 773-545-7000), a new Mediterranean-influenced takeout deli/caterer from Katie Garcia (Mundial Cocina Mestiza) and Mohammed Djeddour (Tassili), opened last week. “We’re doing really interesting sandwiches and soups and things to go,” says Garcia, who met Djeddour working at the Ritz-Carlton years ago. “Trying to keep ethnic but...
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06/17/09
Barbecue Alert!
Michael Altenberg (Bistro Campagne, Crust) has found a massive, undisclosed space in Lincoln Square for his “Alabama pit barbecue” concept; now he’s just ironing out details. Plans for the two-story space include slow-cooked barbecue, authentic old-fashioned Southern drinks like Sazeracs and mint juleps, and—believe it or not...
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06/10/09
Eat Here. Now.
More often than not, we know all about any remotely promising restaurant months before it serves its first meal, but every now and then, a true gem comes out of nowhere. Han 202 (605 W. 31st St.; 312-949-1314), a chic 38-seat Amercian/pan-Asian BYO that opened two months ago in Bridgeport, is just such a place. Guan Chen, the chef-partner and his wife, Yan Ruan (former owners of Evanston’s Nine Fish), push the envelope with their prix fixe menu (five courses; $20. “That’s nice value, right?” asks Ruan, in the understatement of the year). On a recent visit...
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06/04/09
 Playing the Piano
Pollack and one of her favorite Dish spies couldn’t resist checking out lunch at Terzo Piano a few short weeks after the long awaited spot—touting a Tony Mantuano (Spiaggia) menu—opened its doors. A full review will appear in...
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06/03/09
Purple Hearts
Get ready to pig out. Scott Harris (Mia Francesca) and Jimmy Bannos (Heaven on Seven) (plus a third well-known chef who wishes to remain anonymous for now) are at work on The Purple Pig (500 N. Michigan Ave.), a Mediterranean “cheese, wine, and swine” spot. Bannos’s son, Jimmy Bannos, Jr.—a veteran of various Mario Batali places in New York (Esca, Lupa, Del Posto) for the past five years—will be the chef at the 65-seat Mag Mile spot on the ground floor of what some people know as...
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05/20/09
Little Italy, Big Oven
Nella Grassano, Spacca Napoli’s former pizzaiolo, is now working with Scott Harris (Mia Francesca) on a second Nella Pizzeria Napoletana at 1359 West Taylor Street (the old La Vita space)—and the pair haven’t even opened the first one yet. “I have so much trust in her golden fingers,” says Harris, who plans to open...
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05/13/09
Ten Reasons We’re Excited About the New Whole Foods, Opening on May 20th
- The new 75,000-square-foot space at 1550 North Kingsbury Street (312-587-0648) is the third-largest WF in the world. (London and Austin, that’s where.)
- More than 400 free parking spaces for customers.
- Fresh food venues—which Lettuce Entertain You consulted on—line the store, including The Pilsen Taquería, Wicker Park Subs, Chicago Smokehouse, and Taylor Street Italian...
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05/06/09
Of Dust and Dough
The partners at Mod Pizza (1222 W. Madison St.; 312-666-1222), an upcoming pizzeria/smoothie bar in the West Loop, are obviously optimists. The 68-seat spot with an outdoor café is still under construction, but they plan to open on May 20th. “The plumbing is in, and we are hanging ductwork as I speak,” says Madison Drake, former partner at Phil & Lou’s. “The kitchen flooring will be in by end of next week.” Mod’s executive chef, Marco Aguirre (recently of Maggiano’s), has been working with Old California Pizza Dough, a San Francisco–based company, to develop the mix that will go into the sourdough-based flour for his predominantly thin pizzas. But the food is the least of Drake’s worries...
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04/29/09
Bahena Goes to the Well
Geno Bahena, who launched Real Tenochtitlán (2451 N. Milwaukee Ave.; 773-227-1050), plans to open Los Moles (3140 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-935-9620), an 80-seat Mexican restaurant, on May 4th. The specialty will be—surprise!—mole. “Three moles every day: Red, green, and black,” says Bahena, who will split his time between Real Tenochtitlán and Los Moles, and has been at so many restaurants we won’t bother to...
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