Big news over at Branch 27 (1371 W. Chicago Ave.; 312-850-2700), the West Town American bistro that opened this past April: Chef Bob Zrenner is leaving on November 19th and will be replaced by John Manion, lately of Goose Island Brewpub. “They want me to take…
A few months ago, I found myself enmeshed in a dispute with someone who had winked at me on match.com. When I checked out his profile and saw I was one year older than the upper limit of his preferred age range (though he and I are the exact same age), I couldn’t refrain from asking why he had bothered reaching out to a senior citizen. “Women in their 20s are just easier,” he snipped…
“My wife is Puerto Rican and I’m Korean, so we are doing a lot of things from two different cultures.” Usually when we hear an earnest statement like that one, we cringe—but when it comes from Bill Kim, the creative force behind Urbanbelly, we rejoice that he and Yvonne Cadiz-Kim found each other and wish … Read more
Vintage National Geographic covers papering the interior tell you that this new Pilsen BYO is not your ordinary taco joint. Sure, it’s got tacos on tap, but even better, a slew of tortas (sandwiches) on plump, freshly baked buns, a display case loaded with house-made desserts—don’t miss the Kahlúa-shot mocha tres leches cake—and water perked … Read more
“I was walking down this really obscure street in Beijing and happened on this Chinese guy,” says Randal Jacobs, the chef of Elate. “No shirt. Just shorts. Sitting on a milk crate grilling chicken wings on a hibachi grill.” Three orders of wings later, an idea was born. The wings Jacobs came up with … Read more
A newcomer aims to turn chuggers into urban sophisticates
Animated Cookies
Joe Bova and Jeff Steinberg, respectively an animator and a screenwriter, plan to open a bakery called Cookie Bar (2475 N. Lincoln Ave.) next month in a former Lincoln Park Starbucks. An animator and screenwriter? “In our private lives we entertained a lot,” says Steinberg. “People always loved anything we would bring to dinner parties. We started getting calls from…
Champagne and DJs are out; all sports, all the time is in at 6 Corners Sports Bar (1950 W. North Ave.; 773-235-5700), a revamped spot in the former D’Vine space, just east of the intersection of Milwaukee, North, and Damen Avenues in Wicker Park. We sent our photographer over on Saturday to check out the state of play; she spotted folks with eyes trained on the 13 flatscreens and giant projection TV. Come next week, there will be even more reason to watch, owners say…
I’ve been craving two things since the chill set in: good bourbon (as a native Kentuckian, it takes me home) and irresistible bread pudding. When I heard a new bar in Albany Park was combining both in one seemingly made-for-me item, I wasted no time in grabbing a pair of tagalongs—my sister Liv and my friend Jenny—and heading north…
Three-Pronged Approach
In 2009 it seems restaurateurs can’t go wrong with pizza, burgers, or beer. Or you can hedge your bets and try all three, as at The Lucky Monk (105 Hollywood Blvd., South Barrington; 847-898-0500), an upcoming 240-seat brewery from Jonathan Fox (La Madia) and Matt McMillin (formerly chef-partner at Big Bowl). Their pizzas will…
