BUDGET BEATChicago Avenue, east of Ashland, could easily be dubbed chow central, being home to such hot spots as Green Zebra, Flo, and West Town Tavern. New to the mix is Habana Libre (1440 W. Chicago Ave.; 312-243-3303), a tropical cutie done up in shades of papaya and pineapple and outfitted with enough plants, paper … Read more
by Sarah Preston All dressed up-or down-and no place to go? Until recently, that was the Friday-night quandary for scenesters in Wicker Park. Despite the myriad hipster haunts dotting the ‘hood, it was hard to find a spot that appealed to both low-key loungers (decked out in last year’s boot-cut jeans) and high fashionistas (done … Read more
In a city where foodies flock to every new game in town, two exciting new Asian spots have been inexplicably overlooked.
A new spot in a hallowed Evanston restaurant space; new and updated listings
Summer in the city really means celebrities in the city. Seen on the scene, in the last week alone:
Thursday, June 7
Perhaps the most celeb-studded party Chicago has seen in recent years, the official Ocean’s Thirteen opening bash took place at Jerry Kleiner’s Room 21 last Thursday, following the movie’s premiere at AMC River East 21. Hosted by Vanity Fair, the party doubled as a charity event for Darfur; the cheapest ticket went for a cool $2,000. “Everything was draped in red, and it looked like the VIP-VIP-VIP room of Las Vegas’s best casino,” says guest Jonathan Landan, president of the marketing company A-Life Group. “George Clooney, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle,…
How many restaurant fads can you fit under one roof? At least three, according to a pair of loungy new small-plate Latino lairs.
The Next Chapter We knew the acclaimed chef Laurent Gras (Fifth Floor in San Francisco) was hooking up with Rich Melman and his Lettuce cronies, but we weren’t sure how or where. Now it’s clear: Gras is taking over the Ambria space (2300 N. Lincoln Park West; 773-472-5959). “Our goal all along has been to … Read more
Looking for a great place to linger over a cocktail? That special outdoor patio? An authentic Irish pub or dance palace of the moment? Whatever your need, we’ve got the perfect bar or club to satisfy it
Aaron Whitcomb, the highly touted executive chef of Room 21 (2110 S. Wabash Ave.; 312-328-1198), has left. “Aaron is a great chef, but he’s a young kid,” says owner Jerry Kleiner. [Note: he’s 30.] “He was overwhelmed by the volume and the pressure. He just couldn’t take it anymore and kept saying it would be … Read more
Saturday and Sunday brought the return of the Wells Street Art Festival and the Old Town Art Fair-my absolute favorite weekend of the year. Because I live in Old Town, I consider these my festivals-essentially, a block party in my front yard for about 70,000 people. And since the Wells Street fest and I are … Read more
