New Restaurants
| Name |
Address |
City |
Phone |
| Erba |
4520 N. Lincoln Ave. |
Chicago |
773-989-4200 |
| Flatwater |
321 N. Clark St. |
Chicago |
312-644-0283 |
| La Petite Amelia |
618 Church St. |
Evanston |
847-328-3333 |
New Nightspots
| Name |
Address |
City |
Phone |
| Bourbon |
3244 N. Lincoln Ave. |
Chicago |
773-880-9520 |
| Continental, The |
2801 W. Chicago Ave. |
Chicago |
773-292-1200 |
| Stone Lotus |
873 N. Orleans St. |
Chicago |
312-440-9680 |
Coming Soon
Niche
Chef Jeremy Lycan and much of the at-large staff of the late, lamented 302 West will reconvene at this New American, which opens later this summer in the Geneva space (14 S. Third St.) recently vacated by Chez Francois.
Sura
Look for this Thai hipster to hit Lakeview (3124 N. Broadway) later this summer.
Good Deals and Other News
Wunderkind pastry chef Alex Stupak departs for the Big Apple, where he will engineer the sweets at Wylie Dufresne's wd-50. Rather than replace him, indefatigable super-chef Grant Achatz will add desserts to his things-to-deconstruct list.
Back under the Lettuce Entertain You umbrella for some time now, this stir-fry chain is freshening up its menu with seasonal local produce, echoing a recent switch to more artisanal ingredients like kaffir lime leaves, housemade sauces and curries and slow-brewed soy sauce. It is also coaching consumers on how to create better concoctions at the bar.
Bistro Banlieue
This high-scoring bistro staple of West Suburban Lombard has closed, but will reopen in early November as a yet-to-be-named New American concept. The redecorated space will feature fewer tables with upgraded stemware and dinnerware and a new wine list incorporating some New World selections after 17 years of all French and American offerings.
Good Neighbor Thursdays
In a friendly cross-promotion, three unrelated restaurants – Carlucci (Downers Grove), Embrace and Tin Fish (Oakbrook) – are offering interchangeable $20 gift certificates to Thursday night diners who spend $50 or more before tax. Certificates may be redeemed at any of the three restaurants during dinner service on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays through October 30th.
Studly servers in Chippendale-style "tuxedoes" serve half-price martinis from a list of 70 varieties, along with free appetizers, every Sunday from 3 PM–2 AM.
Lombard Lollapalooza
Move over Naperville, Lombard is set to be the new sequel-stealer, with a slew of forthcoming restaurants, including branches of Capital Grille, Rock Bottom Brewery, McCormick & Schmick's and a Harry Caray's seafood spin-off named – you guessed it – Holy Mackerel.
Has opened a Loop location at 1 E. Wacker Dr. (312-923-7226), the former Nick & Tony's space.
In a foie farewell, chef Todd Stein will offer a foie gras degustation menu through August 23rd (the citywide ban goes into effect on the 24th). Three savory foie gras courses (one chilled, one hot and one sauced) will be followed by a foie-less composed cheese course and dessert ($80 per person without wine; 312-482-9179).
Papa Milano
This red-checked red-sauce favorite has been doomed by a real estate development that will have it 86ed by early November.
Perhaps this Loop theater-crowd staple heard the pleas of surveyors who felt abandoned after the show, as it has extended its hours to 10:30 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, and to 11 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.
An expansion of this Lincoln Park sushi den has tripled the seating and made room for a "kushi" bar (grilled and fried meats, seafood and vegetables served on skewers, with some unusual items including tongue, chicken skin, taro and garlic).