Re-Engaged
Dirk Flanigan and Billy Lawless, the men behind The Gage (24 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-372-4243), have secured the 2,000-square-foot space next door, and are moving forward with a new concept. “We are still working on what we want to do,” Flanigan says, “but I can tell you that it’s going to be one of the coolest spots in Chicago—if not the coolest spot on Michigan Avenue. It’s going to be really, really cool…
You asked for it: New to Last Girl Standing, a few notes now and then on planning for my upcoming nuptials, along with regular communiqués from the nightlife front. Hey, I’m not settled down yet.
For a girl who’s spent her adult years attending and writing about lavish openings and parties, you’d think this wedding planning stuff would come naturally.
Think again…
Ryan’s Hope
Chef Ryan Poli, who had a huge following at Butter, has returned to Chicago to become the chef de cuisine at Perennial (1800 N. Clark St.), the upcoming spot from Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm (Boka, Landmark). “Things just sometimes don’t work out the way you want them to,” Poli says of his recent jaunt to Phoenix, Arizona. “So I decided to come back to Chicago. It’s where my passion is.” Poli also spent about a year interning in various standouts in Spain, including…
The word means something along the lines of “planks,” but this rich concoction is anything but hard.
What, Nothing from Bangladesh?
Miss Asia (434 W Diversey Pkwy.; 773-248-3999), a 70-seat BYO in the remodeled Thai Me Up space, has opened, and it may cover more square miles than any Asian restaurant in Chicago. “The main thing is the Thai cuisine,” says Charoen Amornpheerakul, the co-owner. “But we have Cambodian dishes. Indian dishes, Chinese. Mongolian, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Malaysian, Nepalese. Also Singapore.” Most of Amornpheerakul’s kitchen staff are Thai, but he brought in chefs that specialized in many of the above countries’ foods to train his…
For March 2008: New, Budget Beat, Sleeper, Discovery
The Fiancé (yes, we made it official last Friday; check back Thursday for a full report) forced me to fill out an NCAA tournament bracket over dinner last week. All I knew was to err on the side of loyalty and pick my alma mater, KU, to win the Big Dance—but I know plenty about bars. In preparation for the Sweet 16, I’ve rounded up a list of top-notch NCAA-watching spots: watering holes associated with schools still in the hunt for this year’s national championship. Because no one likes to cheer—or jeer—alone…
The thrill of victory! The agony of defeat! The anticipation of a frosty pint! Tune in tomorrow, when LGS picks the best spots to catch NCAA action.
These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things
As if the name weren’t a giveaway, Chocolate Grape (chocolate-grape.com) (2113 W. Division St.; 773-772-3990), slotted to open in early April, specializes in pairing wines and chocolates together. “The concept came from my family,” says Rehanna Grady, a partner in the 65-seat café. “My brother, in earning his master’s from DePaul, had to create a business plan and a pro forma to show that the business would be profitable.” The plan was for a wine and chocolate café, and the family thought it was such a…
Next Gig
Giuseppe Scurato (formerly of Boka and MK), who recently parted ways with Fox & Obel, has joined forces with Branco Palikuca (owner of Amber Cafe, 13 N. Cass Ave., Westmont; 630-515-8080) to open Topaz (780 Village Center Driveway, Burr Ridge; 630-654-1616), a 150-seat contemporary American place in a new shopping center. “It should be ready to open by the beginning of April,” says Scurato, whose plans to open his own place are still on hold. “Most of our ingredients will be organic. We’re not going to …
