Courtesy of MK

Now in its 15th year in business, MK (868 N. Franklin St., 312-482-9179) has reached the age in restaurant years to consider a little nipping and tucking.

Michael Kornick, the man behind the initials, says that now that the restaurant’s lease has been renewed for another 10 years, he plans to extend the annual July closure from one week to three or four. The place will receive extensive renovations, overseen by the team behind the decor at DMK Burger Bar and Fish Bar, Kornick’s collaborations with David Morton.

“We are ripping out the whole bar,” he says. “New carpet. Woodwork where there is paint now. New upholstery in the dining room.”

The concomitant menu renovation, rather than replacing the old menu, will add small-plate options for the bar area and a category of shareable dishes to the current appetizer-entrée-dessert organization, allowing current regulars and business-dinner parties to continue as-is. The wine program will keep its emphasis on precise cellaring temperatures and paired stemware, and more beers and cocktails will likely bubble up. In other words, cosmetic changes. Don’t expect to see MK driving a Camaro and shacking up with a 4-year-old restaurant anytime soon.