photo: sprinkles cupcakes
Sprinkles Cupcakes is selling Red Cross Red Velvet cupcakes all day Wednesday in support of tornado relief efforts in Moore, Oklahoma. All proceeds go to Red Cross.
Openings
• Wednesday, 5/15: Parson’s Chicken & Fish (2952 W. Armitage Ave., 773-384-3333) is now serving up fried chicken and negroni slushies in Humboldt Park. Personnelwise, the hipstered-up chicken-and-fish joint is a first cousin to Longman & Eagle.
• Saturday, 5/18: Just in time for Haitian Flag Day, Kizin Creole Kitchen (2311 W. Howard St., 773-961-7275) opened in the old Chez Violette spot in Rogers Park.
• Wednesday, 5/22: The Mexican gastropub El Hefe (15 W. Hubbard St., 480-734-0747) opened in River North. Be ready for plenty of taco, torta, and drink choices at this “super macho taqueria.”
• Tuesday, 5/28: Benjamin Brittsan closed his namesake American restaurant last winter but has now opened Benjamin Tapas (1849 Second St., Highland Park, 847-748-8737) in the same space. The reconcepted spot plans to serve up “tastes of Spain.”
Morsels
Sprinkles Cupcakes (50 E. Walton St., 312-573-1600) is selling Red Cross Red Velvet cupcakes all day Wednesday to support tornado relief for Moore, Oklahoma. All proceeds from the cupcakes go to Oklahoma Red Cross chapters.
Lunch service and the patio have opened at La Grande Vie (215 E. Chestnut St., 312-643-1111), a Streeterville bistro with a menu by Ryan Brewer (Taverna 750). The general manager, James Kupka, recommends the half-pound Allen Brothers burger on a pretzel bun, the lobster flatbread, and the hanger steak with asparagus spears and mashed cauliflower.
Why did the hot dog shack cross the road? According to Johnny O’s (1000 S. Morgan St., no phone yet) owner, John Veliotis, it’s because the blue-collar hot dog stand wanted an upgrade. Veliotis is renovating the building across the street and plans to relocate this fall, serving a scaled-up version of the menu, adding salads and other healthy options, but keeping hot dogs, of course.
The 16-month-old Urban Union (1421 W. Taylor St., 312-929-4302) has closed. The chef Michael Shrader bought out his business partner Jason Chan three months after the wine-focused restaurant opened.