CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: Lakeview, Bucktown and Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Andersonville, Lincoln Square, Portage Park
Lakeview: Ella Elli, opening March 7, is a new upscale restaurant in the Lakeview neighborhood. Located at 1349 W. Cornelia Ave., it will offer dishes rooted in Mediterranean cuisine, with Italian, Moroccan, French, and Spanish influences. The venue seats 74 people and seeks to be an elegant option for a night out. After looking over the menu, a few dishes in particular caught my eye. The first is the Lamb Scottadito, served with parsley oil, creamy herbed yogurt, and a harissa hot chili pepper paste. The second is the grain salad, served with goat cheese and garnished with pickled and raw radishes and alfalfa sprouts. I also can’t wait to try the mint chili rigatoni with roasted cauliflower. Hours are 5-11 pm Mondays through Fridays and 5-12 pm Saturdays and Sundays.
Bucktown and Wicker Park: Are you an adventurous foodie? If so, the new Ukrainian Village restaurant Curious will be right up your alley. Owner Laurel Khan says, “I love to travel in my head. Curious is urban comfort food, the food of our world. If I have passion for what I’m doing, it will come out in the food.” Located at 2020 W. Chicago Ave., the charming venue will seat 38 people and is BYOB. Khan plans to change up the farm-to-table menu frequently. This week, you can look forward to Pakistani oxtail with roasted cauliflower and basmati rice and “Mackinaw’s chicken ravioli” with thyme cream sauce and pesto ricotta. Dishes will range from $16 to $25 and the restaurant will be open Tuesdays through Sundays from 5 to 10 pm.
Lincoln Park: Ready to get your sweat on this spring? Barry’s Bootcamp is opening a second location in Lincoln Park. The new location is 1937 N. Halsted St. and its grand opening is this Saturday. The other Barry’s is located in River North, at 11 W. Erie St. The new space is 4500 square feet, with a group class capacity of 40 people. Group classes are 60 minutes long, evenly split between strength and resistance training and cardiovascular exercise. Single classes are $30 and there are membership packages available as well.
Andersonville: After 88 years of business, Swedish Bakery had its last day of business this Tuesday. In a Facebook post, bakery owners stated, “Changing times have dictated an honest evaluation of our business. Based on that review, it is time to call a close and exit the stage. We have enjoyed a good run, but as Chaucer wrote, ‘all good things must come to an end'”. Located at 5348 N. Clark St., the bakery was known as the last Swedish bakery in Chicago. People lined up around the block on Tuesday to get their fill of treats before the closure, with over 300 people waiting at a time.
Lincoln Square: What better way to spend a Thursday evening than at a pub crawl? Hosted by the Albany Park Chamber of Commerce, this Montrose pub crawl will stop at four bars tonight. Start off your evening at 6 pm at Montrose Saloon (2933 W. Montrose Ave.), where they’ll be offering Chicago drafts for $1 off. Next up is Angelo’s Wine Bar (3026 W. Montrose Ave.), with $5 drafts. Round out your evening at Peacock Liquors (3056 W. Montrose Ave.) and Templestowe Pub (3135 W. Montrose Ave.), also serving $5 drafts.
Portage Park: The Portage Park Chamber of Commerce, along with Forgotten Chicago and other Chicago historical societies, will be presenting a free screening of the documentary “The Fourth Partition”. The film tells the story of Polish immigrants who came to the United States between 1870 and 1920. The film is in English, with Polish subtitles. You can find more information about the film and watch a video trailer here. Copies of the film will be available for purchase at the screening. The showing is this evening (Thursday, March 2) at 7 pm, at the Jesuit Millennium Center (5835 W. Irving Park Rd.).
RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO
