Welcome to Deep Dish North Shore, a biweekly food and restaurant gossip column with all the latest openings, closings and food- and wine-focused events on Chicago’s North Shore.
Last week was HOT. Sweltering, in fact, compared to the pleasant summer weather we’ve enjoyed up ‘til the last week of August. But that’s OK, because Forever Yogurt (1739 Sherman Ave., Evanston, 224-999-7903) finally opened in Evanston. Since they’re keeping college-town hours (11 a.m. to midnight every day), you can load up on Carrot Cake or Greek Honey yogurt at any time. My new fave is the refreshing Tropical Tart Yogurt, and I top it with lots of fresh berries and mango.
Speaking of sweets and Evanston, I’m excited to report that Marie Douailly, who closed the beloved Wilmette outpost of Leonidas Café Chocolaterie earlier this year, is readying her new space at 1907 Central St. in Evanston. She expects it to open sometime later this month (847-866-0100).
I’m kind of in love with the brand-spanking new Travelle Restaurant , located in The Langham Hotel (330 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago, 312-923-7705). The Langham, a super-posh London import, opened this July in the old Mies van der Rohe-designed IBM Building. Modern design is alive and kicking in both hotel and restaurant; the food is well worth a trip. Check out my review in the Wednesday, Sept. 18 Better Letter. (Lead photo also courtesy of Travelle.)
If you’re a Top Chef fan, keep an eye out for two local chefs on the upcoming Top Chef New Orleans: Aaron Cuschiere, exec chef at Slurping Turtle, my favorite noodle house; and Carlos Gaytan of Mexique , which features Mexican-French fusion cuisine. Represent Chi-town!
Have you made it to the new Fashion Outlets of Chicago (5220 Fashion Outlet Way, Rosemont, 847-928-7500) yet? Not only is the lineup of stores out of control (hello, discounted Burberry), but they’ve also made an effort to get beyond the food court fate of most malls with the opening of the very solid Prasino Rosemont (the other locations are in Wicker Park and La Grange). With seating for 200, Chef Chris Barron’s crave-able dishes (from chimichurri lamb chops to wood-grilled halibut), and an eco-chic design, the restaurant opens at 10 a.m. every day and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner (847-278-9900).
Maybe you remember that Chef Erwin Drechsler was originally slated to take over the dinner service at Winnetka’s Café Aroma (749 Elm St., Winnetka, 847-881-2601), but it didn’t exactly pan out as planned. Owner Mitra Ryndak has found another chef, Joe Wojciechowski, and they’re running a brand new menu at dinner. They’ve also started a Sunday Dinner ($24 adult/$12 child), a family-style Italian repast that starts with a big Antipasti selection, continues with a platter of Rigatoni with “Sunday Gravy,” and gives you entrée choices like Pork Milanese, Chicken Vesuvio and Salmon Piccata. If there’s room, grab a slice of Chocolate Pudding Cake and call it a buona notte.
Had a bittersweet last visit to Ravinia last week, complete with an early dinner stop at Guildhall. On a perfect evening, sitting at a table next to the big casement windows flung open to the street, enjoying my Guildhall G&T (of course) and dipping into the Burrata Caprese and the Tarte Flambee Forestiere, knowing that there were a few days left to summer and great music in my very near future, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend an evening.
Do you have news for me? A new place in your neighborhood, a wine dinner on the horizon, a dish I have to try? Send me an email at jchernoff@makeitbetter.net and let me know the Deep Dish.
