Fire Destroys Bronzeville Spots; Where to Go Now

"Game Night" at Blu 47. (Photo: Blu 47)


A three-alarm fire destroyed a commercial building in Bronzeville early Thursday morning that was home to a number of thriving hot spots, including Blu 47, Spoken Word Cafe and a fifth Uncle Joe's Jerk Chicken location—which was set to open any day now.

This really sucks because it's a known fact that there's always been a lack of cool South Side places for young professionals to hang, so we're crossing our fingers that they're able to rebuild quickly.

We couldn't reach any of the business owners, but Blu 47 posted a message on its Facebook page, "Please keep our Blu 47 family in your prayers," which generated more than 50 messages from well-wishers.

We did catch up with Art Sims, a Bronzeville resident and regular contributor to "You and Me This Morning with Jeanne Sparrow," which airs weekdays on WCIU-TV. He's also known for putting on lively events at a few of the venues that were damaged.


Art Sims' "Relationship Chat" networking event at Spoken Word Cafe. (Photo: Art Sims)


He says that the loss of these businesses is a blow to the neighborhood.

"It's a tremendous loss because we lack upscale places in our community, and that corner was the place to go," he says. "It offered everything: comedy, poetry, upscale dining. For many years, it was the home of my Original Real Deal Relationship Chat.

"I just hope they're all able to rebuild as soon as possible."

As a frequent diner in Bronzeville as well as nearby Hyde Park, Sims offers some other places to eat in the area:

The Big Easy: "'Hell's Kitchen' alum Chef Jen is bringing something good to the Hyde Park community with her take on Louisiana cuisine, but they still have some kinks they need to work out."

Cedars Mediterranean: "So fresh, and I love their chicken schwarma and hummus. They're located in Kimbark Plaza, so it's easy to park."

Chant: "It's really nice, Pan-Asian-inspired food. They do lobster rangoon and tempura vegetables, and are vegetarian friendly."

Chicago’s Home of Chicken and Waffles: "It's a warm, relaxing spot where you can veg out after their famous chicken and waffles. It's extremely packed on weekends."

The Sit Down: "A sushi bistro that's really good. In addition to sushi they also have Italian fare and sandwiches."

Hyde Park location for Uncle Joe's Jerk Chicken: "The jerk chicken is very good, and the fish is always fresh."

Think Warm Thoughts . . .

The interior of Uncle Fatty's in Lakeview will make you feel as though you're on a beach in Mexico. (Photo: Uncle Fatty's)


Think Brazil. Think Australia. Think Mexico.

Think about anywhere warmer than this cold-ass weather that's got me contemplating wearing three layers of coats this weekend.

It seems to have just snuck up on us, so if you cannot get away, there's no harm in pretending like you're somewhere with more tropic-like temperatures.

Uncle Fatty’s Rum Resort in Lakeview, for example, gets it right when it comes to a warm-weather theme.

Island-style cocktails, beach-y decor (including private cabanas and sandbox) and a rotating list of high-energy, local cover bands are certain to make you feel like you're on vacation.

Through Sunday, Uncle Fatty's hosts its first-ever Winter Music Fest, featuring hip and poppy bands Two White Crew (Thursday), Mike and Joe (Friday), 16 Candles (Saturday) and The Spazmatics (Sunday). Expect large crowds and drink specials.

We wouldn't recommend showing up in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts though.

Music starts at 9pm; $5 cover.

More spots to warm your body, your mind and your soul:

THURSDAY

Deejays spin classic reggae, dub and hip-hop at new Jamaican joint Mr. Brown’s Lounge, in Ukrainian Village. You'll get jerk chicken, oxtails, beef patties and curry goat that tastes like it came right out of Kingston, but you'll also get a little bit of American flair in the dining room that's casual, but clubby.

The guys behind Tango Sur have a hit on their hands with another Argentinean-themed resto in Folklore. The menu is similar, with well-marinated cuts of meats and poultry, but what sets it apart from the original is that it has a full-service bar. Deejay Shon Dervis spins slinky, exotic beats on some nights.

Former "Hell's Kitchen" contestant Jennifer Gavin goes for New Orleans flavor with The Big Easy in Hyde Park. Expect traditional Cajun and Southern food like fried green tomatoes, Louisiana crab cakes, jambalaya and freshly made beignets.


Traditional Caribbean cuisine sets up shop in Ukrainian Village with Mr. Brown's Lounge. (Photo: Urban Daddy Chicago)


FRIDAY

For a kitschy, Hawaiian theme, it's time to get busy at Trader Vic’s, which serves up traditional pu-pu platters, Mai Tais and more. We love this spot for after-work shenanigans, because after a few of these strong-ass cocktails you'll be up for almost anything.

Bucktown's Rinconcito Sudamericano, however, is a bit more laid back, offering authentic Peruvian fare and flair. House specialties include the ceviche, sweet potatoes and an absolutely divine dish called Aji de Gallina, which has shredded chicken, walnut cream and Peruvian spices served over white rice.

Pick your favorite vino (preferably at next door Lush), and head to Habana Libre for heaving plates of Cuban food. Their signature Arroz con Pollo can easily feed a family of four, but make sure you call at least 45 minutes in advance to put in your order.

SATURDAY

Nightlife-inspired Chicago Fashion Brunch hosts its second event at Tocco with a Capri theme. Akira owner Jon Cotay has teamed up with local fashion insiders to transport diners to the exotic coast of Italy. DJ Madrid spins sexy sounds as guests indulge in Italian wine flights, a Bellini bar and delicious brunch items. Of course there will be a fashion show! 11am-4pm. Reservations required at RSVP.fashionbrunch@gmail.com.

More Cuban's in the mix at Cafe Laguardia, which has been at its Bucktown location for almost 40 years. Go for the paella, Cuban sandwiches bursting with thick slices of ham, and shredded beef over mounds of fluffy rice. Most nights feature Latin bands.

Mercadito's superb lower-level retreat Double A offers one of the best tequila lists in the city, plus their award-winning mixologists make exotic elixirs like Caipisutra (Leblon cachaça, pineapple, grapefruit, lime, garam masala), Shuga Daddy (Bacardi Select, spice syrup, kumquat, Champagne, orange bitters) and Down South (Averna liquirizia, strawberry, guava, lemon and Champagne). Deejays spin music to make you hot.

SUNDAY

And Coobah serves up a Latin-inspired brunch with offerings like breakfast empanadas (filled with egg, sausage and aged Manchego cheese), blue corn buttermilk pancakes (dripping with Mexican canela-cinnamon butter and dark Ancho rum maple syrup) and a three-egg breakfast burrito. Also, go crazy with pitchers of sangria that's made from a secret Dominican Republic recipe. 10am-3pm.

Flash Dance, Drink and Dine!

Looks like the coolest TV station in town is NBC-5, who is hosting a "flash mob" party at 9pm Thursday, where guests will be treated to free sushi and cocktails, plus one of Chicago's hottest deejays.

For right now, they're not releasing the location, but we can tell you that the after-party's going down at Carol's Pub in Uptown.

They're only letting in the first 115 people, so to get all the deets follow them on Twitter.

The $6K Wine Was Screaming Eagle . . .

Got an update on the $6,000 wine story I wrote earlier this week.

Turns out the diner at an unnamed Chicago steakhouse ordered a 2001 Screaming Eagle. That bottle retailed for $6,000 at the resto, while a 1998 vintage was a little over $3,000. Perhaps he ordered the wrong bottle?!

I'll admit that when it comes to fine wines, I'm no expert, so I turned to Avenues at the Peninsula Sommelier Michael Muser, who shed light on how this situation could've been handled better:

"You delicately and clearly explain what they just ordered, including the vintage and everything," he says. "If you have an item on your wine list that's $6,000, you need to be very, very cautious, making sure the guest understands the severity of the situation. That is a major purchase."

On the other hand, Muser says, if he wasn't paying attention, "he deserved what he got. This is the most exclusive wine, and I'm assuming they know Screaming Eagle and know it is one of the hardest wines in the world to get."

Foodie Yoga the Next Big Thing?!

As a hardcore yogi who's been practicing for more than 13 years, I'm finding this latest trend on the mat quite disturbing.

Foodie Yoga is the newest brand of yoga at a New York studio. They're combining vegan food with Bikram, which sounds absolutely unsanitary. I'm all about exploring yourself through yoga—and of course I'm all about the food!!!—but this is beyond, as described in yesterday's New York Times story:

"All had signed up for a strange new hybrid of physical activity: first an hour of vigorous, sweaty yoga, then a multicourse dinner of pasta, red wine and chocolate. As soon as the lights went up, dinner was served on the floor: an (almost) seamless transition designed to allow the yogis to taste, smell and digest in a heightened state of awareness."

I really hope this is one trend that never makes its way to Chicago!

UPDATE: It's coming . . . and happening at Province in March!

Prairie Fire Set to Open Next Week in West Loop

Prairie Fire owners Sarah Stegner (left) and George Bumbaris with Naha owner Carrie Nahabedian. (Photo: Prairie Grass Cafe)


Located in the old Powerhouse resto space, Prairie Fire is set to open next week, according to owner/chef Sarah Stegner on her Facebook status:

"We passed inspection so we should be able to open next week. I"m not sure which day yet. Lot of work to do between now and then."

Curtis Duffy on Being Green, 'Grand Chefs Gala'

Curtis Duffy, chef de cuisine at Avenues at the Peninsula. (Photo: Peninsula Chicago)


Avenues at the Peninsula chef Curtis Duffy takes sustainable and organic cuisine quite serious. All one has to do is take a peek at his blog, where he gleefully posts pics of his masterpieces.

So it makes sense he's hosting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's annual Grand Chefs Gala (along with Sarah Levy of Sarah's Pastries), which trots out the city's finest kings and queens of the kitchen to cook signature appetizers and desserts for a few hundred folks.

Embracing this year's theme, Green for Life, Duffy, Levy and more than 30 of their peers will serve only local and organic food.

Duffy's whipping up one of his favorite dishes, a chilled Alaskan crab appetizer that's tangy and comes with tiny bites of Steelhead Roe, orange blossom pudding, pickled cucumber and a tangerine lace.

He says this will be a daunting task, as he's used to only making about 40 a night in his haute cuisine resto tucked inside the lobby level of the Peninsula. "We're doing 350 portions (for the event), which is very labor intensive," says Duffy. "It’s the first time we’re doing that crab dish for so many people. It’s going to be a big test of what we do on a mass scale."


Curtis Duffy's signature Alaskan King Crab appetizer. (Photo: Peninsula Chicago)


Duffy's also up for two honors that night in the Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence, which recognizes originality exhibited by Chicago's culinary professionals. He's nominated in the Best Fine Dining (for Avenues) and Celebrity Chef categories. Last year he took home an award for Rising Star Chef.

For Duffy, the local/organic movement is no fleeting trend; it's a lifestyle. He believes in supporting local farmers, especially since their philosophies on food are in line with his. "They put as much energy and time and passion in their products as the chefs do," he says. "They care what they do and it shows. They’re excited to show you the stuff they have."

Additionally, he says, 90 percent of the vegetables he uses are from small regional farmers. "I have a farm in Michigan that will grow fennel for me and no one else. I also have a farmer growing rare herbs for me. There's no way I could get a large corporation to produce these products exclusively for me."

Other chefs participating in the Grand Chefs Gala include Josh Linton (aja) and John des Rosiers (Inovasi)—both up for the Rising Star Chef award; Mark Mendez (Carnivale), Rick Gresh (Primehouse), Jonathan Fox (La Madia), Mark Sparacino (Prosecco), Jason McLeod (Balsan) and Toni Roberts (C-House).

For a complete list of chefs as well as tickets, go here.

The event happens 6-10pm Jan. 29.

The Exchange Gets An Opening Date

Master mixologist Peter Vestinos hooking up cocktails at a sneak-preview party at The Exchange, set to open Feb. 11. (Photo: Phil McFarland)


The Exchange, an updated cocktail lounge in the former Lava Lounge space on Milwaukee Avenue, finally has an opening date.

Look for it to debut officially Feb. 11, but there's a "friends and family" night Saturday, and next week they expect to quietly open.

Say goodbye to the hip-hop and dub nights, and hello to a bar taking its mixology program serious.

A few of master mixologist Peter Vestinos' drinks certain to make your mouth water:

The 75, made with Right gin, fresh lemon sour, orange bitters and Flemish sour ale.

Smoke + Mirrors, with smoky Lapsong tea-infused tequila, agave nectar, fresh lime, egg and triple pepper bitters.

And The FireFly, featuring New Holland Knickerbocker gin, Alpine liqueur, chartreuse, bitters and rosemary garnish.

We've got even more news from the owners of The Exchange, who are also behind the SmallBar gastropub concept in Wicker Park and Logan Square.

Owner Phil McFarland tells 312DD that the third location is totally ready to open in Lincoln Park, but they're having licensing issues with City Hall. Sheesh.

Old-schoolers will remember this venue as one of the pool halls where famed director Martin Scorsese filmed The Color of Money starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise.

St Paul’s Billiards was a gritty piece of work, so it'll be interesting to see just how much it's changed since the SmallBar guys took over.