Sloopin Top Ten of 2012: #4 - Karamela Cafe

2012 is almost over and with that we fired up our google analytics account to see which stories had the most views during the year.  With that said, look for posts daily counting down our top ten stories of 2012.

#4:  Karamela Cafe
There appears to be a theme with all of the restaurants that opened in 2012.  We hear about them in 2011. We hear rumors about them in early 2012.  We hear about an expected opening date in spring.  That doesn't happen.  We hear more rumors.  We see some action.  And then they finally open.

That was the case again for Karamela Cafe (1250 S. Michigan).

First we heard from someone in Pita Heaven, the next door neighbor, that "something" was coming to this space but they couldn't tell us more.  This was in December of 2011.  Then a reader wrote to us and gave us some news that it was going to be a cafe/pastry shop and was aiming for an opening in Early April.

That seemed to jive with what we were seeing on the ground as an awning went up for Karamela Cafe in April.

Atlantic Crepe 
(smoked salmon, tomato, baby spinach,
cream cheese, dill & chives)

After months of little to no action, people were getting skeptical.  A reader tipped us off to a facebook post stating that the owner ditched the concept and employees they hired (this was in September).  A couple weeks later, it appeared that something changed and the cafe was moving forward as a slew of internet activity picked-up.

Sure enough, on October 9th they Karamela Cafe was open!  Intrigued by the new option we ventured in for a dinner and were pleasantly surprised.  The best thing about it was the quality of the food and the unique offerings they brought to the neighborhood.  In our opinion it was refreshing to have new options that weren't available in the Sloop.

While Karamela Cafe is occasionally busy, it seems like it could use some more support.  With that said, check it out if you haven't...you will be surprised!

Karamela Awning Goes Up at 1250 S. Michigan

A reader recently sent us an email letting us know that the brown paper has been taken off of the cafe that was rumored to be coming to 1250 S. Michigan (next to Pita Heaven). Sure enough, it's true and the identity of the new space is called Cafe Karamela. We recently went by to take a look and snap some pictures:

The sign in the door states describes the concept as "New, Trendy, Unique and Exciting". We know the first adjective is correct, but we will have to wait and see about the last three.

Hopefully it's true.

(Hat tip: SB!)

Cafe/Pastry Shop Aiming for Early April Soft Opening?

A reader writes:

Hello. I was walking past the old Wine Styles space today and someone was in there and nice enough to give me the scoop. It's gong to be a cafe with pastries (from Greece), ice cream/froyo, and drinks. Soft opening goal is early April.
Do you know any more?

We heard it was going to have pastries, but didn't know much more. We also know that is affiliated with Pita Heaven next door.

Also good to hear that they're aiming for an early April soft opening.

Anyone else have any scoop?

(Hat tip: SM!)

Get in My Belly: Pitabelly Coming to 600 Block of South Wabash

We love some Mediterranean food (see post on Pita Heaven), so were excited to see a new option coming to the South Loop called PitaBelly. The store will be on the 600 block of South Wabash between Harrison and Balbo (on the West side of the street where Subway, Dunkin Donuts, and Tamarind are).

As you can see by the picture above, the signage is already up. We couldn't find much online in regard to web stuff (except for their twitter handle @thepitabelly). Anyway, we will keep our eyes open for this launch.

In honor of Pitabelly we couldn't help but think of the disgustingly charming Fat Bastard from Austin Powers:

Top 11 Sloopin Stories of 2011: #1 - Retail Rising

It's that time of year and like many other websites, tv stations, newspapers and blogs, we're going to take a look back at some of the most important and biggest stories of 2011.

#1 - Retail Rising

If you're like us, you've learned to be patient with the South Loop retail scene. For years the space has been ready for businesses to come to the South Loop, but unfortunately it hasn't come as fast as we would like. Well in 2011, the neighborhood retail scene seemed to gain some momentum. New businesses coming to the neighborhood significantly outweighed those closing up shop.

The biggest news on this front was Trader Joe's opening up at the Northeast corner of Wabash and Roosevelt. While we don't completely credit the overall neighborhood retail trend to this opening, it sure seemed to change peoples perceptions. We had a post that took a look at Trader Joe's impact on an area of Lincoln park and pondered whether it could do the same for the Sloop.

Beyond Trader Joe's, two other much discussed restaurants/bars opened in the summer but had very different experiences in the neighborhood. In August, The Scout opened on the Southeast corner of Wabash and 13th (the old Opera space). While many discussed whether or not the new sports bar/restaurant fit into the neighborhood, most seem to agree it's doing quite well and has been a good addition.

Unfortunately the same can't be said for Tribute (800 S. Michigan) who closed up shop in December, only 5 months after opening. It was an ambitious attempt and by most accounts was pretty good. Regardless, it never seemed to gain momentum and clearly wasn't sustainable.

The vacant retail space South of Roosevelt saw a lot of food/drink options open up their doors in 2011. Pita Heaven (1250 S. Michigan), Waffles (1400 S. Michigan), Chi Bakery (2135 S. Michigan) added some solid food options to South Michigan while Donna's Cafe (1255 S. State), Flavor 180 (1511 S. State), Overflow Coffee (1550 S. State) and Burger Point (1900 S. State) all opened up on South State.

And let's not forget about Acadia (1639 S. Wabash), the promising contemporary American restaurant that just opened last week and hopes to usher in a new era of fine dinning in the Sloop.

And it wasn't all restaurants either. Sanctuary (1400 S. Michigan), Ur

ban Remix (1468 S. Michigan), H+ Records (730 S. Dearborn), Urban Grocery (730 S. Clark), South Loop Immediate Care (1430 S. Michigan), Victory Barber Salon (1926 S. State) are new to the neighborhood.

And it wasn't all new stuff - Lou Malnatti's (805 S. State), Flo & Santos (1310 S. Wabash), South Loop Market (1720 S. Michigan) and Jimmy Green's (825 S. State) have expanded or are in the process of expanding.

It wasn't all good news in 2011. Entourage man (1355 S. Michigan), Doctor's Choice (1345 S. Michigan), Grant Park Cleaners (3 E. Roosevelt), Daniela's Hair Salon (705 S. Dearborn) all closed their doors while Marble Slab Creamery (1245 S. Michigan) might be out of business.

We probably missed a couple, so please chime in if you know of something, but all in all we would say it's been a good year on the retail front for the Sloop. Better yet, 2012 is looking even brighter so stay tuned for that post (coming soon in 2012).

Pastry Shop Coming to 1250 S. Michigan

Back in July we had a post pondering whether or not Winestyles was reopening in their old space at 1250 S. Michigan Ave since there was a sign in the window. Since then brown paper has gone up on the windows and we've noticed some movement inside the space.

Surprisingly, we haven't heard many rumors about this space. We asked some of the employees at Pita Heaven about the space next to them and they coyly said "something" but wouldn't divulge any information.

After reading some information on everyblock, it appears that a Pastry Shop is coming to this space:

INTERIOR BUILD OUT FOR NEW RETAIL PASTRY SHOP (NO BAKING) AS PER PLANS (NO MECHANICAL WORK UNDER THIS PERMIT)

Has anyone heard anything about this space or have any additional information?

Could be an interesting addition to the neighborhood. We know cupcake shops are a hot trend, maybe that trends is headed for the sloop!

South Loop Resident Seeks Dish & Drink Advice

We had a recent post about the best delivery in the Sloop and another reader asked for some more advice:

Hey Sloopy,

I love sloopin and have been checking in regularly since I moved to the sloop two years ago. As a south loop resident and investor, I am very curious what people think of our local restaurants and bars. I would like to see a post about what people think of specific restaurants and bars in the sloop.

With new places opening this year such as Pita Heaven, The Scout, Waffles, Burger Point along with our existing places, the sloop definitely feels like its finally coming together. Some reviews and tips about dishes and drink specials would be helpful for us all.

Thanks!

(Hat tip: CJ!)

Pita Heaven Opens First and So Far So Good...

Not surprising that the poll reflects the first business to open (since it opened and you were still allowed to vote). But regardless, Pita Heaven opened first.

So far we've heard mostly positive feedback and Yelp reviews seem to confirm that (at least for now). A reader recently snapped a shot and sent us the following email:

Pita Heaven is open, I ate there yesterday. I had the pastichio and the oven potatoes, very good.

Good luck to them and looking forward to officially trying me some Pita Heaven.

And also looking forward to the other businesses (and some other new ones) opening soon as well!

(Hat tip: DK!)

Waffles Aiming to Open on June 29th

More and more information is starting to come out about Waffles, the new breakfast/lunch spot coming to 1400 S. Michigan. And the more we hear, the more we like (including what we presume is a hanging W logo in the picture on the right).

The blog Eater Chicago has a great write-up with a ton of interesting information:

The good news keeps on rolling in for the South Loop. On Monday, Pita Heaven officially opened its doors and now news comes that Waffles will open just a few blocks south on Michigan Avenue.

The restaurant, from current Japonais manager Alex Hernandez, is aiming to open June 29 and will bring new breakfast and lunch offerings to the area. As the name suggests, the main focus here will be on waffles, with two varieties of Belgian waffles: Liege and Brussels.

Hernandez explained that Liege waffles, created in the 18th century, are the more common type of waffle found in Belgium. It's a richer, denser and sweeter variety that incorporates bits of pearl sugar that caramelize on the waffle's exterior when baked. Brussels waffles, on the other hand, tend to be lighter and thicker with larger pockets and rectangular sides. All waffles at Waffles can be served with blackberry or fig compote, strawberry or rhubarb; and fresh bananas and hazelnut chocolate spread.

We're not huge waffle fans, but even this sounds super appetizing to us. The Eater Chicago story has a lot of other interesting things such as a good description of the space (it has 34 foot ceilings), will have a bar and a private room for events/meetings.

Best of all, it sounds like they're bringing in some serious talent (mostly from Japonais). They're aiming to open on June 29th according to the article, but we all know that these dates seem to get "delayed" usually.

Regardless, glad to hear more about this place and can't wait to see it open.

(Hat tip: TNCP!)
(Image from Eater Chicago)

Retail Rising on South Michigan

It was an encouraging Friday evening for residents strolling down South Michigan ave.

If you were like us, after a long week of work you were excited to see lights on and a line out the door at Pita Heaven (1250 S. Michigan). While they're not officially open (they said they're shooting for next week), they had a tasting party for residents. From comments on our post from earlier in the week and our own tastes, people should be encouraged.

We also got word from readers that a new sign appeared on the window of one of the Marquee retail spaces (1464 S. Michigan Ave.):

This might be the most encouraging sign we've seen in a long time. A (presumably nice) consignment store would bring a completely new dynamic to this stretch. Yes, restaurants are good and doctors offices are essential, but in our opinion we need some additional shopping options. It's also encouraging to see life in this retail complex. It has a ton of space and it's good to see someone finally moving in.

Which brings us to the next sign one of our readers called out at 1400 S. Michigan:

Cute name for a breakfast/brunch/lunch place. We've posted about this place before, but what was most interesting with the sign was that it appears that Waffles has some association with Japonais (the trendy and shi shi Japanesse restaurant in River North). If you look at the bottom sign, it says send resume to alex@japonaischicago.com.

Although we don't expect Waffles to be a scene like Japonais, it's encouraging to see that a highly successful restaurant is associated with this project. Oprah is a big Japonais fan, maybe she will now become a Waffles fan?

There has been a lot of haters, showering negativity on the South Loop retail scene lately, but it appears to have some sustained and positive momentum. Let's not forget about The Scout, Tribute, Sanctuary, Overflow Coffee and Trader Joe's also.

It's been a good run. Hopefully all these places open and hopefully residents flock...that is assuming they have a good product!

(Hat tip: VK!)

Pita Heaven Appears to be Close to Opening

We've received some comments asking about Pita Heaven (1250 S. Michigan) and judging by the work inside it appears they're inching closer to opening. Below you will find two pictures we snapped through the windows (now that the brown paper is off of the windows):

It's impossible to read the menu in the picture above and close to impossible if you're standing outside, but luckily we found that Pita Heaven has a website that's live. As one commenter mentioned, the menu looks interesting but it's surprising that there is no falafel listed. This is a Mediterranean place, right?

We also appreciated the logo and brand feel they're going for. Obviously this doesn't mean the food is going to be good, but we can appreciate a cute concept and something with character (based on the logo we some potential):
We haven't heard anything about an official opening date, but if you know please post. We will keep our eyes open and will let you know if we see anything.

"South Loop On the Verge of an Eatery Expansion"

If you've read Sloopin over the past couple of months you will recall that their are a decent amount of new restaurants and bars scheduled to open this year. Today we stumbled across a positive Metromix article in the Red Eye that broadcasted this news:

Census figures show that between 2000 and 2010, the area’s population increased by 74 percent, bringing it to 40,000 residents—who are apparently pretty hungry. With the recent arrival of TLC Cafe, Overflow Coffee Bar and Flavor 180, the South Loop seems to be on the verge of an eatery expansion. “The new residents are mostly upscale and younger—in the age range that will go out to restaurants, bars and clubs,” Thomas said.

Within the article you will find brief updates on some highly anticipated places that are supposed to open this year including:

• The Scout (1301 S. Wabash) - rumored opening in June


• Tribute (800 S. Michigan) - rumored opening in June


• Ryan McCaskey's new restaurant (1639 S. Wabash) - rumored opening in September


• Trader Joe's (Corner of Wabash and Roosevelt) - rumored opening in Q3 2011


• Mainstay Hospitality/Kendal Duque restaurant (1416 S. Michigan) - opening TBD

None of these places are a surprise to knowledgeable Sloopers and not a ton of new information in the article. Regardless, it's nice to have a positive article bringing attention to the neighborhoods retail/dinning/night life scene. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but hopefully this momentum continues and we don't take one step forward and two steps back.

Here are some interesting tidbits in the article that we found interesting:

• Trader Joe's corporate office said the store is scheduled to open in Q3 of this year


• No news on the old Grace O'Malley's space...we hope we hear more soon...


• At McCaskey's restaurant you will be able to watch the chef and sous chef


• Tribute will have locally made hard liquor (we're hoping they have 18 vodka from South Bend...it's good stuff)


• The Scout will have 10 patio tables

These are probably the 5 highest profile openings this year in the Sloop, but let's not forget their are some others as well (like the new breakfast/brunch spot at 1400 S. Michigan or Pita Heaven at 1250 S. Michigan). Good news and glad to see some positive attention for the Sloop!

An Update from Upstairs: Pita Heaven and Sanctuary

Sorry for the religious jokes, but we can't help it (see old post on Pita Heaven).

Anyway, a reader recently asked what the hell is up with Pita Heaven. We walk by frequently and it appeared that there wasn't much movement inside. However, upon a recent stroll past and a peak inside, it appears they have tables and booths inside now (we apologize for the picture put it was the best we could do):

This is a good sign and hopefully means that things are progressing (even if it's at a slower pace than we wish). It looks nice inside, so hopefully this means the falafel will match the quality of the decor.

On another note, we posted about two of the retail spaces at 1400 S. Michigan being built out. It was pretty clear that one would be a restaurant/breakfast spot, but the other one was a mystery. We heard a rumor that it might be an electronics/computer repair store, but a reader sent us this email about a sign on the window:

While at the bust stop today I saw a lit of "activity" (i.e., work being done) at the retail space at 1400 S. Michigan (the building where I live) and there was a sign outside that read "Sanctuary". Unfortunately, I was running late and did not have time to investigate further, but thought you would be interested in the info.

Interesting. Originally we thought this might be a religious institution, but that was probably silly. Could it be a spa? Anyone know about this new place?

(Hat tip: SB!)

The Man Above Sends the South Loop "Pita Heaven"

Your prayers have been answered Sloopers!

It appears that the man above is listening and has decided to bestow us with Pita Heaven. Readers might remember that there was a sign claiming that Pita Corner would be opening in August of 2010 at 1250 S. Michigan. Well that didn't happen supposedly due to an investor dropping out of the project. Last we heard the others involved with the project were seeking other investors.

Call it divine intervention or whatever you want, but we recently noticed that new signs have appeared:All I can say is that I've been praying for falafel and it appears that someone is listening.

Enough of the religious jokes, but we couldn't help it...all we can say is Pita Heaven.

(Hat tip: ND!)