Chef Dean Zanella Steps in at Chicago Firehouse

Double-cut roasted pork chop at Chicago Firehouse   PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHICAGO FIREHOUSE

Chicago Magazine highlights some of the recent changes at South Loop stalwart Chicago Firehouse (1401 S. Michigan)- mainly the addition Chef Dean Zanella:

Although diners know Chicago Firehouse first as a steak house, Zanella plans to introduce some “fun stuff,” in events as well as dishes. For example, Zanella will continue screening movies on Firehouse’s patio with tie-in food, such as the restaurant movie Big Night with a timpano, a dish featured in the movie, or Star Wars with a dish Zanella created for his appearance on the TBS show Dinner and a Movie: Obi-Wan Cannelloni.

We also found this old video from WGN Midday News where Zanella showcased some of his talents:

New Project Coming to Vacant Land Between Target and Amli on Clark?

Truck at Vacant Lot (1000 S. Clark)

A reader writes:

Saw this truck which looks like it's taking soil borings between Target and Amli on Clark. Any idea what's possibly going in there?

Not sure if this means something is coming to this land or if they're just doing some other type of work.

Last we heard about this lot was way back in December of 2008 on Crain's.  At the time developer D2 was resorting to "Plan D" due to the impending recession:

The Chicago developer originally had proposed building about 600 condos on the property at 1000 S. Clark St., later switching to apartments when the condo market tanked. Then D2 hired CB Richard Ellis Inc. to sell the 2.5-acre parcel, with an asking price of $20 million.

Unable to find a buyer, D2 has dropped that plan and now wants to develop the site in two phases. The first would include a 60,000-square-foot retail building with frontage on Clark Street. In phase two, D2 would build a condo or apartment tower on the west end of the property when the residential market recovers.

The $35-million retail development would sit just north of the emerging Roosevelt Road retail corridor, around the corner from the 400,000-square-foot Roosevelt Collection shopping mall that will open next year, and next to a Target store.

Unlike the Roosevelt Collection, which targets specialty retailers, apparel merchants and restaurants, D2 aims to attract lower-priced retailers that need bigger spaces and want to be next to a Target, says Paul Bryant, a partner at Mid-America Real Estate Corp., an Oakbrook Terrace-based brokerage hired to lease the space.

Remember this is a portion of an article from 2008, so who knows what has transpired since then.  But with activity drastically picking up along Roosevelt it wouldn't be surprising to see this land get developed some time soon.

Anyone have any scoop on this?

(Hat tip: JS!)

Asian Outpost Review: Not Asian Fusion, More Like An "Alloy"

We've been closely monitoring the opening of Asian Outpost (1315 S. Wabash) and reading mostly positive reviews of the place on yelp (currently 4.5 stars on Yelp).  While we still haven't had a chance to go, one frequent contributor pens this reviews:

First off, this place isn't imitating anyone. To say it's fusion is too simple: this place is an alloy; something made stronger by the combination of two things. The place setting comes with a fork and chop sticks, and you're invited to use them as you please.

The exterior's simplicity belies a complex and yet subtle interior. Dark but not dingy, with amazing steam punk lighting, herbs growing in the foyer and a tucked away bar with only one silent television. Even on this cold night, the room exuded warmth and comfort.

Drinks are inexpensive for the area with a top shelf Manhattan going for $9. and a number of their unique cocktails are even less. My wife was especially impressed with the Toshi, a mixture of sake, cucumber, mint, lemon and club soda named after the family's dog.

For the main course, I had the aptly named-Chicken with Spicy Nutty Noodles. It was exactly that, with nicely burnt and crunchy peanuts and a bit more zing than you'd expect. My wife had the Asian spare ribs which were only slightly Asian, but were very popular.

They have a sushi menu too, but we didn't need to get that far to know that we'll be back. Prices are somewhere between Flo & Santos and Giocco, and we Sloopers are lucky to have another fantastic addition to an already vibrant block of eateries.

We've been eyeing the Spicy Nutty Noodles ever since we saw the menu and now are craving it even more.

(Hat tip:  JW!)

Shots Around the Sloop: Minus 40

Given the ridiculous temperature and some of the amazing pictures it's generating, we're brining you a special "Shots Around the Sloop".  Keep this pics coming if you got them:

(Hat tip:  KC!)

(Hat tip:  SS!)

(Hat tip:  KI!)

Free Museum Days Come to Museum Campus in January

Don't forget - free museum days this month (via Chicago Red Eye):

In addition, other museums are offering free weekday admission as well. The Art Institute of Chicago is offering free weekday admission from Jan. 6 to Feb. 12 and the Adler Planetarium from January 6 to 15, 21 to 22 and 27 to 29. Additionally, the Shedd Aquarium is offering the free admission Jan. 6, 7, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, and 24 to 28.

Might be a little cold today, but hopefully we can enjoy these great cultural institutions that are next door!

New Moderator Will Help Monitor the Sloopin Message Board

It's a new year and with this comes time for reflection and change.

We're happy to announce that Sloop resident Jeannine K is going to be helping us monitor the Sloopin Message Board.  Generally speaking, here are some rules Jeannine is going to be monitoring:

• Keep it clean. Strong language has no place here. You won’t be able to use profanities, racial slurs, or sexual innuendos. Posts containing these will be removed. 
• Keep it respectful. Sloopin is a neighborhood community website that embraces different cultures, faiths, attitudes and points of view. Please be respectful of this. 
• Keep it legal. We’ll delete posts defaming others, posting individual’s private information, plotting illegal activities, or posting other people’s private information, and ban the poster. 
• Keep it on topic. Posts that strive to change the course of a topic may be removed.

Hopefully this won't be tough and hopefully this will encourage a more constructive conversation.

Thanks Jeannine and thanks to everyone for all the comments, suggestions, posts and pictures.  

Oh....and stay warm!

Shots Around the Sloop: Brrrrrrr

(Hat tip:  TE!)

Claim Your Sloopin Hat Tip T-Shirt; They're Running Out!

Get em while you can - first come first serve!  

This is a friendly reminder to claim your Sloopin Hat Tip T-Shirt if you've submitted a story and your initials are listed below:

• NB
• SJ
• BS
• TR
• SLV
• NB
• JZ
• DB
• KM
• MW
• RR
• MM
• EM
• JW
• TE
• DK
• ND
• DK
• BM
• MT
• RZ
• ML

For more background on the hat tip t-shirt program click here.

As always, thanks for all the great tips!  Keep them coming!

Revised Final 2013 Business Counter: +40 Net New Businesses in the Sloop

On January 1st we posted that there were a +39 net new businesses that opened in 2013 in the neighborhood.  After some further correspondence with readers we have revised the tally slightly based on the three newer developments below.  Short story is that the Sloop added +40 net new businesses in 2013!  Pretty good!

1)  Fleetwood (2333 S. Michigan) has officially opened.  Their website is functioning properly and their Facebook page confirms that they officially opened on December 22nd, 2013.  Looking forward to giving them a try.  It also looks like they will have live music occasionally.  For those of you wondering what the place looks like inside:

Via FleetWood's Facebook Page

2)  Sororitique (1932 S. Wabash) - Had their grand opening on December 15th.  The store's motto is "a boutique experience for the Soror".  We weren't exactly sure what that was, but apparently it's a sorority sister.  If you need some sorority gear you now know where to go!

3)  OYSY Sushi Closes (888 S. Michigan)
Via the Sloopin message board (locallady):

Just heard tomorrow (12/31) is their last day open. Apparently there will be a new tenant which will be a Chinese spot. Bummer. Sad to see one of the first places in the neighborhood close after 10 years.

We have also updated our official list from Jan 1st here.

(Hat tip:  DT and LL!)

Imazaki Dojo Moving to 1720 S. Michigan

A reader writes:

I was walking my dog on Michigan Avenue the other week and noticed that there were a few guys in the empty retail space at 1720 S Michigan Avenue (next to the cleaners). Last night, I was out for another walk and noticed a hand written sign in the window for "Imazaki Dojo" (see photo above) and it looked like some painting was going on inside. After Google searching it looks like the Dojo's current location is on 16th Street (Yelp) but their official website already has the new address listed: http://www.imazakidojo.com/. Not sure what their completion/moving date is though.

For some reason when we read this, we immediately thought of Rex Kwon Do:
But in all seriousness, glad to see them upgrading and glad to see this long empty retail space get a tenant. (Hat tip:  LY!)

Shots Around the Sloop: NYE @ Acadia

A reader sends us this video from Acadia's rowdy NYE throw down:


(Hat tip: DB!)

Vice District Brewing Announces South Loop Tap Room; Shooting for June 2014 Opening

We got wind of a new tap room opening and asked one of the partners, Curtis Tarver, about it and this is what he said:

Image from Vice Districting Brewing

Vice District Tap Room will be a new, quaint neighborhood destination in the South Loop located at 1454 S. Michigan. It will be a venue for guests to enjoy fresh, craft beer brewed on site as well as traditional alcohol and spirits in a communal atmosphere. We will also highlight wine and traditional spirits from local (think mostly Midwestern) wineries and distilleries. We hope that individuals enter as guests and leave as friends.  

We will not operate a kitchen but there will be packaged snacks available for purchase. Guests will be encouraged to bring food or order into our location. We will highlight several of the terrific food truck options popping up throughout the city. Also, we counted 63 restaurants that deliver to our location. We plan to maintain 10 beers on tap. We will primarily focus on ales. However, guests can expect there will always be a seasonal beer, a lager and one small batch that pushes the envelope. After all we are homebrewers at heart. We will sell Howlers (32-ounce bottles) and Growlers (64-ounce bottles) of fresh beer to go as well.  

My business partner (Quintin Cole) and I are neighbors, avid homebrewers and friends. I am a lawyer by trade and Quintin is a physical therapist. We decided to take our passion to the next level, drafted a business plan and raised the necessary equity in two days.  

We anticipate an early June 2014 opening.

We like the name and are very excited to hear about this new business.  By our account this is the third brewery/tap room that has announced their intentions to open up in the Sloop (Broad Shoulders Brewery at 2337 S. Michigan and South Loop Brewing Company at a yet to be determined location).

We know it's not an easy process to open up a business (let alone a Brewery in Chicago), so best of luck to Vice District and we can't wait to try your brews!

With this said, it's a perfect opportunity to plug the new 2014 Business Counter.

South Loop Adds a Net +41 New Businesses in 2013

As we close the final chapter of 2013, we wanted to wrap up the year with a final post on our annual business tracker.  This is the second year of the Sloopin business tracker and while we're not statisticians we're pretty confident that the trend in the Sloop is that more and more retail businesses are opening in the South Loop.

In 2012 we recorded a net of 25 new businesses opening in the South Loop.  In 2013 that number increased to a net +40 new businesses opening in the neighborhood.  This was led by The Shops at Roosevelt Collection adding 9 new businesses this year.

Here is a list of what opened and closed in 2013.  As always if we missed something or didn't properly account for something please bring it to our attention and we will consider the case:

Opened in 2013

1. 7-11 (State & 8th Street)
2. Floyd's 99 Barbershop (27 E. Harrison)
3. Snap Fitness (1212 S. Michigan)
4. Umai Japaness Kitchen & Sushi (Clark and Polk)
5. Blink Lash Studios (1317 S. Michigan)
6. Mazi Dance Fitness Centre (716 S. State)
7. Spanglish (555 S. State)
8. Jersey Mike's (26 E. Roosevelt)
9. Butterfield Kitchen (Roosevelt CTA stop)
10. Sod Room (1454 S. Michigan Ave.)
11. UPS store (1200 Block S. Michigan)
12. Nepal House (1301 S. Michigan)
13. Indique Hair (1922 S. Wabash)
14. Chicago Oyster House (1933 S. Indiana)
15. City Segway Tours (1315 S. Michigan)
16. Haus of Reign (1345 S. Michigan)
17. Dentologie (1259 S. Wabash)
18. H&M (150 W. Roosevelt 1259)
19. Sofi (616 S. Dearborn)
20. Nuovo Aesthetics & Smartlipo (2037 S. Indiana)
21. Isabella's (1316 S. Michigan)
22. Kai Sushi (1255 S. State)
23. Vitamin Shoppe (Roosevelt and Jefferson)
24. White House | Black Market (150 W. Roosevelt)
25. Kurah Mediterranean Tapas (1355 S. Michigan)
26. Ulta (150 W. Roosevelt)
27. Z Galleria (150 W. Roosevelt)
28. Chicago Kernel (511 S. State)
29. Francesca's (150 W. Roosevelt)
30. Fleet Feet (150 W. Roosevelt)
31. Chicago Recovery Center (1509 S. Michigan)
32. Crave Cafe and Lounge (1250 S. Michigan)
33. Bevello (150 W. Roosevelt)
34. Sleepy's (605 W. Roosevelt)
35. Mariano's Fresh Market (1615 S. Clark)
36. Haberdash (150 W. Roosevelt)
37. Goodyear (18th and Wabash)
38. PianoForte (1335 S. Michigan)
39. Bacci Pizza Express (Roosevelt CTA Stop)
40. Bridgeport Coffee Company (150 W. Roosevelt)
41. Ann Taylor Loft (150 W. Roosevelt)
42. Chipotle (1150 S. Clinton)
43. The Bureau Bar (75 E. 16th)
44. Unnamed Clothing Boutique (E. 16th)
45. Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts (555 W. Roosevelt)
46. Giordano's (1340 S. Michigan)
47. Riff (2239 S. Michigan)
48. Flirtatious Lingerie and Club Wear (1317 S. Michigan)
49. European Wax Center (1103 S. State)
50. Asian Outpost (1315 S. Wabash)
51. Meli Cafe (500 S. Dearborn)
52. FleetWood (2333 S. Michigan)
53. Sororitique (1935 S. Wabash)
54. Smoque Vapor Lounge (537 S. Dearborn)

Closed or Moved Out of the Sloop in 2013

1. Donna's Cafe (1255 S. State)
2. A'Cappella Bistro (1301 S. Michigan)
3. Sweet Petal (537 S. Dearborn - Moved)
4. Karamela Cafe (1250 S. Michigan)
5. Computer Gurus (1130 S. Wabash)
6. Trattoria Cantina (616 S. Dearborn)
7. Triad Sushi (1933 S. Indiana)
8. Caring Hands Pet Spa (1400 Block S. Michigan)
9. Blink Lash Studio (1317 S. Michigan)
10. Buttefield Kitchen (Roosevelt CTA Stop)
11. Panozzo's (1303 S. Michigan)
12. Goodyear (2017 S. Wabash)
13. OYSY Sushi (888 S. Michigan)

Finally, we wanted to let you know that we have already started our 2014 business counter.  Please keep us in the loop as new businesses come or old ones close.  

Thanks for all your help and onward and upward to a positive 2014!

Happy New Year To You and Yours!

Wishing you and yours a health and happy New Year!

From your friends at Sloopin