Two thousand eight has arrived, and with it, several high-profile casualties. Chicago restaurants, we mean; in other spheres, too, but we’re going to leave that be for now.
Restaurants that closed 12/31 or 1/1 include Grotto on State (reopening in Oakbrook in a few months), Meritage Cafe & Wine Bar (owner Chris Packet is opening something new in the space next month, maybe), Mas (for whatever the reason), and Timo.
Timo is the saddest one, since John Bubala’s Baccala and Thyme Cafe both closed this year. So no more of Bubala’s famous rustic Italo-French cuisine in Chicago, for now. The Food Chain reported that the food costs and rent were becoming onerous, and that John wanted to spend more time with his family. Well, who can blame him. But anyway, more restaurants plz! Bubala and Chicago are symbiotic.
Worth noting is that none of the four restaurants’ websites reflect the respective shutterings. Hello, this is the internet and websites are supposed to be up-to-the-minute. And what is the point of a restaurant website if not to tell people whether the restaurant is open or closed! The restaurant may have died, but the alive-and-well owner ought to get on that business. We will check back in two weeks to see who’s done what.
Grotto on State [MenuPages]
Grotto on State [Official Site]
Mas [MenuPages]
Mas [Official Site]
Meritage Cafe & Wine Bar [MenuPages]
Meritage Cafe & Wine Bar [Official Site]
Timo [MenuPages]
Timo [Official Site]
[Photo: bondidwhat/flickr]
