Richard Gill on Another Food Cooperative Proposal: Really?

-posted by Richard Gill

Has it really been almost five years since the Hyde Park Co-op closed? Yes, it has. Time flies when you're having decent shopping. Hyde Park still has "issues," but at least the long and painful Co-op trauma is gone forever. Or so I thought till I saw the September 19 Hyde Park Herald. Someone wrote to the editors proposing the establishment of a new food co-op in the neighborhood. Arrrghh! I am merely pointing out the letter, not discussing the proposal. Right now I don't have the stomach for it. Just the thought of another Hyde Park co-op gives me the willies.

Longman & Eagle Team Opening The Promontory in Hyde Park in Early 2013

-posted by chicago pop

Multiple grub-conscious readers sent this blurb my way. I've been let down too many times to get too excited about this one -- Chant, Park 52, etc. all started off kinda okay, but weren't really and then went no-where - but this seems like it may be the real deal. From Eater Chicago:

Hyde Park is about to get a shot in the arm when the Promontory, a new restaurant, bar and concert venue, opens in early 2013. Even more exciting is the team behind the project: Longman & Eagle owners Bruce Finkelman (Empty Bottle, Bite Cafe), Craig Golden (Evanston's Space and Union Pizza) and chef Jared Wentworth will helm the kitchen.

At this point, much of the details, including the type of cuisine, have not yet been revealed. But seeing as L&E is Michelin-starred and Wentworth has been much heralded, it stands that this new restaurant, with a "hearth-driven kitchen," will likely gain a lot of attention. Should we expect a lot of grilled and smoked meats?

The Promontory, named for the nearby Promontory Point in Lake Michigan, is set to be part of the 53rd Street revitalization project, which already has a new Clarke's diner and Five Guys Burgers, and adjacent Harper Court project. The addition of another quality restaurant attached to a music venue, will not only give South Siders (in particular University of Chicago folk) a place to hang, it could help make the area more of a destination.

And from RedEye:

Longman & Eagle in Logan Square (Barry Brecheisen/For RedEye / September 11, 2012)

By Erin Brereton For RedEye

September 11, 2012

Empty Bottle’s Bruce Finkelman and Craig Golden, of Space in Evanston, are currently prepping their newest venture, The Promontory (1539 E. 53rd St.), for an early 2013 opening.
Finkelman—who is also behind Logan Square’s Longman & Eagle, a bar-restaurant-hotel hybrid that serves up contemporary American treats such as Kentucky fried quail and roast leg of venison—is keeping quiet about many of the details, including the style of cuisine The Promontory will serve.

He did confirm that the owners are currently renovating the building and the space will offer live music events and food.

The team behind The Promontory—named after Hyde Park’s nearby Promontory Point lakefront area, which in 1933-1934 housed Chicago’s second World’s Fair—will also include Longman & Eagle chef Jared Wentworth.

Children's Resources during Teacher Strike

-posted by chicago pop

A few resources for school age children that we've been asked to publicize, in the increasingly likely event of next week's anticipated teacher's strike (beginning September 10):

From the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club:

 

(Right-click on image and click 'View Image' to enlarge)

And this, from the Chicago JCC:

Dear JCC Families,

The prospect of a strike in Chicago Public Schools is a frustrating situation for teachers, administration, and most importantly, the families and children impacted by the possibility of no school. We would like you to know that JCC Chicago will be able to meet your child care needs with engaging safe and fun day long activities, should a strike go into effect.

JCC will offer special programming at Bernard Horwich JCC, Florence Heller JCC, and Hyde Park JCC.  Programming will run from 8:00am to 3:30pm.  If you need to extend your child’s day, late care will be available from 3:30-6:00pm.  While engaged in programming, children will travel to Mayer Kaplan JCC to participate in daily specialty curriculum including art, sports, swimming, and other educational experiences.

Program costs will be $50/day (8:00am-3:30pm) and late care will be an additional $15/day (3:30-6:00pm).  For students enrolled in JCC AfterSchool, there will be no additional charge for late care.   Services will remain in effect until school is back in session; however, JCC will be closed on September 17 and 18.

We will open online registration for Monday through Wednesday .  Advance registration is recommended and appreciated as space may be limited. Should the strike not go into effect, your registration fees can be applied to other JCC programs or will be refunded.

For further information, please contact us at any time.



Julie Rash
Manager of JCC AfterSchool
773-938-8342
jrash@gojcc.org

Andrea Berlow
Manager of Vacation Day Programs
224-406-9207
aberlow@gojcc.org

Andrea Berlow
Manager of Vacation Day Programs        
JCC Chicago
p: 224-406-9207
f:  224-406-9272
aberlow@gojcc.org
http://www.gojcc.org
 
JCCchicago
bringing Jewish values to life!
 
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Orly's/The Big Easy: 'Evidence of Rodents on Site'

-posted by chicago pop

Despite what was breezily reported in the Herald today ("Fridge Fritz Foils Big Easy," Lindsay Welbers, September 5, 2012), the recent shut-down of the culinary dark-star which, however many aliases it may assume in order to distance itself from its past, will always be known as Orly's, it appears that the restaurant's recent shutdown by the Chicago Department of Public Health was much more than a refrigerator problem.

Highlights of the recent report (dated August 27, 2012), written in mouth-watering detail and sure to annotate the next version of the menu, include but are not limited to: mice droppings in container of corn meal; sewage and waste-water backup on floor; a cooler with internal temperature of 95F; waste-water overflowing from drain; foul odor in women's toilet (and other places); evidence of rodents on site; mice droppings behind the bar, storage rooms, and dining area; my own personal favorite here - 'rodent rub marks'; extreme grease and food debris buildup; dirty surfaces; dust, debris, and spiderwebs (!); and broken tiles

But I guess that's all been fixed now.

Read for yourself below, or here:

August 27, 2012

Doing business as

Orly's/Jalapeno

License number

1978

Facility type

Restaurant

Risk

Risk 1 (High)

Inspection type

Complaint Re-Inspection

Results

Fail

Violations

2. FACILITIES TO MAINTAIN PROPER TEMPERATURE
Comments:REACH IN COOLER IN POOR REPAIR, INTERNAL TEMPERATURE 50F. INSTD TO MAINTAIN PROPER TEMPERATURE OF 40F OR BELOW AT ALL TIMES. ALL COOLERS ON PREMISES MUST BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN PROPER TEMPERATURES OF 40F OR BELOW AT ALL TIMES OR REMOVE COOLERS IN POOR REPAIR.
10. SEWAGE AND WASTE WATER DISPOSAL, NO BACK SIPHONAGE, CROSS CONNECTION AND/OR BACK FLOW
Comments:SEWAGE/WASTE WATER BACK-UP AND ACCUMULATING ON FLOOR FROM FLOOR DRAIN WHEN 3-COMPARTMENT SINK PLUMBING TURNED ON. ALSO WALK-IN COOLER DRAIN CLOGGED, WASTE WATER OVERFLOWING FROM DRAIN AND ONTO FLOOR. INSTD TO REPAIR SAME. FOUL ODOR NOTED IN SAME AREA.
11. ADEQUATE NUMBER, CONVENIENT, ACCESSIBLE, DESIGNED, AND MAINTAINED
Comments:WOMENS TOILETS IN POOR REPAIR, ONE WITH NO WATER, OTHER UNABLE TO FLUSH. FOUL ODOR NOTED IN SAME AREA. INSTD TO REPAIR SAME.
14. PREVIOUS SERIOUS VIOLATION CORRECTED, 7-42-090
Comments:CONTINUED NON COMPLIANCE, EVIDENCE OF RODENTS ON SITE. NOTED MICE DROPPINGS (OVER 30) SCATTERED IN VARIOUS AREAS BEHIND BAR,IN DRY STORAGE ROOM,(MICE DROPPINGS NOTED IN CONTAINER OF CORN MEAL), IN CORNERS IN DINING AREA,UNDER SHELVES AND ALONG SIDE COOLERS/FREEZERS IN OFFICE/STORAGE AREA, ALSO NOTED RODENT RUB MARKS ALONG WALLBASE NEXT TO DROPPINGS IN DINING AREA. STORAGE AREA BY EXIT DOOR. MUST REMOVE DROPPINGS, CLEAN AND SANITIZE AFFECTED AREAS. INSTD TO HAVE ADDITIONAL SERVICE FROM PEST CONTROL. NOTED REAR DOOR NOT RODENT PROOF AT THIS TIME, APPROX. 1/2 INCH GAP NOTED AT BOTTOM OF DOOR. INSTD TO RODENT PROOF DOOR AND HAVE TIGHT FITTING.
33. FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT UTENSILS CLEAN, FREE OF ABRASIVE DETERGENTS
Comments:MUST DETAIL CLEAN INTERIOR OF ALL COOKING EQUIPMENT AND PREP TABLES. MUST REMOVE ALL EXTREME GREASE AND FOOD DEBRIS BUILD UP THROUGHOUT. MUST ALSO CLEAN SODA GUNS BEHIND BAR AREA AND INTERIOR OF ALL COOLERS. ALSO DETAIL CLEAN WINDOW SILLS AND ALL DIRTY SURFACES THROUGHOUT. CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE ICE MACHINE. INSTD TO CLEAN ALL FOOD AND NON-FOOD CONTACT EQUIPMENT FREE OF DUST, DEBRIS, SPIDERWEBS, DROPPINGS, TOOLS, SCREWS, ETC.
34. FLOORS: CONSTRUCTED PER CODE, CLEANED, GOOD REPAIR, COVERING INSTALLED, DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS USED
Comments:MUST DETAIL CLEAN FLOORS UNDER COOK LINE,BEHIND BAR, IN DISH WASHING AREAS AND IN ALL STORAGE AREAS. MUST PROPERLY REPAIR BROKEN FLOOR TILES IN BAR AREA AND IN PREP AREA. FLOOR MUST BE SMOOTH, EVEN, EASILY CLEANABLE SURFACE.
35. WALLS, CEILINGS, ATTACHED EQUIPMENT CONSTRUCTED PER CODE: GOOD REPAIR, SURFACES CLEAN AND DUST-LESS CLEANING METHODS
Comments:MUST CLEAN WALLS NEXT TO FRYERS, DISH MACHINE, STOVE, & THROUGHOUT. MAKING ALL WALLS AND CEILING SMOOTH-EASY CLEANABLE AND TIGHT FITTING.
38. VENTILATION: ROOMS AND EQUIPMENT VENTED AS REQUIRED: PLUMBING: INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED
Comments:MUST REPAIR LEAKY FAUCET AND PIPES AT 2 COMPARTMENT SINK
41. PREMISES MAINTAINED FREE OF LITTER, UNNECESSARY ARTICLES, CLEANING EQUIPMENT PROPERLY STORED
Comments:MUST PROPERLY CLEAN AND MAINTAIN UNUSED EQUIPMENT OR REMOVE