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REVIEW NOVEMBER 1, 2023

2023 Eats Dining Guide Inside

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Henderson receives hefty payout after resignation

D209 also is searching for a new superintendent

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Proviso Township High School District 209 paid former Superintendent James L. Henderson $336,791.74, according to the settlement agreement following his resignation earlier this year.

Henderson, who announced his resignation Aug. 9, served his final day with the three-school district Aug. 11 after three years of service.

The settlement agreement, which was signed by both Henderson and board president Amanda Grant, said that Henderson “forever resigns his employment with Employer and Employer accepts such resignation.” According to the agreement, Henderson’s most recent employment agreement ran from June 14, 2022

Pulverized pumpkins Halloween leftovers are a messy business.

Story on page 9

See HENDERSON on page 8

TODD BANNOR

Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

John Rice: Visions of Italy and Riverside

Tom Holmes: It’s heart-wrenching, but they started it

Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

PAGE 12

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IN Big Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 THIS ISSUE Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

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Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

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Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

District 91 receives ‘commendable’ rating The second highest rating on a 4-category scale

By FOREST PARK REVIEW STAFF Forest Park’s four-school District 91, where at least half of the students are considered lowincome, received a “commendable” rating on the 2023 state report card.

The rating is the second highest on the State Board of Education’s four-category scale. It indicates a school that has no underperforming student groups, a high schools graduation rate greater than 67 percent, and whose performance is not in the top 10 percent of schools statewide.

Each year, the state releases its Illinois Report Card to offer a look at students’ academic achievement at the state, district, and school levels. It also offers student and teacher information, as well financial data, at each level.

The Illinois State Board of Education reported that in 2023, schools’ statewide proficiency rates rose and hit the highest graduation rate in 13 years. Academic gains for Black students, who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, improved significantly in many areas.

Despite the strides, officials said proficiency rates across the board remained below pre-pandemic levels.

The average proficiency rates in both ELA and math in Illinois have not caught up to prepandemic marks. State officials, however, pointed out that Illinois has some of the most rigorous standards for proficiency in the nation, and its benchmark for proficiency is higher than 45 other states, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Chronic absenteeism remains “alarmingly” high, they said, while pointing out that more work was needed to ensure students are able to recover from the social, emotional and academic impacts of the pandemic.

The following overview shows the progress in D91.

Next week, we will offer a more in-depth look at Forest Park schools’ performance. In the meantime, you can learn more about local schools at https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/.

About District 91 The district enrolled 675 students in 2023.

About 25% of students are white, 43% are Black and 23% Hispanic. At least half are considered low-income and another 20% have legal plans that offer them special-education services. D91

consists of Forest Park Middle School and Betsy Ross, Field Stevenson and Garfield elementary schools.

SCIENCE

English language arts, math and science The district largely fell in line with state averages, with about 33% of students rating proficient in ELA. The state’s average is 34.6%.

In math, nearly 19% of students met benchmarks, while statewide, math on-level rates hit 26.9% in 2023, up from 25.8% the year before.

A solid 49% of D91 students tested proficient in science, hovering just under the state average of 51%

Absenteeism Chronic absenteeism skyrocketed during the pandemic, but attendance has not bounced back in the state. The same holds true for the district where the rate was a little more than a quarter of the students chronically absent. Across the state, the average rate dropped to 28.3% from 29.8% the year before.

MATH

Graphics from www.illinoisreportcard.com

CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM ELA

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Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

November 1-8

BIG WEEK

Make Your Own Comic Book Friday, Nov. 3, 4-5 p.m., Forest Park Public Library Create your own answer to Spiderman or Superman ... feel free to give Marvel and DC serious competition. 7555 Jackson Boulevard, Forest Park.

Makin’ Music Bluegrass Jam Sunday, Nov. 5, 1-3 p.m., Thatcher Woods Pavilion Bring an instrument, or just listen, as mountain music comes to the Illinois suburbs. 8030 Chicago Avenue, River Forest.

Mimosas & Candle Making Class

Forest Park Fall Wine Walk Saturday, Nov. 4, 1-5 p.m., Forest Park National Bank & Trust Company Taste three wines at 16 locations and enjoy locally prepared small bites at taste locations and restaurants. As you walk, you can also enjoy the work of local artists and an amazing Fiber Flash. $50, 7348 Madison Street, Forest Park.

Listing your event Forest Park Review welcomes notices about events that Forest Park groups and businesses are planning. We’ll work to get the word out if you let us know what’s happening by noon Wednesday a week before your news needs to be in the newspaper.

■ Send details to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, 60302 ■ Email calendar@wjinc.com

A Taste of Love With Maya-Camille Broussard of Justice of the Pies Wednesday, Nov. 8, 7-8 p.m., virtually through Illinois Libraries Present Maya Camille Broussard, star of Netflix’s Bake Squad, and owner of Chicago-based Justice of the Pies, will demonstrate on video how to bake the ultimate Thanksgiving pie. She will discuss her love of pie, as well as others who inspired her love of pie. This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries — including Forest Park Public Library — offering premier events. Register now at bit.ly/ILP_Maya-Camille.

Sunday, Nov. 5, 12-3 p.m., Foundry F/B Get ready to unleash your inner artist and craft your very own scented candles while sipping on delicious mimosas. Tickets: eventbrite. com/e/mimosas-candle-making-classtickets-742359927527. 7503 Madison Street, Forest Park.

Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

Hawk Auto to open Jeep dealership at former Currie Motors site

Roosevelt/Desplaines dealership bought long-vacant neighbor last year

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

More than a year after the Hawk Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership acquired the former Currie Motors dealership next door, it’s finally doing something with it.

The dealership, a long-time presence near the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Desplaines Avenue, is looking to separate the Jeep sales operations and move it into the Currie building, which is closer to the intersection. Steve Glinke, the village’s director of public health and safety, told the Review that his department is currently reviewing the dealership’s permits.

“No date has been provided for the completion of this project,” he added.

Remodeling of the exterior of the dealership is already underway.

Joe Crane, who heads the dealership operations, confirmed the plans. He was not able to comment further by deadline.

The dealership at the northwest corner of Roosevelt Road and Desplaines Avenue wraps around the east and north sides of the current Hawk dealership. It started as Gleason Chevrolet. The late Jerry Gleason owned it for decades before selling it to Auto Nation group. However, the land that the dealership was sitting on and the physical building remained in the Gleason family.

According to Patrick Gleason, Jerry Gleason’s son, his father’s ex-wife, Mary Gleason, bought the property. She passed it on to her daughter, Maureen Joyce.

In 2007, Currie Motors bought the Chevy dealership, but it moved the operations to 8401 Roosevelt Rd., where it previously had a Chrysler dealership. That move came after Currie was unable to get a rent reduction Joyce. While Currie toyed with moving back to the site in 2017, nothing ultimately came of it.

According to county property records, on Aug. 25, 2022, Tri-State Land Partners, an LLC associated with Hawk owner Joe Crane, took out a $7.18 million mortgage from Ally Bank. The LLC also paid off a $40,242 lien the Village of Forest Park had on the property. The village placed the lien on the site on June 3, 2016 due to unpaid water bills.

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Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

C R I M E

Three-person crew robs restaurant, liquor store

Three men who may have been responsible for two armed robberies in Chicago robbed the Goldyburger restaurant and Suburban Liquors liquor store at gunpoint on the late evening of Oct. 25.

The trio struck the liquor store first. According to the employee account and store surveillance footage, they entered the store at around 10:30 p.m. wearing masks with guns drawn. The first robber came up behind the counter, pressed his gun against the employee’s head and ordered him to open the cash register. The first robber demanded that the employee tell him where the safe was. When the employe said he didn’t know, the robber hit the victim with a baseball bat stored behind the counter, causing him to pass out.

As the second robber watched the door, the third robber searched the store for a safe. Once they found the safe in the back room, the robbers fled. Between the safe and the cash register, the employee estimated that they stole $3,500. They also stole

several “batches” of lottery tickets and the employee’s wallet.

The robbers then turned up at Goldyburger, near the village’s northeast corner, at around 10:42 p.m. They came in with guns out and ordered the bartender to empty his pockets. The robbers stole his keys and wallet, which had $120 in cash and several credit cards. They also took $350 from the bar’s cash register and held another employee at gunpoint, forcing her to lead them to a safe in the basement. The robbers couldn’t carry the safe out because it was too heavy. They did steal the employee’s purse, which had credit cards and $200 in cash.

The robbers also robbed two customers, taking a total of $260 in cash.

Chicago and Elmwood Park police officers responded to reports of armed robberies involving a trio matching the suspects’ description. The robberies took place near the intersection of Harlem and Armitage avenues, at the Elmwood Park/Galewood border, and at the Harlem Irving Plaza shopping mall in suburban Norridge.

Burglaries from vehicles

Forest Park saw burglaries from a car and two attempted vehicle burglaries.

The burglary happened on Oct. 24 on the 1100 block of Troost Avenue. The victim parked her black 2019 Kia at around 5:30 p.m.

When the victim’s mother stepped out of the house, she noticed that one of the rear windows was broken. The victim’s backpack was taken. The police found it dropped on the ground about two blocks south, at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Dunlop Avenue. A witness said they saw two men wearing facemasks walking east on Filmore, and saw one of them drop the bag. The victim said that her AirPod wireless headphones were missing, but everything that was supposed to be in a backpack was accounted for.

The first attempted burglary happened on Oct. 24. The victim parked a black 2018 Kia at the Aperion Care Forest Park rehabilitation and memory care facility at around 7 a.m. When she returned at around 7:55 a.m., she saw that the rear passenger window was damaged.

Car crashes into Parky’s patio

Glass shattered, but main building of hot dog stand is undamaged

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

A driver heading south on Harlem Avenue on the evening of Oct. 27 lost control of his 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe, crashing into the patio of the iconic Parky’s Hot Dogs.

While the crash damaged the restaurant’s iconic glass patio, the car didn’t hit the kitchen. Parky’s was closed at the time, so no one was hurt.

According to the police report provided to the Review, the driver drove down Harlem Avenue “at a high rate of speed” around 9:37 p.m.

As the driver tried to avoid hitting another car, he “lost control” and ran off the pavement and onto the sidewalk. The car spun across the

sidewalk and slammed into the patio.

Photos, taken by resident Mark Kristofer and shared widely on social media, showed the car completely inside the patio. The glass panels of the east-facing patio wall were almost completely broken, but the south and north patio walls survived intact. The car didn’t hit the kitchen or the counter on the west side of the patio.

Parky’s is one of Forest Park’s oldest surviving eateries. The original location opened on Roosevelt Road in Berwyn in 1946, and the current Harlem Avenue location opened as a second location a year later. Founder Eugene Artist named it after the Bohemian word for “hot dog.” Artist’s father, an architect, came up with the patio’s distinct, half-trapezoid glass shape and light-blue and orange color scheme.

Parky’s is known for being one of the few Chicago-area hot dog stands that doesn’t use Vienna beef sausages, making their own inhouse, pork-and-beef sausages instead. They are also known for their fries from freshly delivered potatoes, made on site.

The second attempted burglary happened overnight on the 1000 block of Troost Avenue. The victim said he parked his black 2018 Ford F-150XLT truck in the back of his house. On the morning of Oct. 28, the victim’s son noticed that the passenger side window was damaged, but not broken.

There were no surveillance cameras on the property to capture the attempt.

Nothing was taken from either car.

Stolen vehicle A silver 2020 Kia sedan was stolen overnight from the 1000 block of Desplaines Avenue. The victim discovered that his car was missing on Oct. 27 at 4:41 a.m. She said that she had her keys with her.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, Oct. 23-28, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime.

These cases have not been adjudicated.

Compiled by Igor Studenkov

L E T T E R S

Losing hope in Forest Park What will it take to get some police presence on Roosevelt Road? For the last three nights I have had a wrong-way driver doing 40 mph through a red light and another swerving in and out of traffic at double the speed of traffic nearly collide head on with me on Roosevelt Road.

I have to use it to get to my home because of one-way streets and where I live. What will it take to get some police presence in this neighborhood and on Roosevelt? To write some traffic tickets? To care about at least pretending there is a rule of law? Will my car be totaled before you can be bothered?

Will I be a paraplegic from some psycho behind the wheel smashing into me head-on at 50 mph?

I cannot remember the last time I saw someone pulled over on Roosevelt getting a ticket. Ten years? Maybe longer?

Please explain exactly what you expect citizens of Forest Park to do to try to arrive home in one piece. I know it’s not easy to be a law enforcement officer these days, but I really would like to know why, when I drive through North Riverside or Oak Park, I see police patrols all the time, but not in my town.

Why is Forest Park always unable to do anything but react after the fact?

I really would like the answers to these questions. I have written the mayor and the chief of police as well. We’ll see if I get any response.

Kim Ogle

Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

Non-conforming Wilcox Street house to get zoning review Village officials say construction shouldn’t have been approved

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

For over a month, neighbors have been coming to Forest Park Village Council meetings to complain about the house being built at 7713 Wilcox St., and now the village is taking action.

Jan Kazar, who lives in the house to the east, at 7711 Wilcox St., pointed out that, under the current zoning code, nobody should have been able to build a new house on a lot of that size in the first place without getting a zoning variance. Steve Keating and his wife, Mary Keating, who live in the house to the west, complained about construction workers intruding on their property and blocking their garage. The Keatings demanded that the village give them a legally enforceable document that would protect them from liability if something happens to the contractors, something that the Forest Park declined to do.

Public Health and Safety Director Steve Glinke, whose duties include oversight over building issues, acknowledged to the Review that the house shouldn’t have been permitted.

He said that owner Gheorghe Rosca is applying for the zoning variance ex post facto. If the variance is approved, the building would be retroactively legalized, but if it’s not, the structure would be illegal, which would force him to start from scratch.

According to the Cook County records, the property ended up in foreclosure after its previous owner, Kenneth Wick, died. It ended up in the Cook County Treasurer’s scavenger tax sale, which is how Rosca, of northwest suburban Niles, ended up acquiring it in late April for a symbolic $10.

He had since cleared the old structures and begun building a new two-story house.

The entire block currently has R-1 residential zoning, where every lot must be at least 50 feet wide, and should have a front yard of no less than 20 feet, or 15 percent of the lot, whichever is greater. The buildings that were already there are grandfathered in, but since Rosca is building from scratch, he falls under the current regulations.

Kazar flagged the issue at the Oct. 10 village

council meeting. She declined a request for a follow-up interview.

In an email to the Review, Glinke acknowledged that the building plans shouldn’t have been approved as they were submitted. “[The situation was] the result of a ministerial staff oversight during the pre-construction review process,” he wrote.

Glinke said this mistake, along with an issue with a different house at 838 Circle Ave., led Forest Park to change the review process to include “a full third-party zoning analysis before any structure is approved for construction, including all commercial and residential development.”

Glinke added that, after consulting with the village attorney, Forest Park decided the best course of action would be for the two projects to apply for setback and lot area variations. He said the Wilcox property will go before the Planning and Zoning Commission on Nov. 20. The commission’s vote is advisory, and it will be up to the village council to make the final decision.

The Keatings first raised their issues during the Sept. 26 village council meeting, saying that the construction crew has been using their yard for construction debris, driving construction equipment over their front yard and obstructing access to their garage.

“We both work from home at times and we both have to be able to come and go,” said Steve Keating. Every attempt, though, to keep the line of communication, that’s like phone numbers, notes on doors and everything — nothing is happening.”

At the time, the Keatings demanded to be kept better informed about Rosca’s construction plans, and they want “a written statement” from the village that “guarantees we will not be liable in any form” for anything that would happen with Rosca’s contractors during construction.

The couple pressed the issue again during the Oct. 23 meeting, leading Mayor Rory Hoskins to respond that the village wouldn’t do that. He encouraged the Keatings to continue talking with Glinke and other village staff.

“If you feel like someone is trespassing on your property, you’re right to call the police,” he added.

Steve Keating agreed to a follow-up interview, but he canceled it, saying he tested positive for COVID-19 and wasn’t feeling well. The Review was unable to reach Rosca by deadline.

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Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

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HENDERSON Plush payout from page 1 and was set to expire on June 30, 2027.

Board President Amanda Grant declined to comment, saying his departure was a personnel matter.

According to the settlement agreement, payment had to be provided to Henderson no later than Sept. 1, 2023. Attempts to contact Henderson by publication were not unsuccessful.

The amount paid to Henderson included one year of his salary under the employment contract from the 2023-24 school year, which was listed as $273,105.00, as well as an additional $63,686.74 from accrued unused vacation days.

Additionally, the agreement, obtained

by Forest Park Review, said that upon Henderson’s election of COBRA, Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act that gives workers the option to continue their health benefits following certain circumstances which include voluntary or involuntary job loss, “employer shall pay employee’s costs of participation on any eligible group major medical/health and dental insurance plan(s) through August 18, 2024.”

Kristine Vandenbroek, director of public and community relations for Proviso Township High School District 209, said the district was not able to comment on the matter at this time.

Henderson joined D209 following the resignation of Jesse Rodriguez, who left the district at the end of June 2020 to start a position with Zion-Benton Township High School District 126. The district received help narrowing down candidates from executive search firm Ray and Associates.

According to copies of the superintendent employment agreement obtained by Forest Park Review, Henderson’s first employment contract with the district was created in July 2020 for a period of Aug. 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023. This contract maintained Henderson’s salary at $250,000 for each school year in exchange for Henderson’s agreement to “devote such time, skill, labor and attention to his employment,” during the term of the agreement.

Henderson was also entitled to 20 vacation days annually, 14 days of sick leave per year, three personal business days per year, and a $500 monthly transportation

allowance. Additionally, the board provided and paid the entire premiums for hospitalization, major medical and dental insurance for Henderson, his spouse, and his dependents as well as covering premiums for a term life insurance policy in the amount of $250,000 paid for the time of his contract.

A year later, in June 2021, Henderson signed a five-year contract with D209, effective from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2026. The new contract increased his salary for the 2021-22 school year by $12,500 and by $17,750 for the 2022-23 school year.

According to previous reports by Village Free Press, a third contract was approved by the board of education in June 2022.

Each contract stated that there would be a yearly evaluation of his performance by the board of education. During the majority of his time at D209, Henderson did not undergo an evaluation.

Despite the lack of performance reviews by the previous board of education, Henderson was not spared from criticism from two then-board members, Amanda Grant and Claudia Medina, who expressed their desire for the board majority, which consisted of Ned Wagner, Arbdella Patterson, Rodney Alexander, and Theresa Kelly, to be overturned. That wish was granted following this year’s April 4 Consolidated Election when three new board members were voted onto the board, replacing Kelly and Wagner, along with Medina.

In June 2023, the board of education, which included newly elected David Ocampo, Jennifer Barbahen, and Sandra Hixson, conducted the first superintendent evaluation since Henderson’s hiring in 2020. The evaluation was performed during a closed session, and because it is considered a personnel matter, Grant said they were not able to provide comment.

Following Henderson’s resignation, the board appointed Bessie Karvelas, a longtime district administrator, as acting superintendent while the board vets an interim or permanent superintendent.

Grant said the district was in the process of hiring the search firm HYA and collecting input from students, parents, staff, administrators and community members.

“We want a candidate who understands the diversity of our community, what success looks like and what it will take to get us there,” Grant told Forest Park Review.

“Our District needs someone who is focused on equity and excellence for all students and stakeholders.”

Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

9

First ever ‘pumpkin smash’ Saturday in Forest Park We’re talking smashed as in smithereens

By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter

When you come to the Smashing Pumpkins event at the Altenheim on Saturday, Nov. 4, you won’t hear a concert by a ‘90s alternative rock band. What you will experience is an opportunity to dispose of those jack-o-lanterns on your lawn in an eco-friendly way. And perhaps the actual smushing will even relieve a little of the stress you’ve built up during the work week.

The details. Geoff Binns-Calvey has constructed a 14-foot-tall hammer gizmo for

smashing pumpkins to smithereens. He will place the doomed pumpkin on a stump below the hammer, invite kids to help pull the hammer up to the ready position and then pull the lever triggering the giant hammer to come crashing down on the worn-out pumpkin.

This will all happen inside a Republicprovided dumpster which will be carted off after the event to be composted by a nonprofit called SCARCE whose mission is “to preserve and care for the Earth’s natural resources, while working to build sus-

TODD BANNOR

Amy and Geoff Binns-Calvey (left) show a model of their pumpkin smashing device to Commissioner of Public Property Jessica Voogd (right) at Kribi Coffee. tainable communities.”

If residents don’t want to hang around for the smashing experience they can simply drop off their pumpkins and let others have the fun.

Amy Binns-Calvey, the chair of the village’s Recreation Board, which is sponsoring the event, said SCARCE gave the village a grant for the project and is partnering with Republic to haul the pulverized pumpkins away.

Commissioner Jessica Voogd noticed the idea in a magazine, brought it to the rec board and that seed sprouted and bloomed quickly.

Amy Binns-Calvey said the leasing of four village-owned pocket parks to the Park District of Forest Park freed time up for the rec board to get creative. What happened, she said, was the board began to look at recreation more broadly than focusing just on whether to order a swing set for a park.

“We began focusing on green spaces in the village,” she said, “getting involved with Arbor Day and cleanup days, so this smashing pumpkin event fits nicely into those expanded boundaries.”

Sal Stella, director of public works, and Voogd were on board with the idea and did a lot of sweating of details. So were several volunteers. Binns-Calvey “volunteered” her husband Geoff to construct the pumpkin smasher. Voogd used the word “organ-

ic” to describe how the project went from the seed of an idea to the blossoming of the event on Nov. 4.

To get to the event, which will run from 9 a.m. till noon on Saturday morning, drive west on Madison, turn south on Van Buren and enter the Altenheim grounds by turning right through a gate which will be clearly marked. Signs will guide you the entire way.

She said that the event is already having a ripple effect. A middle school science teacher is using her husband’s prototype as a lesson in designing machinery.

She asked residents to remove all decorations from their jack-o-lanterns as well as the candles inside but added that acrylic paint on the outside does not have to be removed.

There is a bit of a “ready, shoot, aim” feel to this year’s inaugural Smashing Pumpkins. Voogd said, “This is our very first year. Our committee has a lot of big ideas, but the challenge is in figuring out the details. For example, we are considering having vendors present, but that would require that they go through the standard application process with the village.

“We are already thinking of this event as not just a one-off thing, but we want to make it an institution, something we do every year. We are committed. We will do it this year, see how it goes and learn from the experience.”

10

Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

Former Obama campaign staffer running for Danny Davis’seat Kouri Marshall said he’ll bring his political, nonprofit experience to the office

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

Kouri Marshall never held a political office before — but he’s still running on his record.

That record including work for President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign and work for former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin (1st) and Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Marshall also touted his work in the nonprofit sector. He serves as a director of state and local public policy for the Chamber of Progress, a trade organization for technology companies.

Marshall officially announced a run for U.S. Rep. Danny Davis’ 7th District congressional seat in August, and he argued that the fact that he was able to raise $68,258.84 as of Sept. 30, more than most other candidates in the race, speaks to his viability as a candidate.

Marshall said that he plans to bring his political and professional experience to the office and to advocate for what have already been his priorities — to bring resources to poor and otherwise disadvantaged residents in both the city and suburban parts of the district, encourage technological innovation and advocate for issues affecting health, especially women’s health. Much of his past work involved building bridges, he said, and he plans work across the aisle to make sure his priorities come to fruition.

After working on the Obama campaign, lins. That, Marshall said, is another sign he served as the executive director of that there was an opening for him. While Democratic GAIN, a membership asso- he said that he appreciated that Collins ciation for politically progressive profes- “shattered a glass ceiling” for Black girls, sionals. Hillary Clinton’s loss to Donald he believed that he could reach the voters Trump in 2018 inspired him to work for the she hasn’t been able to. government. He worked as Boykin’s chief Chicago city treasurer Melissa Conof staff, and served as a deputy director years-Ervin officially entered the race in of executive appointments and agency mid-October after months of fundraising. personnel at Pritzker’s office through- She is currently facing allegations that she out much of the pandemic. abused the power of her ofIn between the two jobs, he fice — something she denied. co-founded ChiGivesBack, Marshall said that, since a nonprofit that organizes none of the allegations have been proven, he would leave fundraisers for other chariit to voters to make up their table programs, including own minds. meal delivery for seniors “I can tell you, in terms and toy drives. of what I think about on a Marshall said that runregular basis, it’s not my ning for office was a logical opponents — it’s the people extension of everything he’s who continue to struggle,” already been doing. he added.

“I thought — what was Marshall said that his mathe next step for me, and I KOURI MARSHALL jor priority would be to supthought the next step for me port women’s health, whether is to elevate my community, and chase after the things I believe would it’s access to abortion and contraceptives or make my community better,” he said. “I addressing the inequities in healthcare. He think, as member of Congress, I would be said that since his wife became pregnant, he became especially passionate about adable to do even more.”

Marshall said that he respected Davis’ dressing disparities in material morality decades of service — but his campaign was rates. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are about the future.

I think it’s time for the congressman to more likely to die while pregnant and givpass the torch,” he said. “There’s a strong ing birth than white and Hispanic women.

“It’s alarming, to me, and that’s someappetite for change, and if there had not been, I wouldn’t have put a hat in the ring.” thing where I want to advocate, not just my The 2022 primary election — which, in a wife for all women [going through pregnanheavily Democratic 7th District, tends to cy and childbirth],” Marshall said. “I grew be tantamount to general election — saw up with a strong mom, and I will say that Davis face his closest challenge in decades once elected, I would be a fierce advocate from Austin community activist Kina Col- for women, because my mom, my grandma

L E T T E R S

Doubly thankful Twice this month Forest Park paramedics came and assisted me. They were so kind, efficient and reassuring. I will never hesitate to contact them!

Thank you.

Sherry Walker O’Toole Tim O’Toole Jennifer Mokhiber (daughter)

and my aunts have been strong advocates for me.”

His other major priorities include supporting senior citizens, youth and teachers, and expanding affordable housing by supporting policies that would increase supply and by expanding Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers program. Marshall is also planning to work on a lingering issue disproportionately facing majority-Black communities in Chicago and the suburbs — the lack of access to fresh, healthy food.

Marshall said that, through it all, he plans to continue doing something that he’s already been doing — “building bridges.” For example, he said, as a Black man, he tends to get nervous when a police car passes him as he drivers — but that hasn’t stopped him from trying to improve community-police relationships by introducing officers to families living in “the impoverished part of our community.”

If elected, Marshall said that he would work with any U.S. representative who shares his priorities.

“I’m going to work across the aisle,” he said. “I want to work with anyone in Congress who’s willing to work with me to help my community.”

According to FEC filings, Collins raised $49,819.41 and Conyears-Ervin raised $383,000 as of Sept. 30, which, Marshall argued, bodes well for his campaign.

“We’re exactly where we want to be, and ever closer in getting the seat,” he said.

“If anything, I would actually add that my fundraising numbers demonstrate and say there’s a number of people [who don’t support other candidates]. I did it all based on strength and grit, and that’s the kind of Congressmember I’m going to be when I’m elected.”

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O U R

V I E W

Henderson’s decoupling

I

t took a while for the document to surface, but the settlement agreement between the Proviso Township public high schools and its now former superintendent, James Henderson is about what you would expect.

A lot of money shoveled out the door in the form of a year’s pay, a ton of unused vacation and sick pay, and generous health care coverage for Henderson and his family for a year.

It all added up to $336,791.

And it is the best money District 209 ever spent.

We are normally critical of such settlements. But not in this case.

James Henderson is one of the worst superintendent hires we have ever witnessed. Divisive. Self-serving. Political. And with no interest or ability to build a bridge with faculty, students or the wider community. With a troubling professional history that makes his original hiring incomprehensible, we pegged the superintendent early on as a grifter.

Our opinion has not shifted. His tenure confirmed our view. And as we have said since last spring’s election created a new board majority with a clear-eyed view of Henderson, the man had to go and quickly. This new board could not begin a new school year with him in place.

We knew it would be expensive to make him go away. And it was.

But it also allowed the new board and its acting superintendent, Bessie Karvelas, to shift the focus of the fall semester from chaos and vitriol to something student- and community-focused.

Wisely the school board has begun planning for a wide open search for the next superintendent. This needs to be an open process with considerable input from faculty, staff, students and family.

After several years of intentional progress in this troubled district under reform board leadership, D209 barely survived a three-year derailment caused by Henderson and his narrow board majority. Turning this train forward will take a strong and empathetic leader, a steady school board, and time.

Meanwhile we have faith in Karvelas, a survivor in this district, who has not lost faith in the possibilities to guide the district’s short-term return to something more positive, ambitious and normal.

Hawk Auto invests

The car dealership at Roosevelt and Desplaines has been empty, or at least severely underutilized, for way too long. Good news then to see a significant remodeling of the facility underway.

Good also to see this additional investment in Forest Park by the Hawk auto group, which has long had a presence on Forest Park’s mini-auto row along Roosevelt. The current plan is to showcase Hawk’s Jeep franchise on the highly visible corner.

Chrysler, Dodge and Ram vehicles will continue to be marketed further west on Roosevelt.

Retaining and growing its auto sales business is a major win for the village of Forest Park. Car sales generate significant sales tax revenues for the village, and expansion makes Forest Park a stronger regional destination for car shoppers.

Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

OPINION

11

It’s heart-wrenching, but they started it Pastor Walter Mitty woke up at 7 a.m. last Saturday and immediately turned up the heat in his study in the Poplar Park Community Church parsonage. He checked the weather and the temperature was only 40 degrees, another sign that big changes were just around the corner.

While the coffee was brewing, he turned on the radio and heard that Israel was expanding its ground operations and continuing to bomb targets in Gaza.

Everyone felt, it seemed, like something big was unfolding in that troubled part of the world.

As he carried his coffee to his desk, he noticed a feeling of dread coming over him, and his thoughts went back to Oct. 8 when he was sitting a table at the coffee hour after the service in Poplar Park Community Church and was listening to Dorothy Aschenbrenner.

“When I heard the news this morning, my heart broke,” she was saying. “Hamas is evil. I hope they burn in hell.”

“I understand how you feel, Dorothy,” Sharissa began, struggling to keep her tone civil, “but if anyone is to blame for starting this terror, it’s the state of Israel.

“The Palestinians are the real victims here. Israel has created an apartheid situation in the Holy Land and turned Gaza into an open-air prison. The state of Israel is the result of a Zionist plot to occupy all of Palestine.

While the Arabs were willing to share the land, the Jewish immigrants wanted it all for themselves. Israel’s response is worse than the Palestinian terrorism. My God, 7,000 Palestinians, including almost 3,000 children killed in retaliation!”

Sharissa went on for another 10 minutes detailing Israeli crimes against humanity, and the church members sitting around the table remained speechless because they didn’t know enough about the troubles in the Middle East to respond intelligently.

When Mitty called his neighbor Michael Rosenthal the next morning, Oct. 9, for their regular check-in, he shared with his good friend everything that had happened at church the day before.

Michael listened and replied, “See the problem with me is that I hear criticism of Israel like this all the time, and I don’t know how to respond to people who have an unbalanced prejudice against Israel, don’t know all the facts, and have no accurate knowledge of the history of the issue.”

Pastor Mitty got a second cup of coffee and turned down the heat in his study. He couldn’t shake that feeling of dread, so as usual, he called his neighbor and friend.

“You hear the latest news, Michael?”

“You mean about the IDF getting ready to start the ground assault?”

“Yeah. So it’s been two weeks since the massacre on Oct. 7. What do you think?”

Michael replied, “Well, one of the things that keeps coming up with our members at the temple is that they sense an antiIsrael feeling growing in the country. I don’t know if it’s antisemitism exactly or a sympathy for the underdog or what.”

Michael then suggested the two of them walk over to Bernie Rolvaag’s History/ Herstory bookstore and coffeeshop, grab a latte and ask a well-read “goy” about his take on the situation.

Bernie grimaced when he heard what two of his best customers wanted to talk about.

“OK,” he began, “the way I see it is that Russian Jews began immigrating to Palestine in the late 1800s to escape pogroms in that country. As a minority, they bent over backwards to be good neighbors, but almost from the beginning some Arabs were against that religious/ethnic minority. In fact, an Arab leader named Haj Amin al-Hasseini spent time with Hitler during World War II because he agreed with the dictator on his ‘final solution.’

“Another wave of Jews immigrated before and after World War II, so that by 1948 they comprised a majority in the area now known as the state of Israel. A U.N. resolution divided Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state. Numerous wars were fought, with Israel winning all of them, but military victories could not eliminate Arab hostility, which manifested itself on Oct. 7.”

When Bernie finished his mini-lecture, Michael said, “That’s pretty much the narrative that Rabbi Levine and some of the university professors in the congregation have been telling us.”

The three friends sat silent for a long time.

Mitty broke the silence by saying, “If you want to know who started it, you have to go back to Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel.”

Michael added, “You know, in this country when talking about mass shootings, conservatives tend to argue that criminals are bad people and that the only way to deal with bad people with guns is to arm good people with guns.“ Bernie caught the drift of Michael’s argument and said, “And liberals say that criminals are basically good people, so you have to address the root causes.”

Mitty said, “And Netanyahu is a conservative, and a hard line one at that.”

TOM HOLMES

12

Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

I ‘

Visions of Italy and Riverside She first used a projector to cast the images on the wall and later used 22 quarts of SherwinWilliams exterior paint. She applied the paint with stencil brushes, which have stiff bristles for working paint into crevices. Her workdays began at 11 a.m. and she painted until it got dark at 7 p.m.

Painting a mural is strenuous, which is why Vazzana works out regularly. She had to climb up and down the scaffold carrying her equipment and also had to stop and take down the scaffold when it rained. However, the weather was so pleasant, sunblock was required. She finally finished on Oct. 18. She didn’t seal it, but Vazzana predicts it will withstand many Chicago winters.

She has been an artist since third grade, but she didn’t start out to be a muralist.

She planned to become an architect and majored in architecture at UIC. The turning point came in 1997 when she was asked to paint a “Little Mermaid” mural for a young family member.

Her uncle was so impressed by the mural, he said Vazzana could make a living as an artist. She immediately switched her major to Studio Arts. After completing her

t’s a gift of art for Forest Park,” artist Erika Vazzana said of the mural she completed at Caffe De Luca, 7427 Madison St. The mural is mounted on the second floor of the restaurant and is easily visible from the street. Vazzana was still painting when she heard bystanders exclaiming about this new explosion of color on Madison.

The mural had been commissioned by the restaurant owners, Art and Michelle Sundry. It was inspired by a painting the restaurant hangs on the second floor. It depicts L’Aquila Church, in Abruzzo, Italy, where Art’s grandparents were baptized.

Besides displaying the church, the mural is a landscape of a village in Italy. It includes fields, pine trees and red-roofed buildings.

“Art can transport you to another country,” said Vazzana. She started the project on Sept. 26, 2023.

To prepare for painting, her husband Mark, a remodeler, assembled her centuryold scaffolding. Michelle Sundry, who is also an artist, had primed the textured surface of what Vazzana calls her “cottage cheese wall.” The mural would be 25-feet wide and 12-feet tall.

JOHN RICE

A

L O O K

B A C K

From Shank’s Saloon to Fuch’s Hall to Golden Drugs

A

t the corner of Harlem and Madison is Nick Shank’s original saloon, built in 1898, later known as Fuch’s Hall. The corner was a pharmacy for 72 years, first as Latisis Drugs, until Phil Golden bought the business in 1950. Golden Drugs called this corner home, serving the community filling prescriptions, selling greeting cards and sundries until 1995.

Jill Wagner

This photo from 1976 shows the corner with the Oak Park Federal Savings clock on the top and, on the right side of the photo, is a sliver of the Shell gas station sign that was on the opposite corner.

I N

T I M E

degree, she was hired as a muralist by Lurie Children’s Hospital to decorate their newly constructed facility in Chicago. Vazzana has worked there for 11 years. She has also painted murals at Stroger Hospital.

Besides these large-scale projects, she has done more modest ones. She participates in community painting events and even does face-painting at festivals. For the Riverside Art Weekend (RAW), she completed a tryptic of paintings depicting scenes in the village.

This work caught the eye of one of the owners of Riverside Foods, Peter Boutsikakis, who commissioned Vazzana to paint the panels on the wall of his grocery store.

The first panel captures an old-fashioned streetlight and the town’s suspension bridge.

The second shows the landmark water tower, and the third is an overview of Riverside’s park on the banks of the Des Plaines River.

It’s her gift of art to Riverside.

Vazzana moved from Chicago to Riverside four years ago. She loves the community but becoming a successful artist is hard work. She is constantly networking online and in person to obtain commissions. Ninety percent of her projects come through word-of-mouth referrals. She had a studio built above her garage and has a website, The End Design.

Vazzana admires the public art she sees on display in Forest Park and Riverside. Art, she says, is a gift to all of us.

F O R E S T PA R K

REVIEW Editor Erika Hobbs Staff Reporter Igor Studenkov, Francia Garcia Hernandez, Amaris Rodriguez Digital Manager Stacy Coleman Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Bob Skolnik, Robert J. Lifka Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice Big Week Editor James Porter Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales and Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner Publisher Dan Haley Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Board of Directors Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer HOW TO REACH US ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-366-0600 ■ FAX 708-467-9066 EMAIL forestpark@wjinc.com CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com ONLINE ForestParkReview.com Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Forest Park Review,141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302-2901. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160) In-county subscriptions: $34 per year. $55 for two years, $69 for three years.

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Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

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Dear readers, Local news is essential. You know that. You subscribe to the Review. And thank you for that.

Our reporting is what connects these villages, holds officials to account, reveals the complexity of issues we grapple with and how we celebrate our successes in this village.

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Readers will need to pay more for the news they need and want. Or that news may just go away.

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But four years back we set out to actually reinvent the financial model for local news. We didn’t tinker around the edges. We made something completely new and we named it Growing Community Media. It is the umbrella for the Review, Wednesday Journal, Austin Weekly News and the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark.

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November is here and that means Growing Community Media is launching its biggest annual fundraising drive. Our goal is big. $250,000 by Dec. 31. Highest goal we’ve ever set. It’s money we need to raise and we’re going to raise.

If you are contemplating making a donation, you have the right to ask what will we spend your money on. Well, we’ve hired an editor for our four publications. First time in a long time we’ve had a single editor running the newsroom. Erika Hobbs joined GCM in August. Born in Chicago, Erika comes to us with a lot of reporting and editing experience at dailies in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Orlando. She also worked at Patch, a local reporting shop, and she has done some teaching. You are going to like her.

We’re investing more in digital. More news online faster. Our newsletters will get an update and new specialized newsletters such as Big Week are already launching. We’re moving back into events, starting modestly, but growing that part of our storytelling.

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13

14 Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023 Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

PART-TIME ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER Experience or not.

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Job Title: Park Specialist

Starting Salary Range: $19.00 $21.88/HR Working Hours: The Park Specialist is a full time non-exempt position working 40 hours per week, plus overtime. The scheduled work hours for this position are Monday – Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM, including ½ hour unpaid lunch. Hours may be shifted occasionally to accommodate specific tasks.

Summary: The Park Specialist is responsible for assisting the Superintendent of Parks with the maintenance operations of the Park District grounds, facilities, and equipment.

The work includes, but not limited to: Landscape maintenance operations for the Park District.

Custodial maintenance of all Park District facilities.

Qualifications: 21 years of age. A valid Illinois State Driver License (Class A). In good physical condition with sufficient strength to lift and hold 50 pounds.

A full Job Description is available at www.rfparks.com/job-opportunities Interested candidates shall submit an application by email to John Beto at jbeto@rfparks.com

ASSISTANT VILLAGE ENGINEER/ TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Assistant Village Engineer/ Transportation Engineer in the Public Works Department. The employee will be responsible for leading the planning, design, and operation of the Village’s transportation system;

designing and managing capital improvement projects; supervising and directing the Transportation Engineering Division; assisting in directing, supervising, and coordinating activities of the Engineering Division; and providing administrative support to the Village Engineer and Director of Public Works. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park. us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application..

ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Engineering Technician II in the Public Works Department. The employee performs layout, draft and design drawings from field survey information and field notes for various engineering and planning projects including existing improvements, right-of-way and various utilities and performs a variety of field inspections. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/jobs.

Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

POLICE DESK CLERK FOREST PARK, IL

The Forest Park Police Department, seeks a Full-Time Police Desk Clerk.

Eligible candidates will be required to pass an aptitude test and an extensive background check. Qualifications include computer skills, the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, good knowledge of English language, general office skills, including handling non-emergency calls and walk-up customer service, and good verbal and written skills.

HOLIDAY, EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ARE MANDATORY. Open until filled. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. or at www.forestpark. net and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@forestpark.net.

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Restoration 630-201-8122

FLOORS

FIREWOOD

KLIS FLOORING INC.

FIREWOOD

New hardwood flooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining. Low prices, insured.

Call: 773-671-4996 www.klisflooring.com

HANDYMAN Mike’s Home Repair Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Don’t Do

708-296-2060

Request of Catherine Mary Divane Case Number 2023 CONC001589.

The court date will be held: On February 2, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at Zoom Meeting ID: 95894921843 Passcode: 226532.

WANTED MILITARY ITEMS:

I want to buy all your old tools American tools, Wilton Vise, Wood working tools, Machinist tools.

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE

There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Catherine Mary Divane to the new name of: Casey Catherine Mary Castle

CARS WANTED

WANTED TO BUY

PUBLIC NOTICES must be mailed or delivered by the claimant to the representative within 10 days after it has been filed. E-filing is now mandatory for documents in civil cases with limited exemptions.

STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY.

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG

HELP WANTED

PUBLIC NOTICES

UNLIMITED

Fast Delivery MIXED HARDWOODS CBH & MIX 100% OAK CHERRY OR HICKORY 100% BIRCH Seasoned 2 years Stacking Available

847-888-9999 Order online:

www. suregreen landscape.com

Credit Cards Accepted

On-site refinishing of wood and fiberglass since 1977.

Includes doors, woodwork, windows, staircases and new woodwork etc. All work done by hand. NO sanders. Your unfinished project my specialty!

References available.

Contact Terry Seamans at 630-379-7148 or terryseamans@yahoo.com

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY. Request of Jason Issac Arroyo Case Number CONC001250 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Jason Issac Arroyo to the new name of: Jason Issac Roth The court date will be held: On November 9, 2023 at 10:00 AM at Richard J. Daley Center, 50 W. Washington Street, Rm. 1702, Chicago, IL 60602 via ZOOM at ZOOM ID 986 9592 1385 Passcode 539505.

Zoom Call-In Number 312-626-6799 Published in Wednesday Journal Oct 25, Nov 1, Nov 8, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICES IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, COUNTY DEPARTMENT, PROBATE DIVISION ESTATE OF RITA QUILLE, DECEASED. NO. 2023 P 007191 Notice is given to creditors of the death of the above named decedent. Letters of office were issued to BRIAN QUILLE, 1957 W RACE, CHICAGO, IL 60622, as Independent Executor. The estate will be administered without court supervision, unless under section 5/28-4 of the Probate Act (Ill. Compiled Stat. 1992, Ch. 755, par. 5/28-4) any interested person terminates independent administration at any time by mailing or delivering a petition to terminate to the clerk. Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the clerk in Room 1202, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL, or with the representative, or both, on or before April 9, 2024, or, if mailing or delivery of a notice from the representative is required by section 5/18-3 of the Probate Act, the date stated in that notice. Any claim not filed on or before that date is barred.

Copies of a claim filed with the clerk

To e-file, you must first create an account with an e-filing service provider.

Visit Http://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/service-providers.htm to learn more and to select a service provider. If you need additional help or have trouble e-filing, visit http://www.illnoscourts.gov/FAQ/ gethelp.asp.

Published in Wednesday Journal November 1, 8, 15, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICES SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): SHEKI D. WELCH, an individual and DOES 1 to 25 YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: (LO ESTÁ DEMANDANDO EL DEMANDANTE): EB HALEM, LLC d/b/a DRIVE LA, a California Liability Corporation NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below.

You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court.

There are other legal requirements.

You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www. lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. ¡AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 días, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin escuchar su versión. Lea la información a continuación.

Tiene 30 DÍAS DE CALENDARIO después de que le entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta o una llamada telefónica no lo protegen. Su respuesta por escrito tiene que estar en formato legal correcto si desea que procesen su caso en

Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023 15

CLASSIFIED BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

la corte. Es posible que haya un formulario que usted pueda usar para su respuesta. Puede encontrar estos formularios de la corte y más información en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www. sucorte.ca.gov), en la biblioteca de leyes de su condado o en la corte que le quede más cerca. Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario de la corte que le dé un formulario de exención de pago de cuotas. Si no presenta su respuesta a tiempo, puede perder el caso por incumplimiento y la corte le podrá quitar su sueldo, dinero y bienes sin más advertencia.

PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD Notice of Public Hearing Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission November 16, 2023, at 7:00 PM

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Monday 20 November 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider a request for a variation to reduce the side yard setback and a variation to reduce the required lot width, lot area and lot coverage to construct a new single family dwelling at the following location:

Hay otros requisitos legales. Es recomendable que llame a un abogado inmediatamente. Si no conoce a un abogado, puede llamar a un servicio de remisión a abogados. Si no puede pagar a un abogado, es posible que cumpla con los requisitos para obtener servicios legales gratuitos de un programa de servicios legales sin fines de lucro. Puede encontrar estos grupos sin fines de lucro en el sitio web de California Legal Services, (www.lawhelpcalifornia. org), en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California, (www.sucorte. ca.gov) o poniéndose en contacto con la corte o el colegio de abogados locales. AVISO: Por ley, la corte tiene derecho a reclamar las cuotas y los costos exentos por imponer un gravamen sobre cualquier recuperación de $10,000 ó más de valor recibida mediante un acuerdo o una concesión de arbitraje en un caso de derecho civil. Tiene que pagar el gravamen de la corte antes de que la corte pueda desechar el caso.

CASE NUMBER: (Número del Caso): 23VECV00177 The name ad address of the court is: (El nombre y direccion de la corte es): Superior Court of California County of Los Angeles, Northwest District Van Nuys Courthouse 6230 Sylmar Avenue, Van Nuys, CA 91401 The name, address and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney or plaintiff without an attorney is: (El nombre, la direccion y el numero de telfono del abogado el demandante, o demandante que no tiene abogado, es): Keith M. Davidson, Esq. (SBN212216) Tel: (323)658-5444 KMD Law 2629 Townsgate Road, Suite 205 Westlake Village, CA 91361 Date (Fecha): 3/20/2023 Clerk (Secretario): David W. Slayton, Executive Officer/ Clerk of Court

By Deputy (Adjunto): A. Salcdeo Published in Forest Park Review November 1, 8, 15, 22, 2023

NOTICE is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Planning and Zoning Commission of the Village of Brookfield on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 7:00 PM in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois to consider a request by the Village of Brookfield, as petitioner, to amend the text of the Village of Brookfield Zoning Ordinance Chapter 62 Zoning, Article III – Off-Street Parking and Loading, Section 224 Control of Off-Street Facilities of the Municipal Code.

The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments.

Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the meeting to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Kate Portillo, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513 and at kportillo@brookfieldil.gov. Oral or written public testimony may be given during the public hearing.

The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice, except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation in order to participate in any meeting may contact the Village of Brookfield at (708) 4857344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (south) entrance of Village Hall.

By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.

Published in RB Landmark November 1, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Monday 20 November 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Village of Forest Park Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a Public Hearing to consider a request for a variation to reduce the minimum lot width, lot area and a variation to reduce the side yard setback(s) and rear yard setback for the following property: LOTS 23 AND 24 IN BLOCK 1 IN ADAM SCHAAF AND W.A.KREIDLER’S ADDITION TO SOUTH OAK PARK BEING A SUBDIVISION OF THE WEST ½ OF THE NORTHEAST ¼ OF THE SOUTHEAST ¼ OF SECTION 13, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN IN COOK COUNTY ILLINOIS Commonly known as 836 Circle Ave. PIN: 15-13-405-020-0000 and 15-13405-021-0000 The petitioner is Patrick Buckley dba Cill Dara, Marsha East, Chairman Planning and Zoning Commission, Chairperson Published in the Forest Park Review November 1, 2023

LOT 269 E.A. CUMMINGS AND COMPANY’S MADISON STREET ADDITION TO SECTION 13, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, SITUATION IN THE VILLAGE OF FOREST PARK, COUNTY OF COOK, IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. Commonly known as: 7713 Wilcox Ave. Forest Park Il. 60130 PIN 15-13-105-018-0000 The petitioner is George Rosca dba RG Green Builder Signed: Marsha East Planning and Zoning Chairperson

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified vendors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CST until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 for the following: Village of Oak Park UPM COLD MIX PATCH MATERIAL Bid Number: 24-105 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal November 1, 2023

Published in the Forest Park Review November 1, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified mechanical contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302 Mon thru Fri, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm until 11:00 am on Wed, Nov. 29, 2023 for the following: Village of Oak Park Public Works Center AHU 2 AC Replacement Proposal Number: 23-136 Issuance Date: 11/1/23 There will be a mandatory pre-bid meeting at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL on Wed., Nov. 8, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Bid documents may be obtained from the Village website at http:// www.oak-park.us/bid.

For questions please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700.

Published in Wednesday Journal November 1, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY

LEGAL NOTICE

Request of BILLY MICHAEL SMITH Case Number 2023 CONC001645 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: BILLLY MICHAEL SMITH to the new name of: CASEY WILLIAM STWEWART III The court date will be held: On January 25, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom.

Zoom Meeting ID: 91404109299 Passcode: 407193 Published in Wednesday Journal November 1, 8, 15, 2023

The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified fire sprinkler system testing companies at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302 Mon thru Fri, 7:30 am to 4:00 pm until 10:00 am on Wed, Nov. 29, 2023 for the following: Village of Oak Park Fire Sprinkler System Testing Services Proposal Number: 23-135 Issuance Date: 11/1/23 There will be a mandatory pre-bid meeting at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL on Mon., Nov. 6, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Bid documents may be obtained from the Village website at http:// www.oak-park.us/bid.

For questions please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700.

Published in Wednesday Journal November 1, 2023

Let the sun shine in...

Public Notice:

Your right to know...In print • Online Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year OakPark.com • RBLandmark.com • ForestParkReview.com • AustinWeeklyNews.com PublicNoticeIllinois.com

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE HOLDERS OF BENCHMARK 2018-B1 MORTGAGE TRUST COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2018-B1 Plaintiff, -v.1120 RETAIL LLC, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 2020 CH 06119 1114-1126 LAKE STREET OAK PARK, IL 60301 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on September 28, 2023, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on November 20, 2023, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1114-1126 LAKE STREET, OAK PARK, IL 60301 Property Index No. 16-07-119-0290000, 16-07-119-030-0000, AND 1607-119-031-0000 The real estate is improved with a mixed-use commercial / residential property.

The judgment amount was $16,499,313.09.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required

by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, contact ALEX PORTER, LATHROP GPM LLP Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 155 N WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 3000, CHICAGO, IL, 60606 (312) 920-3333.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

ALEX PORTER LATHROP GPM LLP 155 N WACKER DRIVE, SUITE 3000 CHICAGO IL, 60606 312-920-3333 E-Mail: alex.porter@lathropgpm.com Attorney Code. 46500 Case Number: 2020 CH 06119 TJSC#: 43-3860 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 2020 CH 06119 I3231381

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.

To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

16

Forest Park Review, November 1, 2023

SHOP DOWNTOWN OAK PARK DURING THE HOLIDAYS

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growingcommunitymedia.org

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(subject to private party schedule)

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EATS B2 November 1, 2023

EATS

Special Advertising Section

L

November 1, 2023 B3

sponsored by

The joys of dining

ike every meal well served in a local restaurant, our annual EATS special section is a collaboration of creative people, fully focused on a great outcome.

Gathering so many local restaurants into one section reflects the spectacular diversity of cuisines and attitudes that we all enjoy in the eight communities represented in this year’s EATS section.

Oak Park, Forest Park, Elmwood Park, Austin, Berwyn, River Forest, Brookfield and Riverside have, each in their way, become dining hubs drawing not only locals and but also curious diners from across the area.

So many people are living out their dreams of creating a restaurant, building it up, opening it to change and welcoming their customers to enjoy that hospitality.

We have thanks to offer, too.

This year, our lead sponsor for EATS is Takeout 25. This nonprofit sprang into ac-

tion during the pandemic with a goal of sustaining our local restaurants during a spectacularly hard time. They created motivation and an infrastructure for generous and hungry people to still enjoy a great meal even during COVID. Now, Takeout25 is perpetually innovating to support restaurants and doing it across a wider range of nearby neighborhoods.

Ours is a natural partnership in promoting the joy of good and curious eating.

A final thanks to Risé Sanders-Weir, who has stepped up as our lead freelance writer for this section. When she told us she was a devoted local diner, she was speaking the truth.

Hope you enjoy this year’s EATS. And happy dining.

Adorn your table... deliciously.

Broken Tart cakes, pies, and cookies are getting all dressed up for Thanksgiving.

Stop into our shop or visit brokentart.com to place your holiday order today!

BROKEN TART Cakes. Bakes. Coffee.

1108 Chicago Avenue, Oak Park www.brokentart.com

Dan Haley Publisher

Contributing Reporter and Photographer Risé Sanders-Weir Digital Manager Stacey Coleman Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer HOW TO REACH US 141 S. Oak Park Ave. Oak Pak, IL 60302 Phone 708-524-8300 www.oakpark.com

Editor Erika Hobbs Publisher Dan Haley Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

© 2023 Growing Community Media NFP.

B4 November 1, 2023

EATS

Special Advertising Section

sponsored by

Longtime friends now partners at Victory Italian

V

Pair grew up in Melrose Park so Oak Park felt like home

ictory Italian is the collaboration of Chef Joe Farina and restaurant and real estate developer Tony Gambino. Joe and Tony grew up in Melrose Park together and would meet occasionally over the years to discuss doing a project together.

Farina was the culinary director of Rosebud restaurants for years and Gambino was in the Mexican restaurant business with Taco Fresco and Fuego Loco. Finally in 2016 they were able to do a joint restaurant in South Loop called Victory Tap. Growing up in Melrose Park, a location in the Oak Park, River Forest area was familiar and something both were enthusiastic about. When the pair

found the location at South Blvd. and Marion Street, they both loved it and could see that the overall space would work well for a Victory Italian restaurant.

The entrepreneurs enlarged the bar and changed the floor plan of the former wine and cheese market into a traditional looking Italian restaurant.

The look is not trendy, instead they chose an old school approach to the room with darker wood, copper and white marble to give the room an upscale but warm and comfortable feel.

The food too is traditional Italian. They like to say it is Chicago Style Italian food. Homemade pastas, Chicken Parmesan, Brick Chicken and Farina’s

famous meatballs are featured on the menu. Victory also always has a few strong steak, chop and seafood entrees on the menu as well. Those include the popular Chilean Seabass, Lamb Chops Oreganata and the New York Strip Steak Gambino style.

Gambino, formerly a resident of Oak Park who lived on South Blvd.,

only blocks away from the restaurant, loves the area and the town. Victory is now in its third year and its owners believe they have brought something to Oak Park that will become part of the neighborhood and the community.

Victory is open daily from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and is open for lunch on Friday and Saturday.

Victory also has a great catering menu with family meals and for the holiday’s items like seafood salad, baked or raw clams, calamari. ... to help anyone attempting the seven fishes.

Victory Italian victoryitalian.com

100 South Marion, Oak Park

Hours: Sunday - Thursday: 4:00 pm - 10:00 pm Friday - Saturday: 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm

EATS

Special Advertising Section

sponsored by

November 1, 2023 B5

A year in the life of Broken Tart Sisters connecting bakery with the villages

B

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

roken Tart did it. Surviving the first year is a milestone for small businesses. What was once a coinlaundry at 1108 Chicago Ave. has established itself as a beloved bakery.

The owners, sisters Krissy and Katie Mack, are humbled and overjoyed that their sweet dream was embraced by the community.

Katie Mack remembers the opening.

“When we were trying to plan for this, we just didn’t know. How many scones are we going to sell in a day -- like 12, like 24?” She got her answer, “The demand has been crazy. Thank you to the community for such amazing support since day one.”

Customers have quickly picked favorites. Some have called the kale scone “life changing.” Others are devotees of the overnight oats, ginger crème cookies, sweet or savory biscuits, or the citrus-glazed olive oil cake.

Chef Krissy Mack is attracted to ingredients that are both intriguing and, of course, delicious. She says she doesn’t follow trends, but she does enjoy introducing flavors. “I like buckwheat flour. Not everywhere, but it has the most amazing texture.”

Broken Tart brokentart.com

1108 Chicago Ave, Oak Park Hours:

Tuesday through Saturday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunday: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Katie Mack who came to the endeavor with marketing skills adds, “Being in the culinary scene you want to try something that’s interesting. But I think we have something for everybody.”

For lunch, there is a daily focaccia and at the end of the week, “Sandwich Friday.”

Cakes continue to be an important part of the business too. To satisfy demand they usually require a seven-day advance order. Not to be forgotten, the sisters are also proud of their beverage program, which includes coffee from Big Shoulders and Ruby Coffee Roasters.

Supporting other local businesses is something Krissy and Katie are excited to have the opportunity to do. One example is on select Saturdays this year they have partnered with Mood, just across the

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Broken Tart pastries street, to host Le Marche, a Parisian-style street market with a curated selection of food, fashion, antiques, and art vendors.

The sidewalk patio in front of Broken Tart has also become a draw.

“We like to be a community spot,” said Katie Mack.

To keep that going as the weather turns

crisp, the two are already imagining how they can extend the patio season, especially when Christmas trees arrive in the lot across the street.

Both sisters agree. “We want people to bring their kids and get a hot chocolate. It’s very Hallmark. We want to continue to deliver delicious products and experiences.”

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

B6 November 1, 2023

EATS

Special Advertising Section

sponsored by

More seating, a bigger kitchen and growing menu at Poke Burrito

P PHOTOS COURTESY OF POKE BURRITO

Lake Street spot expanding into space next door

oke Burrito has announced its expansion into the retail space just next door to its longtime current location at 1025 Lake St., Oak Park.

The new space will expand both the dining space and the kitchen and allow for several new items to be added to the menu.

“It took us over a year to finish up our new dining space with additional kitchen

space,” said Jimmy Chen, the enthusiastic owner of the restaurant.

“Now you are able to dine in a bigger and newly renovated pleasant environment with many of our new specialty food menu items,” he said. According to the very limited space in our current store, we couldn’t serve many customers at once, which we are very unhappy about.”

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Poke Burrito

pokeburritochicago.com 1025 Lake St., Oak Park Hours:

Monday/Thursday: 11 a.m to 9 p.m.

Friday: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Sunday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Chen said adding more space for dine-in customers while expanding the kitchen space for his crew has “always been the first thing on my mind.”

Chen announced the Oak Park store will be launching new menu items including Korean Corn Dogs, Japanese Ramen, Mochi Donut, Hong Kong Bubble Waffle, Waffle Ice Cream, Funnel Cake, and additional Japanese appetizers.

Korean corn dogs are an upgraded version of regular hot dogs. It has a corn-like shape, wrapped in amazing batter, filled inside with hot dogs, mozzarella cheese, rice cakes, or fish cakes fried in a batter on a stick. You can also dress with sugar, ketchup, mustard, and/or mayo to make it into your favorite style. They are a sweet and savory treat that can be made in a variety of different ways. Pulling cheesy strings out of corn dogs is an additional fun fact.

Mochi donuts, also known as Poi Mochi, are a fusion pastry crossing traditional American doughnuts and Japanese mochi. The mochi donuts are Poke Burrito’s own special mixture of “hybrid batter” made out of glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour which makes a doughnut more fluffy, and moist, and will give you the most satisfying chew. Mochi donuts are uniquely shaped into eight mochi balls connected into a circular flower shape that is easy to pull apart and designed to share with your loved ones.

The “new” bubble waffle has a different unique shape which is rolled up into a cone and stuffed with deliciously flavorful ice cream and eye-catching colorful toppings.

When you take your first bite, says Chen, you will instantly feel cheated. It’s like a soft pancake disguised as a bubbleshaped waffle.

Since winter is coming, Chen said it’s the perfect time to bring back their Japanese Ramen. “We’ve got a newly developed kitchen to create the most delicious and savory bowl of ramen to warm up your day.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF POKE BURRITO

B8 November 1, 2023

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Inari welcomes beginners and connoisseurs

A kaleidoscope of fresh tastes at Inari

I FILE

Real flames are on the menu when customers order the flaming dragon specialty roll at Inari Sushi in Elmwood Park.

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

nari Sushi wants to introduce diners to both the elegant and fun sides of sushi, sashimi, maki, poke.

Many of us love the taste of sushi but are a bit intimidated when faced with the terminology that comes with it. At Inari Sushi on restaurant row in Elmwood Park, you can sit back with a glass of sake (Japanese rice wine), hot tea, or a cocktail and know you are in good hands.

Alcoholic drinks are 50% off during

their happy hour each day from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Other drink specials extend into the full day: Monday is half priced wine and sake; Tuesdays bring $6 martinis and $3 inari sushi (fried tofu pockets stuffed with rice) which makes a great sweet/sour appetizer.

The restaurant features the freshest ingredients possible in both their traditional and innovative menu. Here’s a primer: sashimi is simply thin slices of raw fish and other seafoods meant to be eaten after a quick dip in soy sauce. Sushi are the same slices, but now served over vinegarseasoned rice balls. Vegetables and eggs join items on the sushi menu.

Maki is where Inari gets seriously creative. Their rolls come filled with a

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Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. kaleidoscope of tasty combinations. Summer rolls feature vegetables and sashimi without rice. Samurai, Hamachi-Kama, and White Tuna Crunch rolls are on the specials list as well. All are under $17.

One stand-out is their Flaming Dragon Roll. Filled with tempura shrimp, scallions, and sweet and spicy mayo inside, the roll is topped with salmon, super white tuna, black tobiko and sesame seeds. But wait, there’s more. When the dish arrives at the table, it’s set on fire.

Inari also offers the increasingly popular poke bowls (pronounced po-KAY). This Hawaiian dish respects the island’s deep ties to Japanese culture. Think of the bowls as deconstructed Maki. Cubes of fish are served over rice, accompanied by a variety of vegetables and toppings.

Lunch specials are a great way to explore

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF INARI SUSHI

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and find out what you like. A sushi sashimi combo goes for under $20. There is even a vegan lunch combo!

A recent diner commented that Inari helped his son get into the spirit. Their server gave him connected chopstick trainers to help eat the authentic way. Inari is on a mission to help everyone enjoy sushi.

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Culture, taste blend at Anfora Wine Merchants

A

nfora Wine Merchants, 128 S. Marion St., is a combination retail shop enoteca (wine library), named after a two handled terracotta vessel used in Ancient Rome to store or transport wine.

Since opening three years ago, the Pleasant District storefront has become a regional wine destination and captured national attention because of press received from the James Beard award winning drinks publication, Punch.

“Our approach to wine at Anfora is not how a standard sommelier would approach it,” said Adrian Weisell, co-owner of Anfora Wine Merchants “Wine is about more than taste to us. We look at wine drinking through a cultural and historical lens.”

The Marion Street shop honors and celebrates, particularly, but not exclusively, Italian wines; a country with more indigenous grape varieties spanning well beyond the more well-known international varietals.

So many ways to engage with wine at Anfora

ANFORA WINE MERCHANTS

A welcoming retail space engages customers upon entry, floral murals cover walls and terracotta pendant fixtures hang from the ceiling.

Wooden shelves house bottles of wine and a set of double doors give way to a cozy room with a counter suitable for hosting small classes and enjoying a glass with friends.

Anfora’s knowledgeable staff strive to make the shop a festive gathering space where people come to select a bottle to open at home or enjoy a bottle of wine onsite with friends.

Anfora has a dynamic wine by the glass list, but Weisell is quick to point out the entire shop is available to be enjoyed for a modest corkage fee.

The shelves are a retail wine list filled with unique offerings, where you’ll find bottles for the everyday, celebration, or collection.

Anfora is building a deeper sense of community through its wine club, annual store membership, and Sunday tastings.

Between their monthly wine club, and the annual store membership, the shop welcomes hundreds of local wine-lovers each

month to pick up their curated collections, or to an exclusive monthly wine tasting for annual store members. Approximately twice a month Anfora hosts $5 Sunday afternoon casual tastings, which are open to the public to taste through five wines the proprietors love right now.

The best way to learn about Anfora’s events is to sign up for its email list (anforawinemerchants.com), or to stop into the shop and check out the monthly calendar.

Anfora Wine Merchants is a social destination where people embrace the thoughtful approach the entire staff takes to curate a wine tasting experience no matter if it is a private event or casual outing with friends.

Anfora Wine Merchants Anforawinemerchants.com 128 S. Marion St., Oak Park 708-613-5388

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Wise Cup a mix of coffee and artisan specials

W

Don’t miss monthly Indian food pop-ups

month. Customers can pre-order off a menu of Indian street food dishes for carryout as well as limited dine-in tables.

The menu changes from month-to-month, rotating among different regional Indian cuisines. Past menus have included: Pav bhaji, a popular vegan stew of assorted vegetables and Indian spices from Mumbai; Summer specials like samosa chaat with stewed chickpeas topped with a golden samosa, chutney, yogurt, onions and tomatoes; Creative lentil flights with garlic naan satisfy curious diners; and Wise Cup’s roti tacos, which bring a taste of Calcutta to Lake Street.

ise Cup is independently owned and operated by Shivangi and Naveen Khetarpal, Oak Park locals who opened the coffee shop six years ago in Downtown Oak Park. It is located at 1018 Lake St. Wise Cup offers an array of traditional as well as innovative coffee drinks, baked goods and special Indian treats including samosas. Every fresh item at this hip spot in Downtown Oak Park is thoughtfully created by local artisans including the locally roasted coffee, sweet and savory treats, and unique hand thrown mugs.

Newly added to the menu are Seasonal Chutney Jars -- a very flavorful dipping sauce for everyday use. It’s an authentic family recipe!

In 2020, Wise Cup also began hosting pop-up meals featuring regional Indian fare. The pop-ups were a hit and the Khetarpals have since continued the program on the first Saturday of every

Shivangi Khetarpal says, “We want to sprinkle the taste of India in this community and want people to know what Indian moms love to make.”

Wise Cup owner Naveen Khetarpa

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Whether you’re looking for a place to meet friends, get some work done with a wonderful cup of coffee or tea, grab something quick before a movie at the

Lake Theater, or try some of their unique offerings, you really can’t beat this very special and vibrant spot in the heart of Downtown Oak Park.

Wise Cup

wise-cup.business.site 1018 Lake St., Oak Park 708-628-3707

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A local culinary legend prepares for her final bow

rom her humble start as a personal chef serving four clients, Angie Montroy has seen her business, Angie’s Pantry, grow into a successful weekly meal service offering healthy, homemade fare with a client list of over 1,700 families.

After 25 years in the business, Angie has announced plans to retire in early 2024.

She is seeking to sell her business which has deep roots in these villages.

Angie got her start in the mid-90s when she offered her personal chef services to four clients and grew to include small catered events. Eventually, she started a food blog at AngiesPantryBlog.com, sharing recipes, food stories, cooking and budgeting tips. Her success paved the way for multiple appearances on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight in 2010, and her meal service business kept growing.

Angie initially worked out of the kitchen in her home in River Forest, then moved on to renting space at the 19th Century Club until 2018 when she opened

and trans fats. There are about her doors to the storefront two dozen recipes she offers kitchen of Angie’s Pantry at that she says are client “faves,” 809 South Blvd. in Oak Park. including one she crafted for the “The storefront combined Beyond Hunger “Healthy Chef with the ability for people to Challenge.” She was crowned order online really helped me the winning professional chef expand,” she said. “I hired a both years she entered the really incredible staff to assist competition -- 2018 and 2021 with certain areas, but I am -- beating out renowned chefs at still the chef in the kitchen Angie Montroy local restaurants. every week. It’s physically demanding work, but we all put a lot of But Angie is more than just a chef. love into it.”

She has a passion for giving back to the The Angie’s Pantry staff includes Nancy Walker, Julie Scheuring, Maureen Pond, Jonathan Reedy, David Snyder and Barbora Zamboni. Angie credits her success to the team effort of her staff.

“They are the most amazing people to work with. I couldn’t do anything without them!” she said. Working together, they currently create up to 300 individual meals every week, full of healthy ingredients and thoughtfully curated gluten- free and vegetarian options, and free of preservatives, artificial ingredients

community.

“I believe in helping however I can, and I know a lot of my clients feel the same way,” she said.

“So I gave them an option to make it easy to make a difference.” On her weekly order form, a line item was added offering patrons the opportunity to make a donation. Through the years, Angie and her loyal patrons have collectively donated over $28,000 to charities close to her heart, including Beyond Hunger, Housing

Forward and UNICEF/Help Ukraine.

As Angie steps into the next chapter of her life, she looks forward to a slower pace, cherishing moments with her family.

With her youngest off to college and her eldest son recently married, she playfully hints at the prospect of future grandkids.

“I do have some other things in the works, like an Angie’s Pantry cookbook,” she said. “I also have a special place in my heart for the homeless community, and I am hoping to direct some energy toward a project to benefit them.”

In February 2024, Angie will present her final menu, marking the end of a remarkable 25-year journey.

She’s in talks with potential buyers for her business, hoping to pass on her legacy to someone who shares her unwavering love for it.

Angie’s Pantry angiespantry.com

809 South Blvd., Oak Park

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Scan the QR code for our full Catering Menu or visit jimandpetes.com

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Wednesday Journal, December 9, 2020

13

B14 November 1, 2023

Taste is the identity of Harvest 365

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Self-serve buffet serves good food and God

R

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

ated as one of the best self-serve family-style restaurants in Illinois by Yelp, Harvest 365 is dedicated to fresh, bountiful, and affordable food.

From their beautifully renovated location at 7610 W. Roosevelt Rd. in Forest Park, their kitchen prepares foods from around the world with Asian, Mexican, and Italian options. But a special focus is put on Southern and Soul dishes. Fried chicken and fish, collard greens, cornbread, peach cobbler and other homestyle favorites anchor the hot portion of the food bar.

A cold bar serves salad fixings, fruits, and desserts. Special grilled entrees can be had for an additional charge.

Recent offerings include Atlantic salmon, smoked brisket, ribeye steak, jumbo shrimp and lamb chops.

“Our lamb chops are known to be the best in the on this side of town! We are all about fresh. You won’t find canned and frozen foods here,” says Sister Mary Lyons, director of Planning and Operations for both the restaurant and the Living Word Christian Center.

The restaurant is literally and figuratively backed by Bill Winston Ministries, led by Sister Mary’s brother Bill Watson. His stated vision is to build strong community relationships and to serve the community with integrity, excellence, and value.

PROVIDED

Fried fish

PROVIDED

Lamb chops

Harvest 365 harvest365grill.com

7610 W. Roosevelt Rd., Forest Park Hours:

Tuesday through Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Closed Monday Sister Mary elaborates on the reason for a church to run a restaurant, “Our goal is to serve the community.

And to provide a place where families can come, have a nice place to dine, and maybe host a party. God replenishes us for serving. We sew seed because it will return in a harvest.”

The price for dine-in is $16.99 for adults and $10.99 for children. There is a take-out option as well, where you fill containers and pay $9.99 per pound. Catering is also a vibrant part of the business. Trays can be ordered and picked up when a crowd needs to feast.

There is a focus on healthier eating, but it’s more about

providing options according to Sister Mary. Strengthening community from the inside and out is what this organization is all about.

But it does come down to good food. Taste is Our Identity is the motto emblazoned over the grill.

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November 1, 2023 B15

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Celebrate fall flavors at Caffé De Lucca with a hearty wild mushroom risotto. Shaved Parmesan takes this rich dish to the next level.

Try our home meal service! No menu planning, prep or contracts - just fresh, healthy and delicious meals you can warm and serve.

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Angie’s Pantry

7427 Madison St, Forest Park

809 South Boulevard, Oak Park

anforawinemerchants.com Aperitivo has never been more fun. The perfect mix of nibbles and the very best bottles. Cin Cin!

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Anfora Wine Merchants

Cakes. Bakes. Coffee. Made fresh daily in our tiny bakery. Come for the baked goods, stay for the good vibes.

128 S Marion St, Oak Park

Broken Tart 1108 Chicago Avenue, Oak Park

Cafecubanochicago.com Join Cafe Cubano for an authentic Cuban lunch or dinner. Have your pick of hand crafted tropical drinks. Fall featured drink is our homemade Sangria.

Café Cubano 7426 W North Ave, Elmwood Park

B16 November 1, 2023

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November 1, 2023 B17

Betty’s Pizza & Pasta mixes classics and a fresh vibe

A

Pizza and, increasingly, much more

t Betty’s Pizza & Pasta, 1003 South Blvd., Oak Park, now in its second year of operation, the familiar scent of melting cheese and baking dough greets customers upon arrival.

What once was a cozy, vintage style interior, however, has undergone a significant transformation. New lighting, a new ceiling, and more appealing colors all encompass the warm and inviting interior. The walls, once adorned with simple framed pictures, are now decked with an array of vibrant and striking artwork, all created by the talented staff itself.

Customers remain engaged in the ageold debate of whether to fold their extralarge New York style slices or savor them flat. Some still adhere to the tradition of folding to prevent the infamous “flop,”

while others, determined to keep their hands clean, indulge in a no fold policy, embracing the challenge of finishing their slices in multiple bites.

Betty’s Pizza & Pasta has become a staple in the Pleasant District showcasing the creative talents of its own team alongside its scrumptious menu.

While retaining its fun and unpretentious vibe, the restaurant now exudes a contemporary charm, balancing the nostalgia of the past with the energy of the present.

The homage to Oak Park’s founding figure, Betty Kettlestrings, remains intact in the restaurant’s name, but the South Boulevard establishment has fully embraced its own unique culinary identity. Betty’s has perfected its pizza recipe and expanded its menu to offer an even wider array of tantalizing options.

The signature 18-inch pizzas, still cut into eight generous slices, maintain their unique texture, boasting a crispy bottom and a fluffy, soft top. Alongside the classic pies featuring whole milk mozzarella and flavorful toppings, the menu now includes a variety of specialty pizzas, including the Mikey’s Hot Honey Pie and the famed Garlic and Zucchini Pie. In addition, Betty’s Pizza & Pasta now offers a “slice happy hour” offering slices for purchase every day from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Also, check out Betty’s Family Dinner Special.

Beyond the ‘za, Betty’s has expanded its offerings to include an array of delectable appetizers such as eggplant parmesan, garlic parmesan chicken wings and retains the famous meatballs and the irresistible garlic knots. Additionally, the menu features an enticing selection of pasta dishes. The salads, available in small and large sizes, have also garnered attention, with the arugula and quinoa salad, featuring apples, blue cheese and

crispy bacon, emerging as a particular favorite among patrons.

Kettlestrings Restaurant Group is thrilled to invite everyone to experience the revamped Betty’s Pizza and Pasta.

With its updated interior and the added charm of the staff’s own artwork, the restaurant continues to be the go-to destination for a slice of both New York and the creative spirit of its own team.

Betty’s Pizza & Pasta bettyspizzapasta.com

1003 South Blvd., Oak Park 708-434-5526 Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 4pm - 10pm Sunday 4pm - 9pm

B18 November 1, 2023

N Rebozo continues tradition with a twist

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Happily relocated from Oak Park to Forest Park

T

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

here is nothing quite like Chef Paco’s enthusiasm for his food and his customers at N Rebozo.

Nowadays he exclaims, “Oh my God,” from a location at 7403 Madison St. in Forest Park.

During the fall and winter months his Chile Nogada is the seasonal star of the menu. The dish is a Poblano pepper filled with a sweet and savory mix of beef, nuts, dried fruit, blanketed with a creamy walnut sauce and topped with pomegranate seeds.

This mixture of flavors goes beyond the kitchen for Paco, “When you taste sweet, sour, spicy, this is the same for the life. Sometimes the life is sweet; sometimes the life is spicy. When you get the balance, that’s my philosophy for the restaurant and for everything. This balance.”

Fiesta Mole is the dish that made Chef Paco a fixture in the local restaurant scene. The platter features six enchi-

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Chef Paco ladas with a choice of cheese, chicken, chorizo, guacamole, hibiscus, or grilled steak inside. Each one finished with a different mole. Those six are chosen each week from a total of 40 mole recipes, two of which are the chef ’s original creations: Poblano and Pipian.

The mescal margaritas are a blissful match with either

N Rebozo

newrebozos.com

7403 Madison St., Forest Park Hours:

Tuesday through Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Closed Sunday and Monday

PROVIDED

PROVIDED

Chili Nogada

Fiesta Mole platters

of these two featured entrees. The extensive drink menu focuses on fresh and authentic takes on traditional recipes. An Agave Old Fashioned recalls cocktail culture of the past the with a modern Mexican twist. And Micheladas bridge the beer and cocktail divide.

And when you are done with the main course, don’t sleep on dessert.

Paco encourages you to try the flan, “People say they don’t like flan. Don’t worry. … I make authentic Mexican flan, creamy. If you try my flan, you’ll love it.”

The elegant space where N Rebozo has landed on Madison Street previously was Heritage restaurant. Chef Paco believes it is the perfect environment for his unique take on Mexican food. The open dining room also allows him to be more present with his customers, whom he loves dearly.

“You love what you eat … everybody happy. Paco happy.

This is gives me mas energy.”

Expect nothing less from Chef Paco.

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Visit OakPark.com and take a bite!

November 1, 2023 B19

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victoryitalian.com

This is a Cucina classic. Chicken Pistachio is pan-fried with pistachio breadcrumb crust, red pepper cream balsamic sauce, creamy polenta, grilled asparagus.

Don’t just carve pumpkins, carve out some time for family this fall with Victory’s family meals!

We’ll bring all the cozy fall favorites to you!

More cheese, please! Get all the warm and cozy fall flavors from our orecchiette rapini & sausage.

Cucina Paradiso

Victory Italian

#mycucina | cucinaoakpark.com

100 S Marion St, Oak Park

814 North Blvd, Oak Park

#morethanpizza | bettyspizzapasta.com Did you know that Betty’s serves up more than NY Style pies and delicious pastas. Stop in soon to try our garlic parmesan wings and other new menu delights.

Betty’s Pizza & Pasta 1103 South Blvd, Oak Park #harvest365grill | harvest365grill.com A trio of fresh lamb chops are grilled to order when you add a premium entrée to your allyou-care-to-eat food bar meal.

Harvest 365 Restaurant and Fresh Grill 7610 W Roosevelt Road Suite 120, Forest Park

#encorebylittlegem | encorelittlegem.com Our eggplant rollatini. Dining and live music Tuesday through Saturday.

Encore! by Little Gem 187 N Marion St, Oak Park

B22 November 1, 2023

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Cucina Paradiso satisfies local Italian lovers Menu is built to thrill and satisfy

C RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Sweet spicy pepperoni pizza

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

ucina Paradiso has thrived at 814 North Blvd. for 28 years. The secret, according to owner Anthony Gambino, is attention to detail. Every delicious detail. The menu is a balance between an homage to cozy red-sauce Italian cooking and a forward view of flavors diners are hungry for now.

“We have some main staples that we started with. I could never substitute them with anything because our customers would be upset with us. Then obviously we create those dishes with our unique touches and quality ingredients,” said Gambino.

One dish that’s always on the menu is Rigatoni Bolognese with homemade meat sauce, tomatoes, cream, onions, fresh mozzarella. One of the most popular is a fresh egg noodle pappardelle with tricolor peppers, a light cream sauce and blackened shrimp. Another fresh pasta offering is a giant rigatoni egg noodle with a brandy

Cucina Paradiso www.cucinaoakpark.com 814 North Blvd. Oak Park

Hours: Everyday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. cream sauce and shiitake, button and cremini mushrooms, spiced with fresh thyme and garlic.

The four seasons drive most changes to the menu. Gambino is proud that they print their menu every day, responding to what is at the height of flavor. Three to four dishes rotate on and off every few weeks.

The bounty of summer zucchini is the taste inside cheesy Cucina puffs.

A similar approach is taken at the bar.

Gambino credits mixologist Karina Nunez with revising old favorites with fresh ingredients. Try for example their Blackberry Old Fashioned with fresh, muddled blackberries and house-made sage syrup.

Gambino gives credit to his staff, “They

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F A M I LY O W N E D A N D O P E R A T E D S I N C E 1 9 9 5 Cucina Paradiso

814 North Blvd., Oak Park

ph: 708.848.3434

cucinaoakpark.com

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RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Fresh rigatoni with mushroom are Cucina.”

It’s worth noting that key personnel have been at the restaurant for more than a decade. This includes managers Jeremy Troyer and Kim Rozhik who hold down the fort since the restaurant is open every day of the week.

Chef Mike Bouse executes the tightrope walk between tradition and trends. The pepperoni pizza is an example of how to invent. The current iteration is both spicy and sweet. Gambino describes the pie, “We’re using top ingredients and then drizzling it with a Calabrian chili honey. So that’s where we bring a twist and up the game.”

Gambino says when he started out, he was, “…young, eager, and either extremely determined or very foolish.” The gamble has paid off, with many wins for locals who love to eat.

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Cucina puffs

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

B24 November 1, 2023

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Est. 1955

Specialy Subs & Italian Delacacies Elmwood Park has a long standing reputation for being home to outstanding As a reputation Village we are Elmwood Park has restaurants. a long standing forproud being to share this reputation and work hard to promote home to outstanding restaurants. As a Village we areit.proud

to share this reputation and work hard to promote it.

RESTAURANTS

AlpineAlpine

RESTAURANTS Dunkin Donuts Eggsperience

Old World Panera

Armand’s Pizzeria Armand's 7538Pizzeria W North Ave

Eggsperience Great American Bagel 7201 W. Grand Ave

Panera Russell's 7230 W Barbecue North Ave

7538 W North Ave 7538 W North Ave Alpine 7650 W North Ave 7650 W North Ave Armand’s Pizzeria

Ashleys Café & Tap 7650 W Ave Ashleys Café & Tap Ave 7500 W North Grand

7500 W Grand AveJuice Ashleys Café & Tap Bon Vivant & 7500 W Grand Burger King Smoothie Bar Ave

7201 W. Grand Ave 16 Conti Pkwy Dunkin Donuts 16 Conti Pkwy 7230 W North Ave Eggsperience

Great American Bagel 16 Conti PkwyAve Gringo & 7230 WBlondie North

7308 W North Ave

7400 North Ave 1621 Thatcher Ave Panera

Russell’s Barbecue 7400 North Ave Spizzico & Senor 1621 Thatcher Ave Jefe

7514 W North Ave Bagel Spizzico& 7446 W North Ave Great American Russell’s Barbecue Gringo & Blondie Senor Jefe 7230Wok WNorth NorthAve Ave 1621 7514 W 7446 WThatcher North Happy Sports NookAveAve

7334Vivant W. Diversey Ave 1742 Bon Juice & Gringo & Blondie 1750 Harlem Ave N Harlem Ave Happy Wok 7514 W North Ave 1742 N Harlem Ave Smoothie Bar Burger King Burger Moovementt Inari Sushi 1750 W. Harlem Ave Ave Inari 7334 Diversey Happy Wok 7512 W North Ave 7428 W North Ave 7428 Ave 1742W NNorth Harlem Ave Burger King Moovement Burger Café Cubano Jim & Pete's 7512 W North Ave 1750 Harlem Ave Jim & Pete’s Inari 7426 W North Ave 7806 W North Ave 7806 Café Cubano 7428W WNorth NorthAve Ave Burger Moovement Caputo's Jimmy John's 7426 W W North North Ave Jimmy John’s 7512 Ave Jim & Pete’s Fresh Markets 1702 N Harlem AveAve 1702 Caputo’s 7806NWHarlem North Ave Café Cubano 2400 N Harlem Ave Johnnie's FreshW Markets Johnnie’s 7426 North Ave Jimmy John’s Circle2400 Tavern N Harlem Ave 7500 7500 North WW North AveAve 1702 N Harlem Ave Caputo’s 18 Conti Pkwy Circle Tavern Massa Café Massa Café Fresh Markets Johnnie’s 18 Conti Pkwy 7434 North Culvers WW North AveAve 2400 N Harlem Ave 7434 7500 W North Ave 7542 W Grand Ave Culvers McDonalds McDonalds Circle Tavern Massa Café 7542 7217 W Grand Ave Donny G's W Grand Ave 18 Conti Pkwy 7217 W Grand Ave Ave 7434 W North Donny 7308 W NorthG’s Ave New Star Restaurant Culvers New Star Restaurant McDonalds 7308 W North Ave 7444 W North Ave Dunkin Donuts 7542 W Grand Ave 7444 7217 W Grand W North Ave Ave 7201 W Grand Ave

Donny G’s

7230 W North Ave 7400 North Ave Old World

OldNew World Pizza Star Restaurant BARS 7230 W North Ave Ave 7444 W North

Celtic Corner Circle Tavern Dugout CELTIC CORNER Celtic Corner George’s CIRCLE TAVERN Circle Tavern

Green Star Hunters BARS On The Rocks GREEN Green Star STAR Phil’s Sports Bar HUNTERS Hunters

Dugout DUGOUT George’s GEORGE’S

On The Rocks ON THE ROCKS Phil’s Sports BarBAR PHIL’S SPORTS

Spizzico& Senor Jefe 7841 Grand Ave Subway 7446 W North Ave 2836 N. Harlem Ave Subway 7230 W. North Ave Subway 2836 N Harlem Ave Tacos 2 N. Go 2836 Harlem 230 W North Ave Ave 7530 W.W. Grand Ave 7230 North Ave

Tacos 2 Go The Barre Studio Tacos Go Ave 7530 W2Grand & 7530 Café W. Grand Ave The 12 W. Barre Conti Studio Parkway The Barre Studio & Café Tony D’s & Café 12 W Conti Parkway 7725 W Belmont Ave

12 W. Conti Parkway

Tony D'sPeppino’s Trattoria

TonyWD’s 7725 Belmont Ave

7440 W North Ave

7725 W Belmont Ave

Trattoria Union Tap Peppino's

Trattoria Peppino’s

7707 #1A 7440Westwood W North Ave

7440 W North Ave

Wing Stop Union Tap

Union Tap Ave 7707 #1A 1740 NWestwood Harlem

Owned and operated by The Bonaccorsi Family

7538 West North Avenue • Elmwood Park, Illinois (708) 453 - 3505

Golden Wok Restaurant 1122 N. Maple - 17th Ave. LaGrange Park • 708-354-3930 www.wok138.com

WeConnect Finest Cantonese and Mandarin Food at reasonable prices.

TUES - SUNDAY: NOON - 8PM • CLOSED MONDAYS

Dining Room Is Currently Closed WE ARE OPEN FOR CARRY-OUT & DELIVERY

essential news. essential voices.

7707 Westwood #1A

Wing Stop

Wing Stop

1740 N Harlem Ave 1740 N Harlem Ave

Tiny Tap Union Tap TINY TAP Tiny Tap UNION Union Tap TAP

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"The Best French Food Outside of France" "First-rate dining destination" Pat Bruno, Chicago Sun-Times

Hemmingway’s Bistro Serving Lunch and Dinner daily, 11am - 9pm • Champagne Sunday Brunch with Live Jazz, 11am - 3pm • Live jazz and discounted martinis every Wednesday • $2 Oyster Happy Hour, daily 2:30 - 5:30pm

• Full service bar and wine list • Reservations recommended

• 1.5lb Maine Lobster every Monday & Tuesday - $39.95

211 N. OAK PARK AVE., OAK PARK, IL (Steps away from Hemingway’s Birthplace and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home & Studio)

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7407 Madison St, Forest Park, IL 60130 708.771.3063 | www.fiorebakes.com

Monday - Thursday 11:30AM – 9PM

Friday 11:30AM – 10PM

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Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner!

Don’t miss the meatballs!

7841 Grand Ave, Elmwood Park

Sun - Fri: 9 am - 2 am, Sat: 9 am - 3 am

(224) 833 - 1800 • sportznook.com

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GAMING MACHINES!

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Sportz Nook is a restaurant but looks like a bar

D

A growing menu of delicious fare

ave Carlson is putting his own culinary spin on the Sportz Nook menu while keeping alive the memory of its former owner with a weekly meatloaf special.

With more than 35 televisions tuned into sporting events across the globe, The Sportz Nook, 7841 W. Grand Ave., invites hungry locals to “come in a stranger and leave a friend.”

Carlson, the general manager, has 12 beers on tap and put considerable attention to detail in the menu that keeps customers coming back for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“Our customers like to say we are a restaurant disguised as a bar,” said Carlson with a smile. “You can come in at 9 a.m. for a Denver omelet, play some games in the afternoon, or have a dinner that will really surprise you.”

The diminutive bar opened in May 2022 and Carlson took over the role of general manager just two months after the opening.

His love for food service blossomed at age 13 when he took his first job as a busboy and dishwasher at a banquet hall. Over the years he worked in restaurants across the city and developed his own arsenal of recipes.

And now he is bringing his own culinary

Sportz Nook sportznook.com

7841 Grand Ave., Elmwood Park 224-833-1800 touch to the Elmwood Park bar menu.

“I’ve been cooking for 45 years and I have a palette,” said Carlson. “I started working on my meatball recipe when I was 15 years old and I’ve perfected it over the years.”

Today, Carlson serves up his “dense yet tender” bocce meatballs at Sportz Nook.

They start with a combination of beef, pork and veal, Pecorino-Romano brings flavor and Carlson swears by the addition of Liborio breadcrumbs. He is singularly devoted to the bakery located just around the corner from the bar. The meatballs are baked and then simmered in a scratch made red sauce.

The menu is being expanded to include grilled whiskey BBQ shrimp and a hummus plate to please vegetarians. Carlson is also proud to serve white wine steamed mussels at the restaurant that masquerades as a bar.

“We are getting the reputation for hav-

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Hummus plate

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The “bocce” meatballs are a menu specialty at Sportz Nook in Elmwood Park. They are slow simmered in house-made red sauce and full of flavor. ing really good food and that matters to me,” said Carlson who credits his longtime friend Terry Harb for bringing him to The Sportz Nook.

Harb, who owned several restaurants and bars, was “always begging” Carlson to come to work for him. Carlson refused until Harb pitched him the management position at The Sportz Nook.

“I’d known him for 16 years and I always said no until he mentioned Elmwood Park,” said Carlson. “I grew up here; this is my home — I just can’t say no to Elmwood Park.”

Harb loved Carlson’s homestyle dishes and had insisted that he put his famous meatloaf on the menu when the weather turned cold.

Sadly, Harb died before winter, but Carlson honors his friend’s memory by offering the meatloaf entrée every Friday evening.

“The meatloaf is made with love, and I know how much he loved it,” said Carlson who credits the dish for keeping Harb’s memory alive.

The Sportz Nook brings a surprisingly robust menu to a traditional bar. Carlson credits his friendly staff and growing customer base for their gaining popularity.

The bar offers patio seating in the summer, occasional live music on the weekend and filling menu options every day of the week.

Come in for a limoncello martini and stay for the meatballs.

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White wine steamed mussels

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Rocky’s Cheese Steak

B28 November 1, 2023

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A special light, a simple welcoming at Little Gem Café

I

magine you are in Paris or London on a chilly autumn day where leaves of burnt orange, yellow and green go swirling and dancing through the crisp clear air. A rosy warm glow fills your cheeks and the newness of fall fills you with vigor!

On North Marion Street framed in rich dark oak, you see flickering shimmers of amber and gold through tall, wide windows encasing The Little Gem Cafe.

A stylish little restaurant. Intimate. Elegant.

Romantic and warm with a friendly welcoming feel. Here you are treated to a relaxed fine dining experience. Casual or smart all feel at ease.

Celebrating its 9th anniversary on Marion Street it’s because of the lighting that saturates the gold ornate ceiling and bounces off the mirrors, the bar and candlelit tables or maybe because of the overall cuteness of the space? The exposed brick, mahogany bar, solid wood tables and cherry wood chairs.

However, as we celebrate our 9th anniversary heading into our 10th year, we think it’s time to spill the beans. It’s you! You are The Little Gem. Everyone in this lovely spot on Marion Street looks forward to serving you.

The Little Gem Café offers regional cuisine with seasonal specials served for lunch, brunch and dinner.

While reservations are recommended, walkins are always welcome.

Lots of people have asked where the name The Little Gem came from. Everyone thinks

189 N Marion St, Oak Park, Ill Info@Thelittlegemcafe.com 708.613.5491 | thelittlegemcafe.com

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Introducing ENCORE!

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Dinner, dancing, cocktails, live music

ittle Gem, one of Oak Park’s small and happy dining discoveries, has expanded with the opening of ENCORE! And true to its owner’s musical roots, the new spot, right next door to the old spot on Marion Street, in music infused.

Live jazz and country blues featuring Chicago artists in an intimate venue will be the core of the music at ENCORE! Along with great food and drinks.

The new restaurant is cozy, cheerful and warm. You’ll find music that comes from the heart and the hearth right in front of an antique oak fireplace.

At ENCORE! there are two beautiful bars to choose from with a specialty bourbon collection that also feature fine wines, craft beers and cocktails.

Service is always upbeat and friendly, for example your server Kyle is happy to say he has been at Little Gem since Day 1.

That was in 2014.

The owners are very hands on and there is always laughter in the air.

Little Gem and Encore! are perfect for any occasion.

Catering and private parties are available.

And did we mention dancing.

Dining, dancing, cocktails. What could be better?

Come in and say hi. We will love to see you.

The details Encore!

The Little Gem Cafe

187 N. Marion St. Oak Park.

Visit Encorelittlegem.com

189 N. Marion St. Oak Park.

Visit Thelittlegemcafe.com

708-613-5491 Gift cards, private parties and customized menus are available.

To book a party call 917-327-8997 or email us: info@thelittlegemcafe.com Outdoor dining weather permitting.

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Always changing, La Lupita stays true to its roots New bar, new kitchen and, coming soon, an upstairs lounge

T Quesabirrias

LA LUPITA

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

here’s lots to love on the revised menu at La Lupita. Quesabirras is a flavor sensation. The dish is made of marinated goat meat, cooked in a rich broth. The tender meat is then folded into a tortilla nestled with cheese. The reserved broth is served as a side for dipping.

The owner Sal Figueroa says, “When we added the quesabirras, there was a video that went viral on TikTok and Instagram. We have been bombarded with people who want to try it.”

Back when Covid shut down the dining room, Figueroa opened an al fresco patio on the sidewalk out front and made good use of the downtime to renovate inside. A new kitchen was built in the back, allowing the dining room to expand, and that made room for a full bar.

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La Lupita

lalupitaberwyn.com

6539 Cermak Rd., Berwyn Hours:

Monday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tuesday-Thursday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Two hits have emerged from the expanded drink offerings. One is the margarita flights. Pick from a selection of guava, mango, lime, tamarind, d, cucumber, and strawberry. Another nother is mescal-based options. tions.

The liquor’s smokey profile adds a depth and nd complexity to classicc drinks, but it also opens up new options like the popular hijass por dios: a combination ion of berries and a house-made e-made mezcal and organic agave syrup. And just added – a variety of mojitos.

But that is not all that’s new. Brunch, Mexican style. French toast leads the menu filled with favorites like chilaquiles and huevos divorciados. A mimosa flight m makes it a celebration. c Elsewhere on the Elsewh menu are vegetarian and even vegan options ve waiting to be w tried: Bistek tr de Soya a la Mexicana, NoMexi palitos Azteca, Chilies Az Rellenos de Queso, and many more.

“We are, the only are I believe, belie

LA LUPITA

Mexican restaurant in the area with vegan options,” he says.

Each weekday La Lupita features a different happy hour drink special from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. And one more new feature in the works is a lounge on the second

floor, which is slated to open at the end of the year.

Change is fun, but don’t worry. Lupita, Figueroa’s mom whom the restaurant is named for, is still there, handmaking her signature blue and yellow tortillas.

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Inside story of Spilt Milk

What’s your specialty?

We are a bakery specializing in homemade pies and American-style pastries. We bake everything from scratch, right here at our shop in Oak Park -- and we strive to use local and seasonal ingredients whenever possible. We love partnering with local farms and purveyors to feature “The Best of the Midwest” in all of our pastries!

When did you open Spilt Milk?

Molly and I started our business in 2014, and initially we baked out of Molly’s apartment kitchen for farmers’ markets, weddings and events. We eventually started renting space at Kitchen Chicago, a commissary kitchen in the West Loop. But we were growing quickly and knew we needed a kitchen of our own and a retail space to continue to keep up with demand. In 2016, we rented a small storefront in Oak Park and opened Spilt Milk Pastry in October 2016. The rest is history!

We are inspired by all sorts of things -- but to be honest, most of our recipes are rooted

Two sisters, one story of love for baking and community

in family tradition. Growing up, our mom and dad were always baking and cooking -- and we draw a huge amount of inspiration from our parents and grandparents. Cooking was such a part of our family tradition, as it is for so many folks!

selection of butter shortbread cookies is so yummy, I could eat about a million of the rosemary shortbread cookies. I also love our Ham and Gruyere sandwich with homemade pickles and lots of butter.

What is the best thing about Spilt Milk?

We worked with the wonderful Theresa Jurgus from Baird & Warner to help us scout our current location. It was a mad scramble to get our current location open in just 6 weeks from lease signing to opening day.

That included doing a full kitchen build-out (with permits!). It truly takes a village -- I still marvel at the community effort that went into opening our current shop and am so grateful for the support of our neighbors and friends who helped us along our journey!

We love Oak Park and the community of folks that really make this village special.

The customers have sustained us through some pretty difficult years as we’ve grown our business and had to pivot in every possible direction over the past few years to keep things humming along. We are proud to be part of the community here and feel so grateful to our customers and the folks who trust us to cook and bake for all their celebrations big and small.

What’s your most popular dish or item? What is your favorite dish?

Our bestsellers are Key Lime Pie and our Savory Breakfast Quiche. Personally, my favorites are always changing ... but our

How did you choose your location on South Blvd.?

How do you differentiate yourself from other bakeries?

Honestly, we don’t worry too much about this. We try to focus on our product and making it the best it can be. I think it’s incredible that Oak Park has so many stellar

bakeries in town, and the wider Chicago community is spoiled for excellent pie and pastry shops. It’s an inspiration to be part of the bakery community here. There’s always something delicious to try!

Where do you see Spilt Milk in 5 years?

Hopefully still standing -- ha! Molly and I love Spilt Milk, and we hope to be here for many years to come. My daughter Winnie recently told me that when she grows up, she wants to help mommy and Aunt Molly run the bakery.

That brought some tears to my eyes. We have worked so hard to build this bakery, and we love our team, we love the community, and we love the food!

Spilt Milk

spiltmilkpatry.com

811 South Blvd., Oak Park

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Kinslahger Taproom encourages a return to pub life Bring friends or make friends at Kinslahger

Y WWW.ALEXANDERMOROZOV.COM

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

ou can sip Kinslahger brews all over town. Ordering them in restaurants or picking up a pack to enjoy at home is great, but the Kinslahger Taproom is an experience all its own.

The cozy storefront space at 6806 Roosevelt Rd. fronts the brewery. Its early 1900s vibe harkens back to a time when local bars were neighborhood gathering places.

Owner Keith Huizinga wants to encourage that kind of interaction again, “It’s intimate. There’s no TVs. I want people to come down here, have a conversation with a friend or spouse or whoever, and enjoy the space.”

An ideal night at the taproom for him is one table with a group playing cards, another full of friends reconnecting, but the best is when new connections are made.

“It’s been so much fun since we’ve been open and I’m behind the bar

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Kinslahger offers a variety of beverages beyond beer: craft wines, a rotating selection of unique cocktails, regionally made sodas, and even non-alcoholic brews. The menu celebrates small and often local businesses. Pretzels are served up from the Daly Bagel with house-made mustard.

Other snacks are similarly curated: Japanese almonds, peanuts and a meat and cheese board.

Customers are also welcome to order in or bring food from home.

Kinslahger’s reputation has soared over its almost 8 years in operation. Oak Park’s original brewery is focused on lager-style fermentation where the ingredients are the star of the show – rather than the brewing process itself, which is more common with ales. The bar’s draft line-up is a trip around the beer world: German dunkel, Baltic porter, New World lager. One of their most popular offerings is the Chicago Common, an ode to the bricks of the same name. The deep, earthly red is full-bodied with piney hops and rye spiciness.

Onsite Huizinga offers more limited-run options, “We do different flavors that we call the Weekly Kinsman, just something that’s always rotating through as a small batch. It’s fun for us to be creative.”

A favorite is a pilsner infused with a hint of jalapeno peppers and a Berlin

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WWW.ALEXANDERMOROZOV.COM

Kinslahger Kinslahger.com

6806 Roosevelt Rd., Oak Park Hours:

Thursday and Friday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday: 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Available for private events Credit card only

weiss augmented with a dash of raspberry syrup. These are only poured in the taproom. Luring us in and providing a place to reconnect with community, make new friends, and enjoy conversation, just like our great-grandparents did before TV. … and we did a bit more before the pandemic.

WWW.ALEXANDERMOROZOV.COM

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as

n

2

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Sushi & Sashimi Lunch Special

Dine -in / Carry Out Delivery Catering/Bar / Banquet

Chinese • Thai • Japanese Cuisine • Hibachi Steak House

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

• FREE PARKING • ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

708-453-8242

Hours:

Mon.–Thurs. 11:30am–9:30pm, Fri. & Sat. 11:30am–10:30pm Sunday 12:30pm - 9:30pm

7444 North Avenue • Elmwood Park FAX 708-453-3044 • NewStarRestaurant.com

Fresh flavors are the star at New Star

Small touches, fresh ingredients make New Star shine

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

F

Contributing Reporter

reshness is the most important element in New Star’s success, according to owner Jinny Zhao.

That is the way to ensure the best quality and consistent flavors. When she bought the restaurant almost a decade ago, Zhao transformed the kitchen to follow that rule. And it guided her as she turned an underused banquet room into a hibachi steak house.

Tucked in the back of New Star are eight teppan grills, where chefs cook in front of diners. It’s dinner and a show. More than one group of diners sit together around each grill, so it’s best to make reservations if a larger group wants to be seated together.

Japanese steak houses are famous for flaming onion volcanos, acrobatic feats

with eggs and even whole bowls of fried rice. While New Star doesn’t disappoint on the stage show, the real draw is the quality.

“Japanese style cooking uses fresh meat, fresh everything and just cooking for you.

People love it,” says Zhao.

To keep improving the dining experience, New Star doubles down on freshness by making its own hibachi sauce. Better known as Yum-Yum sauce, the ingredients include fresh apple, fresh peach and tomatoes.

“Even myself, I put some on a bowl of rice, my Yum-Yum sauce, and just eat it. It tastes so good,” says Zhao.

That joy comes through in everything Jinny Zhao does. As she updated the restaurant space and menu, she wanted to attract a new generation of customers looking for even more options.

“I was thinking that the young people, they do love sushi,” says Zhao.

So, she added a sushi bar and an

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There is a full bar which features tropical drinks.

This expansive take on Asian foodways means that diners at one table can sample many different styles at one meal.

The smallest detail does not go unnoticed by Zhao. She designed the colorful bags covered in sunflowers that await take-out customers in the warmer months. When the weather takes a turn for the chilly, the restaurant switches to a zipped, insulated bag. The investment in high quality take-out bags is worth it to Zhao.

“Chinese foods need to keep warm. If you order in cold weather like Chicago, when you get home, I don’t want it to get cold,” she says.

For dine-in customers there are special touches too. Coloring pages, crayons, and even small toys to keep children occupied while they wait for their adults to be done talking. But it’s the rack of umbrellas that really sets New Star apart when it comes to customer service.

Years ago, when Zhao was on vacation in Taiwan with her children, she was caught in the rain and needed to make a run for it to get to the airport on time. A kindly store owner told her to take an umbrella. She insisted that she couldn’t because she would be unable to return it. Zhao took the umbrella and returned with a lesson in customer service.

November 1, 2023 B35

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“I came back to the United States, thinking, wow, I should do something like that. When older people or people with kids come in, when it’s raining, we say take one and bring it back next time when you visit.”

The location on Elmwood Park’s North Avenue restaurant row creates an atmosphere and advantage for customers that Zhao loves.

“The people you can walk up and down here and say, ‘Hey, I want to eat this. I want to eat that.’ Also, we’ve got a parking lot on the corner.”

The parking lot actually belongs to Zhao. It came with the restaurant when she purchased it, but she shares it with all the restaurants on the row. What is good for the customer is good for New Star, says Zhao.

Zhao, who had previously owned another restaurant, came out of retirement to undertake the challenge of New Star.

She is proud of what she has accomplished, “I am enjoying doing this.”

New Star

newstarrestaurant.com

7444 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park Hours:

Monday: Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Friday: Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Sunday: noon to 9:30 p.m.

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Teppanyaki chef at work

BURGERS, BEERS, & CHEERS Mon-Thursday 7am to 1:30am, Fri-Sat 7am - 2:30am, Sun 11am to 1:30am.

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#holidayfestivities | kettlestringsgrove.com

Our seared tuna with sesame. Delicious regional and season menu. Serving brunch, lunch, and dinner.

The Holidays are fast approaching. Reach out now to schedule your holiday gathering at Kettlestrings Grove. From date night to office gatherings, we’ve got you covered

The Little Gem Cafe

Kettlestrings Grove Cocktail Bar

189 N Marion St, Oak Park

105 S Marion St, Oak Park

Th EA ank TS s t sp o o on ur so r!

wise-cup.business.site Newly added to the menu: Seasonal Chutney Jars-a very flavorful dipping sauce for everyday use. It’s an authentic family recipe.

Wise Cup 1018 Lake St, Oak Park

#sustainability #smallbizsupport #takeout2 takeout25.org Ask for Takeout 25 boxed water at your local grocery stores, gyms and restaurants. Replace plastic water. Scan the QR code on the box using your phone camera to access local dining specials. Promote your favorite restaurants.

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mmm...

Eats Exceptional Edibles Ciro

1048 Pleasant St, Oak Park “This is his delicious signature dish Ziti Rigati alla Nanella!”

- Andrea Spinasanto

Fiore

7407 Madison St, Forest Park “Ricotta Melezana Pizza... I’m from Jersey & I know pizza! “ - Lauren Marie

Taco Mucho

220 Harrison St, Oak Park “Their steak tacos, nachos and margaritas are all marvelous!”

- JN Rowan

Autre Monde Cafe & Spirits

6727 W Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn “The Mezze platter- as a Turkish American growing up with all these flavors, not only is this dish tasty with a great cocktail, but it makes me feel like I’m home, eating with family.”

- Zerrin Bulut

B38 November 1, 2023

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Try a new restaurant this week!

What is a Green Dining Hub? A GROUP OF RESTAURANTS THAT:

d ea u r TS! yo EA m he m in ll t te the d t an ou ab

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FIND COLLECTIVE

OFFER LOCAL THEIR OWN WAYS TAKE TAKEOUT 25 IS TOILLINOIS’ FIRST GREEN DINING IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERIENCES OUR CLIMATE ACTION GREEN DINING HUB

Takeout 25 Green Dining Hub

TAKEOUT 25 IS ILLINOIS’ Sustainability ChampionsFIRST GREEN DINING HUB

Addis Café Fritzi’s Delicatessen Anfora Wine Merchants Happy Apple Pie Shop Takeout 25 Green Dining Hub Autre Sustainability Monde Café Kettlestrings ChampionsGrove Betty’s Pizza Kettlestrings Tavern Addis Café Khyber Fritzi’s Delicatessen Big Shrimpin’ Pass Anfora Wine Merchants Happy Apple Pie Shop Blackout Baking Kribi Coffee Autre Monde Café Kettlestrings Grove Brewpoint Coffee Media Noche Café Betty’s Pizza Kettlestrings Tavern Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor Mora Big Shrimpin’ KhyberAsian Pass Kitchen BuzzBaking Café One Lake Brewing Blackout Kribi Coffee Brewpoint Coffee Poke MediaBurrito Noche Café Candycopia Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor Mora Asian Kitchen Carnivore Starship Buzz Café One Lake Brewing Chicago Waffles Sugar Beet Food Co-op Candycopia Poke Burrito Chubby’s Hot Chicken Mucho Carnivore Taco Starship The Daly Bagel Cup Food Co-op Chicago Waffles Wise Sugar Beet Chubby’s Hot Chicken

Taco Mucho

Bagel journey Wise Cup Each participant The is onDaly a unique to be more sustainable.

Your support helps them go further.

Each participant is on a unique journey to be more sustainable.

Your support helps them go further.

A COLLA BORAT ION BE TWE E N A COL L ABORATION BET WE E N

Support Your Support Your Favorite Green Favorite Green Restaurants!

Restaurants!

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Special Advertising Section

November 1, 2023 B39

sponsored by

A food delivery service started by a restaurateur Delivery First a problem solver for restaurants and customers

D

elivery First, a food delivery start-up founded by Chicagoland restaurateurs, is disrupting the intersection of restaurants and last mile logistics.

Delivery First is a food delivery service that was created by restaurant people for restaurant people with the central idea being to save restaurants money on delivery.

While deliveries took off during the pandemic, Delivery First grew rapidly. When founder Anthony Gambino realized how order generation and catering platforms charged high percentage fees that hurt restaurant profitability he decided to take charge of his company’s deliveries.

Delivery First aims to forge meaningful local partnerships, backed by a team of 200-plus and growing “on demand” drivers.

Unlike larger order generation companies, Delivery First concentrates on three distinct differences.

Their drivers are all employees, not gig workers, Delivery First employs and insures its drivers, providing drivers with hourly wages, tips, 401(k) options, and workman’s comp.

Delivery First charges a flat fee, sparing restaurants from raising prices to cover delivery costs and enabling more predictability than the 20 to 30% fees charged by the larger order generation platforms.

Delivery First also allows a restaurant to set its own delivery fee, meaning the restaurant can cover as much of the delivery fee as they care to.

Delivery First will deliver any order the restaurant receives whether by phone, via the

restaurant’s own online platform, or even a third party generated order. Delivery First does not need to generate the order to take the delivery.

Delivery First serves most of suburban Chicago and the city, and has a team experienced in navigating restaurant tech and enabling the digital transformation and integrations with multiple POS systems.

Contact us at 312-900-9868 and the ad below.

Delivery First deliveryfirst.com

132 N York St, Elmhurst, IL 312-900-9868

B40 November 1, 2023

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Special Advertising Section

Committed to Oak Park and River Forest.

Left to right: Denise Warren, Oak Park Branch Manager; Susie Goldschmidt, Oak Park River Forest Market President; Michael Starrick, River Forest Branch Manager

Whether you’re seeing a movie at the Lake Theatre or heading for a hike in the G.A.R. Woods, we think you should be able to get all of your banking done in your neighborhood… with people who love the area as much as you do.

Byline is privileged to be a part of the Oak Park and River Forest community, and we are proud to partner with local nonprofits like Beyond Hunger and sponsor local events like Thursday Night Out in downtown Oak Park.

To learn more about our commitment to Oak Park and River Forest, visit bylinebank.com/oprf

©2023 Byline Bank. Member FDIC.