With a $20M budget, trustees direct architects to demolish existing re, police spaces
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Rive rside is one step closer to having brand new public safety and community spaces built adjacent to village hall.
At the village b oard’s Au g. 15 meeting, trustees heard a presentation with three options for p lans to renovate or rebuild the village ’s fire and p olice department buildings next to Rive rside Vi llage Hall, a project the board started in Fe br uar y. Two of the options involved maintaining the existing fire and p olice space and building a dditions wh i le the third, wh ich trustees ultimately chose to pursue, will see the shared department taken down after a new structure is pa rt i ally built.
Th at option would need to be c ompleted in a p hased approach, said Mark Bushhouse, president of Wi lliams Architects, Rive rside ’s firm for the project and the same fi rm the village partnered with in 2018 to evaluate the public safety spaces and identify problems with them.
on page 9
TODD BANOR
Raymond Ave. hosted a concert last Saturday featuring multiple musi cians, incuding Mark Dvorak (above).
YOUR LOCAL CONNECTION TO UCHICAGO MEDICINE SPECIALTY CARE.
As a national leader in whole-person care, AdventHealth connects you to the renowned specialty care of UChicago Medicine. That means nearby access to leading-edge care for cancer, heart surgery and pediatric specialty care, along with the latest clinical trials. When you need advanced care, we are near.
Learn more at: HealthyChicagoland.org
Nellie Brennan, noted Riverside resident, struck, killed by train
Brennan, 93, was a nurse, volunteer, and, for 50 years, an election judg e
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Nellie Brennan, a well-known and much-loved Riverside resident, was killed Thursday, Aug. 22 when she was struck by a BNSF train. Riverside police have ruled her death as an accident.
Brennan, 93, was traveling on foot that afternoon when the train struck her near the railroad crossing on Cowley Road, said Riverside Public Safety Director Matthew Buckley in a phone call Monday.
According to a press release, provided by Buckley to the Landmark, Riverside police and fire officers were dispatched around 2:39 p.m. to the railroad crossing on Delaplaine Road on a report of a pedestrian struck by a train before they located Brennan at the Cowley Road crossing, where the train had stopped. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.
Police said the initial investi gation i nto Brennan’s death showe d she was struck accidentally.
Rail traffic was suspended from when public safety personnel arrived at the scene until about 5 p.m. Thursday.
Brennan was known in the Riverside and North Riverside communities. A Rock Island native, she became a registered nurse in 1952 and moved to the Chicagoland area in 1970 to work at Hines V.A. Hospital in Maywood. She later worked at Northwestern University Medical Center and as an instructor in Triton College’s nursing program.
In 2010, the A merican Re d Cross of Greater Chicago reco gnized Brennan for 55 years of volunteer servic e, du ring wh ich time she responded to disasters across the c ountr y, including Hurricane Katrina, 9/11 and other s. Sh e still wo rked as a volunteer when the Re d Cross reco gnized her.
In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Brennan celebrated her 50th year serving as an election judge in Riverside.
Throughout her life, Brennan dedicated herself to caring for others.
“If you feel like helping people,” she told the Landmark in 2010, “... no matter what,
Riverside resident Nellie Brennan, right, worked as an election judge at Riverside Township Hall for 50 years. She wasn’t going to let a pandemic stop her from working the 2020 election
do it anyway. If each one of us helps just one person in need or in crisis, wouldn’t the world be a wonderful place?”
Riverside trustees pause on gateway signage along Harlem Avenue
With the new Star Buds development at the corner of East Burlington Street , village sta have 2 options for the sign’s location
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
New
may not come as soon as Riverside was expecting — or at all, for that matter.
At their Au g. 15 meeting, Rive rside ’s trustees directed staf f to have the village ’s economic development, landscap e advisory and p lanning and zoning c ommissions c onsider not only the d esign but also the location of p otential signag e along Harlem Avenue that would aim to draw motorists into town.
The village board last discussed the signage at its July 18 meeting, where trustees considered six designs for signs and other landscaping elements intended for the strip mall at 2720-2728 S. Harlem Ave. Mi-
lad Nourahmadi, who owns the strip mall, ag reed to let Riverside place its public sign on his private property as part of the sale contract for 2710 S. Harlem Ave., an adjacent parcel of land he bought from the village and turned into the north portion of the strip mall’s parking lot.
At the end of their discussion last month, trustees directed staf f to prepare a survey for residents of the six options they reviewed as well as some of their suggestions that deviated from the prepared designs. They also ag reed to have River-
Editor Erika Hobbs
Staff Reporters Trent Brown, Amaris E. Rodrigue z Digital Manager Stacy Coleman
The Landmark is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00. A one-year subscription costs $45 within Cook County and $65 outside the county. Adver tising rates may be obtained by calling our o ce. Periodical rate postage
village signage on the corner of Harlem Avenue and Longcommon Road
Kids from Grades 1-5: do the stresses of early childhood have you stressed out? Perhaps you need time to decompress the stress and tension out of your bodies? What if I told you I have found the perfec t solution for you? Well, the library is giving you the opportunity to learn basic yoga poses and calming techniques. Join yoga instructor and former kindergarten teacher Marianne Mohrhusen for some afternoon relaxation. Walk-ins and new friends are always welcome. 3541 Park Ave.
Codi ca + Code Bilingual Learning
Thursday, August 29, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m., Riverside Public Library
Want to explore the world of code? Join Codi ca + Code for an opportunity to code your own website with HTML/CSS in a bilingual (English and Spanish) setting! Students Grades 3-5 will have the chance to learn the basics for creating a website from scratch, and the session grants attendees the opportunity to code hands-on and create their own “About Me” website. Here, students will learn about the fundamentals of tags, titles, headings, and paragraphs in HTML plus texts/fonts, colors, and backgrounds in CSS. Registration is required by calling 708-442-6366 or via the library website.
¿Quieres explorar el mundo del codi cación? ¡Únete a Codi ca + Code para tener la oportunidad de programar tu propio sitio web con HTML/CSS en un entorno bilingüe (inglés y español)! Los estudiantes tendrán la oportunidad de aprender los conceptos básicos para crear un sitio web y la sesión les permitirá programar de manera práctica y crear su propio sitio web “Sobre Mí”. Aquí, los estudiantes aprenderán sobre los fundamentos de las etiquetas, títulos, encabezados y párrafos en HTML, además de textos/fuentes, colores y fondos en CSS. 1 Burling Rd.
Library League Draft Part y
August 29, 7 p.m. - 8 p.m., LSF Brook eld Library
Members of the Library’s Fantasy Football eague are welcome to attend this . Assemble your dream eam, enjoy snacks, and meet your fellow ompetitors for the season prize. Battle head-to-head with competitors to see who has the best Fantasy Football team. Do you think ou have what it takes to win? Come on down to the ve
Compiled by Grace Har ty
Shark Feeding Adventure
Friday, August 30 - November 6, Brook eld Zoo
The Zoo has added a new Wild Connections experience that you do not want to miss. Rather than feeding amingos, macaws, and birds, you now have the chance to feed sharks! You can get up close and personal to the kings of the waters, how cool is that!? You can sign up for time slots on brook eldzoo.org/wildconnections for your chance to learn about sharks as well! 8400 31st St.
Listing your event
■ If you would like your event to be featured here, please send a photo and details by noon of the Wednesday before it needs to be published. We can’t publish everything, but we’ll do our best to feature the week’s highlights. Email calendar@wjinc.com.
Deadline for ‘Sun Bucks’ is EBT fast approaching
Applications are due by Aug. 31
By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter
The deadline for enrollment for 2024 Summer EBT benefits is Aug. 31.
Summer EBT, also known as Sun Bucks, provides f amilies with school-aged children with a one-time benefit of $120 for summer groceries per eligible child. Benefits are benefits distributed on an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card
“This benefit is important because children who rely on free or reduced-price school meals lose this important source of nutrition when school is out, creating hardship for f amilies struggling to make ends meet,” said Camerin Mattson, manager of communications for the Greater Chicago Food De pository, via an Aug. 15 press release emailed as part of a statewide awareness campaign to promote the new progr am.
“We don’ t want f amilies of the more than one million Illinois children eligible for this benefit to miss out,” she said. To qualify, f amilies must meet the
hous reduced-priced meals, which currently is a total household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. The allowable income also depends on the number of people in the household.
According to the press release, some children have been automatically enrolled based on their participation in other programs, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Income Eligible Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, youth who are in foster care, and victims of trafficking.
Children who attended an Illinois school that has the National School Lunch Program, a voluntary program available to all public, private schools and residential childcare institutions that have a nonprofit program offering lunches that meet federal requirements to all children and have completed a free or reduced meals application or alternative household income application for the 2023-24 school year are also automatically enrolled in Summer EBT. Additional information, along with a Summer EBT Screener, to check eligibility can be found at wegotyouillinois.org/summer-ebt.
West suburban public libraries get state funding
Illinois Secretary of State announces 10 libraries will receive more than $325,000 in grants
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Public libraries across Chicago’s western suburbs are receiving gr ants from the state to enhance their progr ams and lending materials
I llinois Secretary of State and Stat e L ibrarian A lexi Giannoulias announced
last We d nesd ay that 10 l ibraries in I llinois’ fourth senate district, c ollective ly serving more than 111,000 p eople, will share $325,551 in annual per capita and equalization aid gr ants
Pe r capita gr ants award up to $1.475 per person who lives in a given l ibrary’s service area. Equalization a id gr ants give a dditional financial suppo rt to libraries with too small tax b ases “to ensure a minimum level of funding.”
T he f unding also includes c onstruction gr ants for l ibraries to refurbish, update or build facilities and new, one-time gr ants “to help l ibraries most in need to up gr ade their technolo gy infrastructure” over the next two year s.
Senior Living Benefits YOUR BEST LIFE with Lisa Capone
T he Maywood Public L ibrary will rece ive the largest gr ant of $112,498 wh il e the l ibrary in Bellwood will rece ive $77,901. Fo rest Pa rk ’s l ibrary will ge t $21,293. T he other gr ants will r ange from about $8,000 to $25,000 and will be give n to public l ibraries in Berkeley, Broadview, Hillside, L aGrang e, L aGrang e Pa rk , Oak Brook and Westchester.
“Libraries throughout the state must have the resources and financial support they need to provide high-quality materials and programming to Illinois residents,” Giannoulias said in a written statement. “Libraries serve as centers for lifelong learning and are critical to providing opportunities for children and adults to enrich their lives.”
Senior living communities offer a myriad of benefits that enhance the quality of life for older adults. One of the primary advantages is the opportunity for social interaction. Residents can participate in a variety of activities, from arts and crafts to group outings, fostering friendships and reducing feelings of isolation.
Senior living communities also free residents from the burdens of home maintenance and chores. Housekeeping, laundry services, and meal preparation are typically included, giving residents more time to enjoy their hobbies and interests.
Moreover, senior living communities often provide various levels of assistance, from independent living to full-time care, allowing residents to age in place comfortably This flexibility ensures that as needs change, the appropriate level of care is always available.
Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030.
Tax relief is available for people living in areas that are declared disasters by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
To find out whether an area qualifies for federal disaster relief, taxpayers should check DisasterAssistance.gov.
Affected taxpayers have more time to file and pay
If taxpayers live at an address in an area that qualifies for IRS disaster tax relief, they automatically get extra time from the IRS to file returns and pay taxes.
Casualty loss tax deduction
If people have damaged or lost property due to a federally declared disaster, they may qualify to claim a casualty loss deduction and get a larger refund. They can claim this on their current or prior-year tax return.
By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.
Rebuild lost records with a tax return transcript
If people have lost their tax records, they can request a tax return transcript and a copy of their tax return from the IRS.
Taxpayers can get tax return transcripts online or request mail delivery with Get Transcript. Taxpayers can also file Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return.
IRS
To get a copy of a tax return, taxpayers can file Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return. The IRS waives the fees and expedites these requests for people who need to apply for disaster-related benefits or file amended returns to claim disasterrelated losses. To speed up the process, taxpayers who file Forms 4506-T or 4506 should write on the form that the request is disaster related, including the type of disaster and the state where it occurred.
and expedites these requests
Riverside issues new class of liquor license to Brookfield Zoo Chicago
e zoo wants to sell alcohol at a location in the park that falls just inside Riverside
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
While its name might suggest Brookfield Zoo Chicago f alls solely in Brookfield, the easternmost portions of the zoological park actually lay within Riverside. As a result of the overlap, the village has altered its liquor code to enable the zoo to expand its liquor sales
At the village board’s Au g. 15 meeting , trustees approved u pdating Rive rside ’s l iquor code to create a new kind of liq uor license and i ssuing one of those lic enses to the SSA Group, wh ich handles the zoo’s c oncessions operations, including the sale of food, drink and retai l merchandise. While the b oard c onsidered b oth motions separately, trustees did not discuss them.
T he SSA Group first obtained a l iquor license from Rive rside in 2020 when the village b oard gr anted it a C lass B-Special license, wh ich allowe d the zoo to sell b eer and wine for on-site c onsumption at specific areas within i ts premises.
T he annual f ee for this kind of license is $10,500.
According to agenda packet documents from the village board meeting, the SSA Group had reached out to village staf f
about the zoo’s plan to “expand [its] liquor operations” to the Discovery Center, on the eastern side of the park toward its north entrance, where it aims to sell alcohol “for off-premises consumption, including sampling or tasting promotions.”
While the Disc overy C enter is mostly within Brookfield, “A ve ry, ve ry small piece of [it] would fall in Ri ve rside, triggering the need for us to give [ the SSA Group] a l iquor license,” Vi llage C lerk E than Sowl told trustees
However, the C lass B-Special license Rive rside had i ssued d oes not pe rm it the sale of alcohol for off-premises c onsumption, meaning the village did not have an applicable license it c ould i ssue to the SSA Group to allow the zoo to exp and its liquor sales
Now, following b oard approval, the village has renamed C lass B-Special lic enses to C lass B licenses and created an a dd-on C lass B-1 license that will allow the zoo to sell b eer and wine at the Disc overy C enter in a ccordance with the zoo’s other p lanned provisions. Th e SSA Group c an choose not to renew the a dd-on l iquor license if the zoo changes c ourse in the f uture and stops selling alc ohol at the Disc overy Center.
T he yearly f ee for the new kind of lic ense is $450, bringing the SSA Group’s annual total for both licenses to $10,950.
Immediately after passing the ordinance to amend Riverside’s liquor code, trustees passed another ordinance to authorize the issuance of a newly created Class B-1 liquor license to the SSA Group.
CO RRECTI ON
An article titled “Brookfield’s duck race is reaching new heights” that appeared in print Aug. 21, 2024, misnamed the Brookfield Parks and Recreation Foundation’s president based on outdated information from its website. Kyle Whitehead is the president while Village Trustee Julie Narimatsu is a board member We apologize for the error.
Brook eld recognizes resident garden for excellence
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
T he Brookfield Beautification Commission has chosen its favo rite publicfacing garden for the month of Ju ly
From 11 nominations, the commission selected Pamela and Mike Healy’s front ga rden at 4200 Ar thur Ave. as the winner of its monthly summer ga rd en reco gnition progr am. The Healys rece ived a ga rden reco gnition sign they c an displ ay alongside their ga rden as well as a $50 Enjoy Brookfield gift card usable at businesses across the village
T he winning ga rden consists mostl y of perennial fl ower s, with some annuals for an accent of color. The Healys told Brookfield the ga rden had been an “ove rg rown mess” when they bought their home three years ag o. But now, after three years of determination and hard wo rk , they said they are satisfied with their ga rden.
The beautification commission will reco gnize another garden next month for August. Homeowners who wish to submit their public-facing garden to be considered should apply online by Aug. 31.
WithCantata’scontinuumofcare,youcanliveyourbest lifetoday,tomorrowandintothefuture.We’vebeen here,rightacrossfromtheBrookfield Zoo,formorethan a centurypassionatelyservingtheneedsoflocalseniors.
Tour our 10-acre campus today! ( )
Independent Living•Assisted Living•Memory Support Short-Term Rehab•Long-Term Care•Home Care Scan here to visit Cantata.org here,rightacrossfromtheBrookfield Zoo,formorethan a centurypassionatelyservingtheneedsoflocalseniors.
Scan here to visit Cantata.org
Independent Living•Assisted Living•Memory Support Short-Term Rehab•Long-Term Care•Home Care
Scan here to visit Cantata.org
Independent Living•Assisted Living•Memory Support Short-Term Rehab•Long-Term Care•Home Care
Care Scan here to visit Cantata.org
Scan here to visit Cantata.org
PHOTO S BY TODD BANNOR
Two neighbors join folk singer Mark Dvorak as he pe rforms at Brook eld’s Ravinia on Raymond, Aug. 17.
A brief rain shower brings out the umbrellas.
An audience lls the parkway. Folk singer Wayne Oestreicher keeps strumming through the rain
FACILIT Y
Home for new police, re departments
from page 1
In the first phase of the project, Bushhouse said, the new space would be built where Riverside’s youth center sits now to the immediate southeast of village hall. The building will start with 18 parking spaces and some police evidence and other storage in the basement while the first floor will largely be dedicated to the fire department and its need to store firetrucks. The second floor will have police- and firespecific areas as well as shared space.
“As this other building gets done, we will take down the existing addition [to village hall] that has public safety in it,” Bushhouse said. He said the current public safety space would remain until the first phase of construction on the new building is complete.
In the second phase of construction, the plan is to expand the new building’s basement parking to 26 spots and add more police and shared spaces to the first floor. The additions to the second floor would largely be in the form of two or three community spaces that residents can use, one of which would likely be a small fitness area.
After Bushhouse walked trustees through all three proposed options, he gave a list of pros and cons for each.
“Since we’re building new for all the real spaces that you’re trying to accomplish with this project, they’re all tailor-made and functionally designed to work together in the optimal way,” he said of the option trustees later chose. “In new buildings, the floor-to-floor heights that we do are higher than [in] older buildings because ductwork is bigger. We push more air. We have a lot of systems that go into public safety buildings as far as conduits and now sprinkler systems, things that weren’ t there in the ‘50s and earlier.”
Other pros of building new included not having to build in awkward transitions between old buildings and additions built according to today’s standards as well as being able to use the current public safety site for parking, seating, decoration or other amenities once it is demolished.
On the other hand, there are some glaring cons that come with building an entirely new space.
“We have to demolish an existing building. The wall of the village hall that would
is bird’s eye view shows what the second oor of a new public safety and communit y building next to Riverside Village Hall could look like a er the second phase of construction is complete.
be exposed again that’s been covered for many years” — due to the existing public safety addition — “we’ re going to see what we have and how to patch that up to make it look right. It will never be quite the way it was, but we can g et close,” Bushhouse said.
The biggest con, he added, has to do with the phased construction and demolition.
“I’m not going to soft-pedal what it’s like to live through a remodeling project like this. It’s going to be disruptive. It’s going to be painful,” he said. “But we think we can get you through it, and maybe we’ll all be talking at the end, because y ou’ll be happy with what you end up with.”
When it came to the project’s cost, Bushhouse said Williams would likely be able to keep the public safety portion under Riverside’s $20 million budget, though variables
like the quality of the soil or the chance of running into water may impact the construction of the parking garage in the new basement. He said it would likely be “very hard” to fit the construction of all of the board’s desired community spaces within the $20 million budget.
After trustees asked questions of Bushhouse, they voiced their support for building a new structure over the options that leaned more heavily toward remodeling existing space.
“If we’re able to do this, we want to build something that will last 50, 75, 100 years. That one building is already 70 years old, and there are challenges with trying to retrofit it, and then you have somebody who’s in the new building and some staf f who’s in the oldbuilding,”Trustee Jill Mateo said. “I prefer Option C [to build new]
if that’s doable.”
Trustee Me g an Claucherty ag reed with the rest of the board, though she expressed concer n about community spaces being rele gated to the second phase of construction.
“I do understand the limitations of time, space and budgets. As a trustee, I’m not an architect; I’m not a space planner, so I don’t want to minimize the difficulty of the problem” of making sure everything can fit in the physical space and the village’s budget, she said. “While the staf f and the trustees are keenly aware of the inadequacy of some of the space for public safety, I think the community is less informed about that, and they want a little something in this kind of project, too, or they’re going to expect something in this project, too.”
COURTESY OF WILLIAMS ARCHITECTS
PO LICE REPO RT S
Man ticketed after driving onto train tracks in Riverside
Rive rside p olice ticketed a man Au g. 16 after he a ccidentally drove onto the trai n tracks near the intersection of West 26th Street and South Harlem Avenue.
Around 8:17 p. m ., a Rive rside officer was dispatched to the C anadian National Rai lway tracks of f of West 26th Street on a re po rt of a vehicle driving onto the tracks. After arriving at the scene, the officer saw a car with heavy frontend damage that had made it about 10 f eet onto the tracks.
Tra c altercation
Brookfield police responded to a report of a traffic altercation Aug. 21 near the intersection of Elm and Gerritsen avenues, though no one was arrested.
Around 4 p.m., an officer responded to the scene after someone called police to say a younger male had been yelling and hitting a car while holding a black package before the car drove away
T he drive r told the officer he had b een t rying to make a left turn onto the road from the exit from C ostco across the street from the railroad; d ue to the “torrential downpour” that day, the man said he thought the train tracks we re a street, p olice said. Signs at the Costco exit show that left turns are not allowe d there. Police said the man did not show signs of impairment.
T he officer ticketed the man for making an improper turn and failing to reduce his speed to avo id an a ccident as well as for driving a car with suspended re gistration and no insuranc e.
Ticketed for expired registration
Brookfield p olice Au g. 19 ticketed a 23-year- old Chicago man whose car’s lic ense plates had expired.
While on patrol around 3:20 p. m ., an officer was driving south on Maple Avenue b ehind the man’s ca r. After r unning the car’s license plates, the officer learned they had expired at the end of May, so, after turning east onto Ogden Avenue they p ulled the car over near Pa rk Avenue.
After the officer made contact with the man, he said he had neve r b een i ssued a drive r’s license and that he was uninsured
T he of ficer ticketed the man on the three charges — driving with expired re gistration, without a license and without i nsurance — and i ssued him a Sept . 10 c our t date. T he man was sent on hi s way and continued east on foot wh i le the officer waited on the scene until a tow truck ar rive d to remove the ca r.
After arriving, the officer located four male teenagers on the 4500 block of Elm Avenue, one of whom matched the clothing description provided to police, though none of them were holding packages or had bags to store one. The 19-year-old man whose clothing matched said he had been involved in an altercation with a car. He told police the car belonged to his friend. He said he had been in the backseat of the car while they parked at his friend’s house on the 4500 block of Maple Avenue but that a verbal argument broke out and he got out of his friend’s car to go home, when he met up with three 16-year-old friends.
The officer asked the man if he had hit anyone, and he said he had hit his friend “like friends hit each other” with nothing behind it, police said. The officer asked the man if he had hit his friend’s car, which he denied
The three boys told the officer they had not seen or heard the altercation, as they had been inside when it happened.
As the man’s friend and his car were no longer on the scene, police did not take further action.
These items were obtained from the Riverside Police Department re ports dated Aug. 16 and the Brookfield Police Department reports dated Aug. 19-26; they re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.
Compiled by Trent Brown
THE LANDMARK VIEW
Paying for infrastructure
In anticipation of a bold referendum on the November ballot, Riverside’s village board amended the village code in mid-August to create a set-aside from local property tax revenues to pay for future investments in the village’s streets, sewers and other infrastructure.
The worthy goal here is to wean the village from issuing expensive bonds to endlessly pay for the perpetual infrastructure upgrades a 150-year-old village needs. So instead of paying interest on those bonds, Riverside would selffund the improvements from its infrastructure-designated portion of property taxes. That should lead to more funds to put directly into necessary improvements and no funds being used to pay the interest on municipal bonds.
If voters approve the referendum in November, it will set this process in motion. While the vote is to approve a one-time hike in property taxes, it is timed with the final bond debt payments. The plan, as laid out by the village, is no increase in the taxes villagers will pay.
We’re intrigued by this plan. Finding a way to put more money directly into the growing cost of civic improvements is a thoughtful and creative approach to better fiscal management.
Village of ficials have two months to make their case to voters in what will, in this presidential year, be a massive number of locals going to the polls.
Nellie Brennan
N ellie Brennan was a person who helped make Riverside a community. An election judge for 50 y ear s. A nurse and teacher. A Re d Cross volunteer, who for half a century turned up to help when natural and manmade disasters struck.
Ms. Brennan was 93. Last Thursday she was out walking when she was struck and killed by a BNSF train near the Delaplaine Road crossing.
In the past, of course, she turned up in the Landmark at different points. Most recently it was as a heavily masked but very present election judge during COVID. Back in 2010 when the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago honored her 55 years as a volunteer, we interviewed her about her take on life and community.
Opinion
OBITUARIES
Karen Wambay, 76
Beata Lear y, 87
Hardware store ow ner, gardener
Karen Jean Wambay (nee Pigoni), 76, of Phillips, Wisconsin, for merly of Brookfield, died on July 27, 2024 at Cantata British Home in Brookfield. Born on March 13, 1948 in Chicag o, she was a har dware store owner, who enjoyed gardening, water skiing, bird watching, boating and spending time with family. Karen was the w ife of Edward C. Wamb ay ; the mother of Edward M. Wamb ay and Mark (Shannon) Wamb ay ; the gr andmother of Finne g an Wambay; the sister of Pe r ry (Sheila) Pigoni and Pa m (Jon) Cavanagh; the sister-in-law of Michael and Tru dy Wamb ay ; the aunt of Greg (Senait) Pigoni , Pe r ry (Michele) Pigoni, T risha (Tom) Pigoni, Pat (Shannon) Cavanaugh, Jen (Mike) Ciotti, Jonathan Wamb ay, Nicole Wamb ay, Jeanette (Kevin) McCloske y, and Danielle (Phillip) S anchez; and the greatgreat aunt of many.
Memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, Au g. 31 from 1 p. m. until the memorial service at 3 p. m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. Online c ondolences, memorie s and photo gr aphs may be shared with the family at www.JohnsonNosek.com.
Teacher, administrator, creative soul
Beata J. Leary (nee Barnes), 87, longtime resident of Riverside, died on Aug. 20, 2024. Born on Jan. 18, 1937, she started her career at Northern Illinois Gas Co., was a teacher at St. Mary School, and alumni director at Rosary College, then transitioned into the medical profession as a medical office administrator. She loved tennis, skiing, swimming and biking, and grew up playing golf at the Riverside Golf Club with her family She was a talented calligrapher and an overall creative soul.
Beata was the wife of Joseph Leary; the mother of Debbie (Greg) Alm and Susie (John) McMahon; the grandmother of Frank McMahon, Jane Alm, Emma Alm, Kyle McMahon, Elsa McMahon and Eva Haefner; the sister of the late Dr. Robert Theodore Barnes; and was known as Aunt B to many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Visitation was held at the Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cermak Road. Services were held on Aug. 27 at St. Mary Church. Inter ment was private In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated to Misericordia Home (www.misericordia.com) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org).
Arrangements were entrusted to the Original Kuratko Family – Kenneth D. Kuratko, funeral director.
Riverside earmarks property tax funds for street repairs
e village plans to reallocate, so action would not increase property taxes
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Riverside is preparing to sustain the costs of its own street and bridge maintenance.
At the Village Board’s Aug. 15 meeting, trustees approved amending the village code to ensure that a portion of tax revenue goes to fund re gular street and bridg e improvement projects and maintenance.
The new tax rate will not affect the amount of tax collected by the village from residents; effectively, the change allows Riverside to earmark a certain portion of property taxes that it will set aside to pay for design, engineering and construction costs related to street improvements
Specifically, the measure creates a maximum tax rate of 0.1% of a property’s equalized assessed value for these improvements.
The move comes ahead of a tax referen-
SIGNAGE
Aiding economic development
from page 3
side’s economic development, landscape advisory and preservations commissions review and opine on the design options. The preservation commission did so at its Aug. 8 meeting.
However, after the board’s discussion, village staf f realized there was a second possible location for the signage that trustees might want to consider.
“There is potential for a similar sign opportunity at the [East] Burlington [Street] and Harlem Avenue location that you just discussed as a Star Buds development opportunity,” said Assistant Village Manager Ashley Monroe in reference to the new Star Buds dispensary whose site plan trustees had approved earlier in the meeting.
“We did prepare a draft survey as directed
dum the village hopes voters will pass in November that would let it to increase the 2024 tax levy to 9.3%. Normally, the annual tax levy increase in Illinois municipalities is capped at 5% by the state’s Property Tax Extension Limitation Law, but Riverside and other communities can surpass the maximum with voters’ permission.
If the referendum passes, the tax levy increase would go into effect at the same time as Riverside pays of f outstanding debt, meaning residents will not see their taxes go up. T he village owes that debt after taking out 10-year bonds in 2014 with voters’ approval to fund street maintenance, a practice it started in 2004.
Since 2004, Rive rside has had to pay about $1 million in proper ty tax reve nu e toward extra c osts related to i ssuing i ts street b ond s, including i nterest and attorneys’ f ees, meaning it c ould not invest the f ull amount it c ollected back i nto its roads.
Due to the cumulative nature of annual tax levy increases, the one-year revenue hike will give Riverside an annual influx of about $265,2000 that it can use directl y to improve village streets and bridges
If voters do not pass the referendum, Riverside would have to find an alter nate
by the board,” she added. “It didn’t include all of the feedback that the board had indicated at the time, so we thought that it was in the best interest, based on your feedback of that draft survey, to revisit what you want the public to weigh in on and how you want to approach this particular project.”
Village President Douglas Pollock said he thought it made “perfect sense … to take a step back and consider both locations concurrently” following the board’s approval of the new Star Buds, as construction has not yet started on the property at 3320 S. Harlem Ave. and 363-369 E. Burlington St. He said sending the discussion through village commissions would be a way to increase public input on the design of the sign, as the commissioners themselves are residents of Riverside.
“What I would like to recommend is that the board have a consensus to direct this item to whatever committees you think might be relevant to start the process of planning these two gateways concurrently, still using the guidelines from 2018” – when the board discussed adding signs to key vil-
source to fund its street improvements, which could heavily delay projects planned for 2025.
Establishing the maximum tax rate to earmark tax revenue is just the village ’s latest ef fort to put the referendum up to
lage gateways – “as information,” he said.
Trustee Elizabeth Kos asked whether delaying the board’s final decision on the signage would cause issues with Nourahmadi, who has his own plans to improve the strip mall, but Pollock and Village Manager Jessica Frances said he wouldn’t mind.
“He’s waiting to move on any of these pieces until we decide if we want an easement, the location on his particular property and what we’re going to develop, because, obviously, it will be value added and an enhancement to his property, but the village will be paying for it, because it’s also an enhancement that we’re seeking,” Frances said.
“In actuality, he could [now] move forward with his improvements,” Pollock added. “We would just X out that area that he’s already promised to let us use, so he could do anything else he wanted that was previously approved.”
Trustee Jill Mateo said she wasn’t clear on what the board would be asking the village’s commissioners to do, so Monroe outlined the discussion held by the preservation commission at its Aug. 8 meeting as an example
vote, a process trustees initiated at their July 18 board meeting. T he next step in the months-long process is just over the horizon, as Village Clerk Ethan Sowl must certify Riverside’s submission by Wednesday, Aug. 28.
“They just gave general feedback. They didn’t have a specific design choice; that wasn’t the direction they were given by staf f. It was just to say, ‘The board is looking at this preliminarily. We want to bring this to you so that you can provide some feedback to help make some choices,’” Monroe said. “It wasn’t a final decision on their part, but just to give them a heads-up and ask, from a preservation standpoint, ‘Is this going to affect us in any way for public use of property?’”
Trustee Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga said she liked that the commissions would be looking at concrete details about the potential signage compared to more hypothetical discussions that the commissions have had in the past.
“I think it is really helpful that they would be considering the exact locations where these things would be going now, as opposed to the prior analysis, [which] was, ‘In theory, if we had a gateway somewhere, what would it be?’” she said. “But now, they’re really going to be focusing in on two very specific locations that we know exactly what they look like.”
BEN STUMPE
Sports
Captains help young RBHS football team focus on goals
Bulldogs’ goal: continue playo streak, succeed in new conference
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Even before the Riverside Brookfield High School football team’s offseason training started, senior defensive end Caleb McCottry was required to walk the talk. Second-year head coach Sam Styler decided that this season’s captains would have to interview twice to be considered for the position — one with Styler and another with the entire coaching staff.
“It was absolutely not scar y. I was up for the challenge,” said McCottry, a returning starter at defensive end after playing special teams as a sophomore. “I try to teach my team that nothing on the football field or life is given to you. You have to give your best to get your best out. You can’t sit on the field and hope for a win. You can’t look to the guy next to you to pull your weight. Pull your own weight and move to gether as a unit.”
Now it’s time for the Bulldogs — mostly new faces — to speak volumes on the field, especially as a new member of the Upstate Eight Conference.
Riverside-Brook eld’s Damian Nieves (55) sets up to block an Argo defender during their pre-season scrimmage, Aug. 23, in Summit.
As an independent in 2023, the Bulldogs (6-4) reached the state playof fs for the third ear in a row, losing their Class 6A opener aneland 56-20. F riday’s season and home opener is against another new oponent, Niles West (6-4 in 2023).
he Bulldogs have six returning starters (3 of fense, 3 defense) after graduating 27 seniors.
far, the guys have been g elling hey’ve been playing phenomenally toether,” Styler said. “Obviously we’ve got young guys filling in some key spots , but they’ve been coming up great.”
McCottry, seniors Nick Long, Isaac OliNick Rivera and Carter Shelby and unior Damian Nieves are team captains. here are additional bonds within the oup. Guards Olivares and Shelby and tackle Nieves are the returning starters
on of fense. It’s the final season to g ether for Shelby and McCottry, who have known each other since fourth grade.
“It’s been hard to think about. T here’s been many nights of us talking about it,” Shelby said. “Showing my passion in and out of the weight room in the of fseason, I knew I could be a leader for this team from day one just from my deter mination and passion for the spor t.”
Throughout the of fseason, the captains met Wednesday mornings. T heir responsibilities be g an with encouraging teammates in the weight room. T hey also got teammates to summer workouts on time.
“We’ re scheduled early so it was making sure our guys were ready to rock and roll at 7 a.m.,” Styler said.
“They did a phenomenal job, everything I asked them to do. Our goal as a football
progr am is to develop leaders and young men. Throughout the year we’re going to try and develop captains and have different captains through the entire season.”
One huge of fensive question is quarterback after the graduation of three-year star ter Diego Gutier re z. Sophomore John Carlo Garcia, last year’s freshman quarterback, and juniors Diego Pinedo and Jayden Karas each took snaps during Friday’s full-pads scrimmage at Argo
As a backfield reserve, junior Jacob Retana rushed 22 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 17 yards. Rivera saw brief 2023 action at tight end. Other offensive newcomers include junior running back Damian Renteria and receivers Karas, junior Xavier Mrozek-DeJesus and Long
Besides McCottry, there’s defensive experience with senior inside linebacker Max Strong and junior Eric Servin, who moves from inside to outside linebacker. Junior safety Oscar Aguirre is off to a strong start as part of an all-new secondary.
Last season, Strong (32) and McCottry (28) were fifth and sixth in total tackles and Servin had 24. McCottry also achieved a team-best seven tackles for loss, and Strong had two sacks
“If I can look to my left and right and know everybody on the field is giving their best effort, no matter what happens, I don’t care [about outcomes] as long as I know we did our very best,” McCottry said.
The UEC has increased to two seventeam divisions. T he Bulldogs will compete in the East Division with Elmwood Park, Fenton, Glenbard East, Glenbard South, Ridgewood and West Chicago. In last season’s 10-team, one-division UEC, Glenbard East and Glenbard South were co-champions and Glenbard East reached the 7A quar terfinals
Last season, the Bulldogs played teams from the Southland Conference.
“We appreciate everything they did for us. Now being able to call the Upstate Eight our home is really great,” Styler said.
STEVE JOHNSTON
Issac Olivares (56) blocks the Argo defense.
LTHS girls volleyball team relies on new faces
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Lyons Township High School senior girls volleyball player Maddie Richard welcomes the transition from key role player to experienced leader. After the Lions’ third consecutive 30-win season with a veteran lineup in 2023, Richard, senior Reagan Far nan, junior Kate Heatherly and sophomore Taylor Carroll are the lone returning starters.
“Last year, I kind of left that [leadership] job to seniors who had been on varsity for a few years,” said Richard, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter. “But this year I’ve tried to teach what it means to play at the varsity level and always be encouraging. You always have to give 100 percent in practice because that’s what is going to end up translating in the game.”
Numerous Lions are prepared to step up after last year’s 30-8 season (3-3 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division),
which ended with a 26-24, 25-22 Class 4A Hinsdale Central Sectional semifinal loss to Willowbrook, who finished third in state Seniors Kate Badrov, Livia Metrik, Molly Ogden and Nina Wasz also are varsity returnees. Newcomers are juniors Molly Eskra, Madison Jones, Emma O’Brien, Anabelle Olson, Kate Potter and Corinne Yanzy and sophomores Julia Ahrens and Colleen Chambers.
Five 2024 graduates are now playing colle ge volleyball, three at Division I schools
and two at Division III. There could have been more.
“We do have a lot of newbies. While the names are looking a little bit different, I think the quality of play could be similar to what we’ve had in previous seasons,” LTHS coach Jill Bober said. “It’s a really fun challenge to see how the girls are meshing together, but stressful because we don’t have a consistent, comfortable lineup going into the season.”
For seniors like Badrov, a setter/rightside hitter who will play at Carthage Colle ge, this is their chance to excel.
“There are a lot of new names, but I think that each girl’s skill level contributes to one another,” Badrov said. “I’m really excited to be on the court this year and stepping into big shoes to fill.”
The Lions return offense. The 6-1 Carroll and Richard were third and fourth in kills last season with 150 and 136, respectively. Already impressive as a freshman, Carroll
also was fourth with 42 blocks.
Chambers will be part of a one-setter or two-setter offense with Badrov. Chambers’ mother, Sheila, who also is Carroll’s aunt, is a for mer standout setter for the Lions and played at DePaul.
Far nan is the veteran of what should be another strong back row. Far nan was second last year with 252 service rece ptions and fifth with 113 digs.
Heatherly or Ahrens probably will play libero. Heatherly (10 digs) was promoted to varsity in mid-October and contributed throughout the postseason.
Metrik, Yanzy and Jones are among the middle hitters. Other outside hitters include Potter and O’Brien, a 6-1 Division I basketball recruit who has shown significant improvement.
“I’ve just seen everyone forming connections with each other. It shows a lot of promise for our team on and of f the court,” Richard said.
Komsthoeft, Chambers keep LTHS football in line, on track
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Lyons Township High School senior center
Cooper Komsthoeft was eager to join the varsity football lineup as a sophomore, even if it meant a new position on the offensive line
“I was playing guard before then, but they asked me to play center and I wanted to be on the field,” Komsthoeft said.
Not far away was senior Tyler Chambers, another sophomore filling in where needed and now a fixture at left tackle. This season, the two are together more than ever as twoway contributors helping the Lions seek their fourth consecutive postseason berth. The season opener is at home Friday against Prospect, which won last year’s meeting 24-10.
As returning offensive line starters, 6-foot-1 Komsthoeft and 6-5, 290-pound Chambers will split time defensively at nose guard and play together with Komsthoeft at tackle.
“[We’re] really good friends. We both play volleyball, so our chemistry is through the roof. We know our offense so well. We never yell at each other and we’re always there for each other,” Chambers said. “One of our biggest goals is to win conference. And if we can go far in the playoffs, that would be a successful season.”
The 2023 Lions finished 7-4 and 4-2 in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division. They lost in the second round of the Class 8A playoffs to York 17-14 after equaling a program-best quarterfinals berth in 2022.
LTHS graduated many prominent players, including two-way lineman Eddie Tuerk, now at Illinois, and two-year starting quarterback Ryan Jackson, now at St. Thomas
But these Lions also return 14 starters, seven on both sides of the ball, with many taking on greater or additional roles.
“I think the senior class has got a little bit of a chip on its shoulder,” LTHS coach Jon Beutjer said. “They think other people don’t think they can achieve a lot because we lost a lot of critical players. I think we’re playing some good football right now and we’ve got a
lot of good players.”
Komsthoeft, Chambers and seniors Travis Stamm and Shane Harris are team captains Stamm (Illinois State) and Chambers (Northern Illinois) already are Division I commits
“[Captain] really means everything to me, being able to help lead guys to hopefully many victories,” said Komsthoeft, who is considering Division III football. “And also effectively help each guy be the best player they are while also myself getting better.”
In his fourth varsity season, Stamm could challenge multiple LTHS receiving records. In 2023, Stamm had 57 catches for 789 yards and five touchdowns
“Every time he gets the ball, it feels like he’s going to score or make a huge, huge play,” Chambers said.
Junior left guard Jimmy Hillman is the third returning starter on the offensive line. Senior running back Danny Carroll rushed for 483 yards and 4 TDs and had 13 rece ptions for 87 yards.
Perhaps the biggest offensive key is the progress of senior quarterback Dominic Piscotti, last year’s backup
“He’s worked really hard and invested in football and improved so much,” Beutjer said.
Other receivers include seniors Mack Long, Julian Padilla, Cam Clarke and Jack
Grigus and junior Anthony Pearson. Seniors Will Tobin and Tucker King (8 catches, 137 yards, 2 TDs), a Cincinnati baseball recruit, junior Brady Rusk and sophomore Owen Matela will contribute at tight end or receiver
Defensively, the Lions are experienced at linebacker with junior Patrick Cheney (44 tackles, 3 for loss), Harris (24 tackles, 4 for loss, 2 interceptions), Tobin (8 tackles, interception) and Grigus, who returned his interception 75 yards for a TD at Proviso West.
Junior Roman Sosnovyy (21 tackles, 4 for loss, interception) excelled on the defensive line as a sophomore. Chambers (7 tackles, fumble return), and Komsthoeft also will be joined by seniors Nicky Arquilla and Danny Kienzle. Seniors Ryan Gertsmeier (interception), Josh Gutierrez, Long, Stamm and Pearson lead secondary candidates
The Lions’ first Silver title since 2010 remains a prominent goal. They shared third behind co-champions Glenbard West and York by beating Downers Grove North, last year’s 7A state runners-up
“Last year’s team was in every game,” Beutjer said. “If we can match what we did last year, our defense bending in certain games but didn’t break, creating turnovers, control the ball on offense, get the ball to our playmakers, we can win a lot of games.”
REAGAN FARNAN
MADDIE RICHARD
T YLER CHAMBERS
COOPER KOMSTHOEFT
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT
MORTGAGE SERVICING
Plaintiff, -v.-
JOSE G. ROMERO, GEMA A. ROMERO, BYLINE BANK, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO COMMUNITY BANK OF OAK PARK RIVER FOREST, CROWN ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC, LVNV FUNDING, LLC
Defendants
2023 CH 02946
812 HUGH MUIR LN MAYWOOD, IL 60153
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on June 10, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on September 11, 2024, 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 812 HUGH MUIR LN, MAYWOOD, IL 60153
Property Index No. 15-02-322-0160000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence.
The judgment amount was $183,864.65.
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 CHAD LEWIS, ROBERTSON ANSCHUTZ
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
SCHNEID CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 205 N. MICHIGAN SUITE 810, CHICAGO, IL, 60601 (561) 241-6901. Please refer to file number 22-087686. 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.
CHAD LEWIS
ROBERTSON ANSCHUTZ
SCHNEID CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC
205 N. MICHIGAN SUITE 810 CHICAGO IL, 60601
561-241-6901
E-Mail: ILMAIL@RASLG.COM
Attorney File No. 22-087686
Attorney ARDC No. 6306439
Attorney Code. 65582 Case Number: 2023 CH 02946
TJSC#: 44-1885
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 # 2023 CH 02946 I3249923
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS
Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, on Thursday, September 12, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois, to consider amendment(s) to the Village’s Zoning Ordinance which include, but may not be limited to, the following:
1. A Text Amendment to Section 10-3-1 (Definitions of Words and Terms) of the Zoning Ordinance regarding to define terms relating to electric vehicle charging; and
2. A Text Amendment to create a new Section 10-7-7 of the Zoning Ordinance regarding Electric Vehicle Charging Station Standards; and
3. A Text Amendment to Section 10-12-8 (Off Street Parking) of the Zoning Ordinance to establish electric vehicle charging infrastructure requirements for new construction in C1, C2, C3 and ORIC districts; and
4. A Text Amendment to Section 10-21-3 (Land Use Chart) of the Zoning Ordinance to designate Electric Vehicle Charging as a permitted accessory use in all zoning districts.
The petitioner for the Text Amendments is the Village President and Board of Trustees. This public hearing is being held pursuant to direction given by the Village Board of Trustees for the Zoning Board of Appeals to consider these amendments. For additional information visit www.vrf. us. All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record.
If you cannot attend the public hearing but would like to provide input on this matter to the Zoning Board of Appeals you may submit your comments in writing, to Clifford Radatz,
Building Official, no later than 12:00 Noon on the date of the public hearing at cradatz@vrf.us or by mailing them to 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, IL 60305. For further information or for a copy of the proposed text amendments, please contact Village Administrator Matt Walsh at (708) 714-3563 or at mwalsh@vrf.us or visit www.vrf.us.
Sincerely, Clifford Radatz
Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals
Published in Wednesday Journal August 28, 2024
Advertisement to Solicit Bids
Notice is hereby given by the Executive Director of Housing Forward, 1851 South 9th Avenue, Maywood, Illinois, that bids will be received for the following improvements at The Write Inn located at 211 North Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60302: Roof membrane replacement, Roof insulation and Masonry Tuckpointing Bids will be received until 5:00PM, Central Standard Time on August 30, 2024, and emailed to RFP@iff. org. Please direct all bid proposals to Ann Panopio.
The bidding forms and documents will be available to request here (https://iff.org/rfps/). The owner, and owner’s representative have been authorized to refuse to issue plans, specifications and proposals to any person, form or corporation that they consider to be unqualified. Proposal must be submitted on the forms provided.
The bidder is specifically advised that Housing Forward is a Subrecipient of the Village of Oak Park of a grant pursuant to the Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, pursuant to an agreement entered between the Village of Oak Park and Housing Forward. Further, the work must adhere to federal labor compliance requirements (Davis Bacon). Housing Forward and Village of Oak Park have a preference to qualifying Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises. Contractors are expected to make their best effort in maximizing participation.
NOTE: No contracts will be awarded unless the contractor is actively registered with the “System for Award Management (SAM)” and permitted to work, certified by the Village of Oak Park.
Summary of Work – The project includes all work described in the Bid
Documents including but not limited to all required site prep, scaffolding, temporary shoring, demolition, removal and appropriate disposal of waste materials, replacement, or repair of existing materials to remain, cleaning, and confirmation of water-tight enclosure for all areas of work. This work should be coordinated with Owner to minimize impact to Owner’s operations. Published
PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP
SUPERIOR COURT OF ARIZONA IN MARICOPA COUNTY Juvenile Department
PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME(S):
Jennifer Elaine Ciszek-Gill – Mother
Joshua William Clark - Father
Case Number JS22090
Petitioner
Jennifer Elaine Ciszek-Gill
In the Matter of Minor(s):
Levi William Clark 05/02/2007
This is an important notice from the court. Read it carefully.
A petition about termination of parent-child relationship has been filed with the court, and a hearing has been scheduled related to your child(ren). Your rights may be affected by the proceedings. You have a right to appear as a party in the proceeding.
If you fail to participate in the court proceedings, the court may deem that you have waived your legal rights and admitted to the allegations made in the petition. Hearings may go forward in your absence and may result in the termination of your parental rights.
Judicial Officer:
Honorable Thomas Marquoit
Hearing Date/Time: September 3, 2024 @ 9:30am (AZ time)
Any supporting documentation must be filed with the Clerk of Court at least seventy-two hours in advance of the set hearing date.
If I have questions or concerns who can I contact?
For questions concerning filing, please contact the Clerk of Court at (602) 372-5375. For questions about the hearing, contact the Juvenile Department at (602) 506-4533, Option 2 to reach the assigned Judicial Officer’s staff. If you have legal questions, seek legal counsel.
Docket Code: NOTJS Rev 09/27/23
Published in Wednesday Journal August 7, 14, 21, 28, 2024
LEGAL NOTICE
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS
Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) of the Village of River Forest, County of Cook, State of Illinois, on Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois on the following matter:
The ZBA will consider an application for major zoning variations submitted by Ashley and Justin Collins, owners of the property at 7611 Washington Boulevard, who are proposing to construct a new detached garage.
Section 4-8-5 of the Village Code provides the Zoning Board jurisdiction to hold public hearings and offer recommendations to the Village Board concerning variations to Zoning Ordinance.
The applicants are requesting a major variation to Section 10-9-5 of the Zoning Ordinance.
Section 10-9-5 of the Zoning Ordinance (10-8-5) allows a maximum Lot Coverage of 30 percent of the lot area. The new detached garage will increase the Lot Coverage to approximately 32.07 percent.
The legal description of the property at 7611 Washington Boulevard is as follows:
LOT 13 IN WILLIAM P. TUTTLE’S RESUBDIVISION OF LOTS 11 TO 19 AND THE WEST 9 FEET OF LOTS 1 TO 10 AND THE EAST 9 FEET OF LOTS 21 TO 30 IN BLOCK 3 OF LOTS 1 TO 9 IN BLOCK 6 IN THE RESUBDIVISION OF BLOCKS 3 AND 6 AND THE NORTH 450 FEEET OF BLOCK 7 IN HENRY FIELD’S SUBDIVISION OF THE EAST HALF OF THE EAST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 12, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
A copy of the application will be available to the public at Village Hall and on the Village’s website at www. vrf.us/zoningvariation no less than 7 days prior to the public hearing.
The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting packet will also be available at www.vrf.us/meetings no less than 48 hours prior to the public hearing. All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record. Interested persons can learn more about how to participate in the hearing by visiting www. vrf.us/zoningvariation.
Sincerely
Clifford Radatz
Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals
Published in Wednesday Journal August 28, 2024
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Monday 16 September 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Village Hall, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider a request for conditional use approval to open an adult use cannabis dispensary at the following described property Parcel 2 THE EAST ½ OF LOT 19 AND AL OF LOT 18 (EXCEPT THAT PARK OF SAID LOT 18 DESCRIBED AS FOLLOW:
BEGINNING AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SAID OT 18. THENCE WEST ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID LOT 18. SAID POINT BEING A DISTANCE OF 15 FEET TO A POINT. THENCE NORTHEASTERLY Y ALONG A STRAIGHT LINE A DISTANCE OF 18.03 FEET TO A POINT ON THE EAST LINE OF SAID LOT 18 A SAID POINT BEING A DISTANCE OF 15 FEET NORTH OF THE POINT OF BEGINNING AS MEASURED ALONG SAID LINE OF SAID LOT 18. THENCE SOUTH ALONG SAID EAST LINE A DISTANCE OF 15 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGIINNING)
IN BLOCK 8 IN THE SOUTH ADDITIONA TO HARLEM. AS SHOWN ON THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED JULY 24. 1889 AS DOCUMENT NUMBER 1133052. ALSO EXCEPTING THAT PART DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNIING AT THE NORTHEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 18: THENCE SOUTH 00 DEGREES 45 MINUTES 23 SECONDS EAST (ASSUMED) 1100 00 FEET ALONG THE EASTERLY LINE THEREOF. SAID EASTTERLY LINE BEING ALSO THE WESTERLY RIGHT OF WAY LINE OF HARLEM AVENUE (ILLINOIS ROUTE 43). THENCE SOUTH 32 DEGREES 53 MINUTES 15 SECONDS WEST 18,03 FEET: THENCE SOUTH 89 DEGREES 12 MINUTES 21 SECONDS WEST 25.00 FEET ALONG THE SOUTHERLY LINE OF SAID LOT 18. THENCE NORTH 34 DEGREES 11 MINUTES 23 SECONDS EAST 43.59 FEET; THENCE NORTH 00 DEGREES 48 MINUTES 23 SECONDS WEST 80.29 FEET PARALLEL WIITH SAID RIGHT OF WAY LINE THE NORTHERLY LINE OF SAID LOT 18. THENCE NORTH 89 DEGREES 12 MINUTES 21 SECONDS EAST 10.00 FEET ALONG SAID NORTHERLY LINE TO SAID P OINT OF BEGINNING. IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Commonly known as 7207 ROOSEVELT RD FOREST PARK IL. 60130
PINs: 15-13-431-035,15-13-431036, 15-13-431-037
The applicant is TC Applico LLC. Dba Mint Cannabis. The owner of the property is Ronald Kaine Further information can be obtained by calling the Department of Public Health and Safety at 708-615-6284.
Published in Forest Park Review August 28, 2024
Notice Of A Public Hearing By The Joint Plan Commission/ Zoning Board Of Appeals Of The Village Of North Riverside
Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held by the joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of North Riverside on Thursday, September 19, 2024 at 6:00 P.M., in the Village Commons, 2401 S. Desplaines Avenue, North Riverside, Illinois.
At such time and place, the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals will consider a request to approve a Conditional Use Application to permit a Cannabis Dispensary at 8380 Cermak Road. Applicant: Dutchess Cannabis
All persons desiring to appear and be heard for or against said petitions may attend the Public Hearing.
Published in RB Landmark August 28, 2024
A GUIDE TO LOCAL DINING
Sponsored by
‘American food with a Mexican twist’ Chef Armando Gonzalez creates avors
By ELIZABETH SHORT Contributing Reporter
“When you mix things, it’s beautiful,” says Chef Armando Gonzalez, who owns and runs Amerikas Restaurant in Oak Park. The nuevo Latino restaurant, which will celebrate seven years this December, is inspired by cultures around the world while remaining rooted in Gonzalez’s upbringing in Mexico.
“I want to create food in my own style,” he said. “Amerikas, to me, is diversity. I’m able to use all types of vegetables, seeds, meats. So they’re not necessarily from Mexico. America, for me, is the melting pot you can create all together, mixing flavors and becoming very unique. I try and create. I don’t follow the rules. I have my own rules.”
From growing up in Oaxaca, Mexico to running Amerikas in Oak Park, food has guided Gonzalez’s life. When Gonzalez was a child, his mother ran a small restaurant where he and his brothers would help cook.
When Gonzalez was 17, he came to the United States with just one dollar in quarters and began working in restaurants. He worked for French,
across cultures at Amerikas
Japanese, and Italian kitchens, absorbing the diverse foods and cultures.
By 2011, Gonzalez had co-founded Mexican fusion restaurant Libertad in Skokie. In 2017, he opened Amerikas at 734 Lake St. in Oak Park. It was the people in Oak Park who inspired Gonzalez to open a restaurant in the area, he said. “What I do for the restaurant, it’s for Oak Park.” Amerikas’s philosophy of creating flavors across cultures is reflected in the restaurant’s dishes. While the breakfast and lunch menu offers more traditional Mexican food, Gonzalez showcases his creativity through the dinner menu. “It’s what a Oaxacan can do in America,” he says.
America has been coined “the melting pot,” and in terms of its foods, it’s literally that. People from around the world came to make America to make it their home, bringing and sharing their native cultures, flavors and foods.
American cuisine is hard to define for that very reason. Amerikas represents that very essence of American cuisine. Our concept is dedicated to blending Latin roots with flavors from around the world to create that unique taste.
At Amerikas restaurant our mission is all about embracing all the flavors of our very melting pot called America. As we continue to incorporate cultures into our own, the tastes we love will evolve to reflect the changing world.
Amerikas
734 Lake St, Oak Park
(708) 613-4254 • amerikasrestaurant.com
Gonzalez’s bestselling cauliflower dish, which he created in just 10 minutes, incorporates farro from Italy, manchego from Spain, and hibiscus from Mexico. The restaurant serves fish on Mexican fried rice, incorporating a Chinese fried rice technique. Instead of serving dishes with rice and beans, Gonzalez serves fresh vegetables from local farms.
At Amerikas, Gonzalez strives to provide guests with an “experience.”
The restaurant has no televisions. The layout and environment encourage intimate conversations. The food is made to share. During the summer, guests can enjoy meals outdoors on the vibrant Lake Street restaurant row. When the weather is nice, Amerikas keeps its doors open.
“For me, the money is not what I work for,” said Gonzalez. “I work because I love this: the hospitality, good food, cocktails, with no pressure, with no rush. People come in here and forget about everything.”
Amerikas Restaurant
734 Lake St., Oak Park (708) 613-4254
• amerikasrestaurant.com
Eat with your heart, mind and taste buds
There are so many factors my mind these days when it comes to food. Cost is number one. Quickly that come questions, such as is it sustainably caught/gr humanely produced, locally or re gionally sourced and so many more details that threaten to overwhelm the enjoyment perfect bite.
I love to eat. I love to cook. think you probably love one or both of those if you are reading our annual Eats special section from Growing Community Media. Our region is blessed with more high-quality restaurants than I’ll ever get around to eating at. But not for lack of trying! As I have interviewed owners and chefs over the past year, I’ve witnessed the passion that goes into these locally run establishments. Their dedication to doing the right thing by their ingredients and their diners is staggeringly beautiful.
As you peruse these pages, I feel confident that your mouth will start watering. While I hope you will be inspired to revisit old favorites, I also challenge you to venture to new ones. Not just for the culinary adventure, but to support the vibrant dining scene that we are so lucky to have and to have sustained thus far.
To paraphrase the bible (is that a wise thing to do?) where your money is, there also is your heart. We have been a community that has very consciously preserved our restaurants through the trauma of the pandemic, let’s keep it going. I say, put your mouth where your mind, heart and wallet are. Eat local!
Risé covers food and restaurants for Wednesday Journal, Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review and RiversideBrookfield Landmark.
RISÉ
SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
What is a Green Dining Hub?
A GROUP OF RESTAURANTS THAT:
REDUCE THEIR OWN IMPACT ON OUR CLIMATE
FIND COLLECTIVE WAYS TO TAKE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION
OFFER LOCAL GREEN DINING EXPERIENCES
TAKEOUT 25 IS ILLINOIS’ FIRST GREEN DINING HUB
Takeout 25 Green Dining Hub
Sustainability Champions
“[Takeout 25] worked to have our community certified as a Illinois first Green Dining Hub in partnership with Illinois Green Business Program and decided to use that platform to address the commercial composting challenge...To encourage local restaurants to compost, Takeout 25 has partnered with WasteNot to make that service available and is offering $500 grants toward the cost of composting.”
Addis Café
Anfora Wine Merchants
Autre Monde Café
Betty’s Pizza
Big Shrimpin’
Blackout Baking
Brewpoint Coffee
Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor Buzz Café
Candycopia
Carnivore
Chicago Waffles
Chubby’s Hot Chicken
The Daly Bagel
Fritzi’s Delicatessen
Happy Apple Pie Shop
Kettlestrings Grove
Kettlestrings Tavern
Khyber Pass
Kribi Coffee
Media Noche Café
Mora Asian Kitchen
One Lake Brewing
Poke Burrito
Starship
Sugar Beet Food Co-op
Taco Mucho
Wise Cup
- Risé Sanders-Weir, Wednesday Journal
Each participant is on a unique journey to be more sustainable. Your support helps them go further.
Celebrating our 19th year on Madison Street
Direct online ordering is available
Sunday brunch (10am-2pm)
Catering (please give 48 hours notice)
Private parties on our 2nd floor (bridal, wedding, and baby showers, birthdays, meetings)
2nd floor outdoor patio dining (subject to private party schedule)
Contributing
Photo by Todd Bannor
EAn egg-celent new breakfast option: Egg Harbor Cafe opens on South Boulevard
By ELIZABETH SHORT Contributing Reporter
gg Harbor Cafe celebrated its grand opening at 1111 South Blvd. in Oak Park on July 16. Nestled between the bustling Downtown Oak Park and Pleasant District and right across from the busy Oak Park Metra station, Egg Harbor is a calm, family-friendly haven offering affordable and high-quality breakfast and lunch options. Walking into Egg Harbor, guests will notice the smell of fresh coffee, bacon, and syrup, said Angel Gutierrez, who manages the Oak Park location. “We want people to walk in and feel the good vibes,” he said. “We want to make sure that when you walk in you feel comfortable, you feel safe, and that you feel a home away from home.”
Founded in 1985 by college sweethearts Jack and Paula Wright, their daughter Aimee and her husband Mike Farrell in Hinsdale, Egg Harbor now has locations in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Georgia. The South Boulevard cafe is Egg Harbor’s 24th location. The company has grown significantly across its nearly 40-year history, yet it has maintained its family feel and commitment to support the local community. Today, the cafe remains family-owned across three generations.
Lynda Dautenhahn, who stopped by the cafe at the end of a visit to Oak Park before returning home to Springfield, said the cafe was “bright and clean.” The “environment felt welcoming to young families as well as to an older person who might come in by themselves and wish to quietly read a book or write a note while they had lunch or breakfast,” she said. In the cafe’s dining room, booth and table seating are available under the glow of the cafe’s sky light. In warmer months, guests can choose to dine on the shaded patio located in front of
the entrance on South Boulevard. The cafe has a history of investing in local businesses and prides itself on providing high-quality meals for an affordable price (prices average $18.50 per customer). Egg Harbor buys its bread from Turano Bakery, pottery from Deneen Pottery based in St. Paul, gluten-free baked goods from Sweet Ali’s bakery in Hinsdale, and a proprietary roast created exclusively for Egg Harbor by Big Shoulders in Chicago.
The menu features classic American breakfast options such as skillets, omelets, frittatas, pancakes, and breakfast bowls, as well as lunch options such as sandwiches and salads. Popular dishes include the Door County Chicken Salad (made with dried cranberries, apples, and pecans after a suggestion from a customer), Strawberry Crunch French Toast, Smoked Salmon Benedict, and Maple Bourbon Bacon. An alternative menu is also available for gluten-free guests. Egg Harbor offers more in addition to these standards, such as the delicious Middle Eastern and North African favorite, Shakshuka. The cafe makes its own jam, made from blackberries, blueberries and strawberries, and banana bread. Egg Harbor also offers Natalie’s Orange Juice, espresso drinks, frozen espresso “Harborcci-
nos,” mimosas, and Bloody Mary’s. For special occasions and events, the cafe offers a catering service.
The cafe is devoted to creating a family-oriented environment. Just inside of the Oak Park cafe is a “Kidz Korner” providing toys, books, and screen-free entertainment for younger guests. Egg Harbor also has a paper kid’s menu, offering $8 breakfast and lunch options. On the back of the kid’s menu is an egg coloring contest; every month, the staff chooses winners that will win a free kid’s meal and have their art displayed at the cafe.
Above all, the company strives to “support the communities and the employees,” said Gutierrez, who started working at Egg Harbor as a server over 20 years ago. Egg Harbor is committed to developing leaders and helping employees to grow careers. Beyond its staff, the company has established a reputation for community involvement. At previous locations, Egg Harbor has invited school groups to visit the kitchen and hosted winter clothing drives.
Egg Harbor Cafe
1111 South Blvd., Oak Park Open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day • eggharborcafe.com
www.mayadelsol.com
Fashioned from NRebozo Fo
so many worthy cocktails at NRebozo, but this Old Fashioned stole my heart. Ingredients Casa Amigos Añejo, Banhez Espadín Joven Mezcal, Hibiscus nectar and Angostura are sipped from a rim dusted with Tajin.
5) Zucchini blossoms from Piacere Mio, Forest Park: This seasonal appetizer appears only when zucchinis are in bloom. Fried and filled with pecorino cheese mousse,
I love a ham and brie sandwich almost as much as I love ham and butter on a baguette. This rendition from Sawmilly includes thin apple slices and a drizzle of
4 5 6 7 8
8) Fried dill pickles from Irish Times, Brookfield: Are these an Irish staple? No But I’m not going to hold that against them. Ever since I first had this appetizer decades ago at Cock of the Walk in Hot Springs, Arkansas, I seek them out as a guilty pleasure.
7) Waffles from Addis Cafe, Oak Park: Waffles at Addis Café come in a variety of ways – with salted caramel and whipped cream, savory, Nutella and banana – but my favorite is the classic with maple syrup A hint of
coffee ice cream. This elixir performs that same alchemy for me.
10) Italian ice from Johnnie’s, Elmwood Park: This is the ultimate in Italian ice in my humble opinion. Is it a dessert or a drink? Depends on how fast you slurp the frosty mountain delivered in a cup I was wary of the lemon peel bits mixed in at first but came to treasure them.
Park Bakery, Oak Park: If you know, you know This is a slab pie sold by the square. It is a regional treasure. According to the Sun-Times it ’s getting harder and harder to find this treat these days, but Oak Park Bakery makes it daily 12) Turtle sundae from
sundae many places, but this was my nostalgia trip As a tween, I once stole 75 cents from my grandmother ’s purse to get one (I’ve since knelt at her grave and apologized).
A small bite from our chefs
By RISE SANDERS-WEIR
Oak Park | amerikasrestaurant.com
owner Armando Gonzalez worked in Japanese, Italian and estaurants as a young man. Those flavors excited him, so when it came time to imagine his own place, he wanted to keep his Mexican heritage in the forefront but inform his dishes with the best the world has to offer. He named it Amerikas to honor that mix. He chose a location in Oak Park for a similar reason: the diversity of people and the openness to tasting new dishes. His unique dishes combine the American melting pot tradition without losing his roots.
Ciro
Parlato
1048 Pleasant St., Oak Park | cirooakpark.com
Ciro restaurant is a concept born out of Chef Ciro grandmother’s salumeria (Italian for “deli”) where he spent his childhood years. It was a community hub, restaurant and store all rolled into one. The restaurant celebrates its first year in September There are eight bar-style seats along the kitchen counter for dining in but take-and-bake is the heart of the concept. All dishes ar prepped and ready to go. Specialties from all 20 regions of appear on the menu, with key ingredients imported from the source.
Johnny Mei and Jinn y Zhao
The curated list of offering changes e tar North Ave., Elmwood Park | newstarrestaurant.com
Johnny Mei worked for New Star’s owner Jinny Zhao long before joining her at the Elmwood Park restaurant. Zhao’s reputation for quality ingredients and attention to detail earned this level of loyalty from her staff. When Zhao decided to convert a dining room at the back of the restaurant into a hibachi-style dining experience, Mei was more than ready to sign on as head cook. Diners sit around teppanyaki grills, while Mei and staff deliver dinner and a show. Yelp rates New Star in the top three for Japanese grill estaurant in the Chicago area, well above name-brand chains.
Armando Gonzalez
Forest Park | newrebozos.com
How did “Oh My God” become Chef Paco’s signature When he bought the restaurant and renamed opez didn’t speak much English, but he was confident in his menu, especially his Fiesta Moles. His son helped a phrase book that included things like, “Hi, how are you ready to order?” After that Paco would say, “Oh my God!” This was an expression of both navigating in a language he didn’t speak and his owning his own place. Eventually Chef Paco got better but the catch phrase stuck.
1018 Lake St., Oak Park | facebook.com/wisecupoakpark
Wise Cup
When Shivangi Khetarpal opened Wise Cup with her husband Naveen, they imagined a continuation of the neighborhood coffee shop that had been in the location before. For Shivangi, it was an opportunity to bring her marketing and finance skills to a more personal project. They continued to offer coffee drinks, loose-leaf tea and a selection of pastries. But when they added Indian spice flare to the drink menu, customers clamored for food too. Now you can order samosas and other small bites daily, then on the first Saturday of each month the options with a pop-up menu that is a full meal.
Beau’s Kitchen
alendar Ave., La Grange | chefbeauskleankitchen.com
ood is fuel, but it is also what we are made of. What goes into our bodies can determine a lot about our overall health. Blackburn is an anti-inflammatory, autoimmune chef. His weekly meal service caters both to clients who have health issues and to those who don’t want to develop them. The location is delivery and take-away providing meals that are gluten free, mostly organic, grass-fed meats and wild caught seafood. It’s as clean as he can make it. Menus change weekly and are intended to feed clients day in and day out. lunch, dinner and snacks all roll out of Chef Beau’s Kitchen.
Paco Lopez
Shivangi Khetarpal
William Beau Blackburn
SWEET, SAVORY AND LO CAL PACKAGED GOODS
These are made locally but enjoyed far and wide
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
Wdisabilities. Their marquee jobs program is Knockout Pickles – available in classic, deli-style, spicy and bread & butter varieties. This artisanal business manufactures 10 five-gallon buckets and 120 jars of pucker-worthy slices each month.
hile our area isn’t a powerhouse of manufacturing, food entrepreneurship is strong. Several businesses, both large and small, ply their trade locally. This is a roundup of just a few of them.
Pickle power! Opportunity Knocks is a local organization created to support people with intellectual and developmental
The pickles are used at nine local restaurants and on the shelves of several local grocery stores, including The Sugar Beet, Alpine Food Shop and coming soon to Jewel in River Forest.
Meat joy! Jilly’s Jerky started with a desire to recreate the meat-based magic that Jill Evans LaPenna’s dad made. Through trial and error, she recreated the recipe which now comes in four flavors: original, Cayenne Tang, Chipotle Crush and Habanero Heat.
LaPenna and her husband Anthony still cook jerk y locally for direct-toconsumer trade, but when demand ratchetted up, accelerating to retail speed was trickier than they had anticipated. Meat products sold at that level must be manufac-
Chicago Common beer from Kinslagher.
tured in a USDA-approved facility. Luckily, they found a Michigan partner who is carefully crafting their retail line Beer here! Kinslagher Brewing Company’s owner Keith Huizinga keeps two of their brews on local retail shelves: Chicago Common and Prohibition Pilsner Chicago Common is Kinslagher’s own creation, an ode to a brick. The red hue references the red, orange and cream colors of that icon of construction. The flavor is a rye lager, with hops giving it an earthy and piney twist. Prohibition Pilsner is an American-style pilsner from back when
Continued on page 13
Beef Jerky from Jilly's Jerky.
KINSLAGHER BREWING COMPANY
Victory Italian: ‘We are
Believe it or not Victory Italian has been open in Oak Park for almost 4 years. We started the project pre covid but slowed our construction during the pandemic. Luckily, we purchased the property and were able to do our remodel slowly as things improved and opened at the right time.
Owner Tony Gambino said, “Oak Park has always been like a second home to me. I grew up in Melrose Park, but I opened my first full service restaurant in Oak Park in 2001, Fuego Loco on Lake Street, which was a block from my house on South and Euclid. I loved the area and it was a great place to raise my kids. When we sold Fuego Loco in 2008, I always wanted to get back to Oak Park. I looked at a number of locations over the years but never found the right space. When I saw the closed restaurant on the corner of South and Marion it seemed
perfect to me. I was a big fan of the Marion Cheese Market and loved the space. It had a look that was similar to what I like to design, lots of windows and light and a great deal of outdoor space.”
Oak Park has been great to be a part of, the rich history and culture of Oak Park work well with our traditional old school Italian menu and vibe. In Oak Park you can feel the history and when you walk into Victory Italian the feel is that this restaurant may have been here for 40 years.
Our food is traditional Chicago Italian, great pasta, sauces and Italian entrees with the addition of some exciting chef driven specialties. Our fabulous Brick chicken is an Oak Park favorite, as is the OPRF Chopped salad. Lamb chops Oreganata or Steak Gambino style.
Victory is open Tuesday thru Sunday
4 p.m. till 9 p.m. with the bar staying open later.
Victory has a full catering menu with its traditional offerings as well as specialty seafood items available during the holidays if you want to do the 7 fishes.
Victory is also a great place to have a family party of up to 60 people.
Victory Italian
100 S. Marion St., Oak Park 708-434-5766
• victoryitalian.com
Continued from page 11
recent European immigrant brewers started to adapt to fermentables available in the U.S. It’s drier and a touch hoppy-er than nationally marketed pilsners.
Hot or mild? Hank’s Giardiniera takes this local treat “from the Windy City to the world” according to creator Hank Tibensky. After closing his Italian Beef stand in New York City, due to Covid-borne complications. He pivoted to retailing his signature recipe.
The garden-in-a-bottle mix is whipped up in Cicero, but the retail footprint is national. Two heat options are available in Sprouts groceries stores in 24 states and locally at Carnivore.
Raising the bar! Silverland Bakery ships brownies, bars, and cookies nationwide. It started from a combination of owner Athena Uslander’s desire to work for herself and her, then partner, Lisa Silverman’s family brownie recipe. The company has expanded, adding ve g an, gluten free, keto and sugar free options. All are preservative free.
They’ve been the private label supplier to restaurant chains such as Olive Garden. But their storefront location in Forest Park was a life saver during the pandemic. Now the 41-year-old business is back to thriving. What packaged food survey would be complete without two local heavyweights Turano Bread has been making Roosevelt
opportunityknocksnow.org
jillysjerky.com
kinslahger.com
hanksgiardiniera.com
silverlandbakery.com turano.com ferrara.com
Road smell heavenly for almost 60 years. It all started with Mariano Turano’s classic recipes from Italy. Now it bakes in four states, but locals can visit Mamma Susi’s Bake Shop on Roosevelt Road.
Ferrara is seen by all who pass by their plant along the Eisenhower expressway near Harlem. The company is more than 115 years old and now encompasses brands such as Jelly Belly, Nerds, SweetTARTS and Trolli. The Ferrara Pan Factory Outlet Store in Forest Park is a real treat.
Kinslahger is a community gathering place designed for conversation (no TV’s) with friends new and old. We offer not only the beer we make on site but also a selection of wine, cider, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. Feeling hungry? We have fresh pretzels from Daly Bagel, cheese & charcuterie plates and some curated snacks. Want something more substantial, you can order delivery from one of the many great local restaurants right to your seat at the bar.
Kinslahger Taproom
6806 Roosevelt Road
Oak Park, IL 60304 (844) 552-4437 x0
www.kinslahger.com
Hours: Th & Fri 5-10pm | Sa 2-10pm | Su 2-6pm
HANK'S GIARDINIERA
Mild and hot Giardiniera from Hank's.
six layered French pastr y How Sugar Fixé makes a
Rachel Rogak, head pastry chef, places the first layer of sponge cake in the baking pan after layering the bottom of the pan with buttercream. A layer of chocolate follows and the second sponge cake layer is then placed.
PHOTO S BY SAM TUCKER
First of all, it takes three days. So be patient
By SAM TUCKER Contributing Reporter
What goes into making a six-layer entremet? Sugar Fixé Patisserie’s head pastry chef gives a window into the process of making this rich tasting and visually appealing French pastry.
gar Fixé Patisserie has been in business in do wntown Oak Park since 2011. The pastry shop, 119 N. Marion St., offers a range of familiar and unique pastry items, all proudly made from scratch.
Rachel Rogak, the head pastry chef, started working at the patisserie as a pastry cook three years ago. Now, she is head chef and maintains Sugar Fixé Patisserie’s high-quality attitude towards bakery and pastry foods.
“What I always loved about this place is that it’s not just a bakery, it’s a patisserie. It has some more of those interesting, higher-end kinds of items where you’re putting different interesting flavors and textures together … tha t’s something I think that we do differently,” said Rogak.
The “opera entremet” is a six layered coffee-flavored pastry that is created by layering buttercream and chocolate between thin layers of sponge cake. It is one of the many pastries they make that
2
Another layer of buttercream is carefully spread, with high attention paid to keeping a flat and even surface. Any inconsistencies will show along the side-profile of the finished entremet.
Once pulled from the cooler, the pan is flipped upside down so the first layer of buttercream that lined the pan is now on top Rogak said that working top to bottom and flipping the pan at this point in the process makes it easier to create the nearly perfect flat-layer on top of the pastry.
require time and patience, said Rogak.
The process, usually done over three days, starts with baking three thin layers of almond sponge cake and soaking them in coffee. The roughly half-inch layers of cake need to be refrigerated overnight so they maintain a structure.
On the second day, the layering begins. Two layers of coff buttercream and a single layer of chocolate ganache are spread between the thin sponge cakes, building the pastry up layer layer. Throughout the entire process, Rogak said paying close attention to keeping things flat is a necessity. Afterwards, the pan spends another night in the fridge to solidify.
3
The third and final layer of the sponge cake is placed. After making all the edges of the layers square and even to the pan, it is covered and placed in a cooler overnight so the layers can solidify.
4 5 6
Once cut to the final shape, icing and a chocolate emblem are carefully placed atop Making the “opera entremet” ready for serving.
On the third day, the final touches to the top and final surface are finished. The final chocolate glaze is spread and heated with a blowtorch to create a near-perfect flat surface. Then, the pastries are scored and cut to shape. A small chocolate emblem is carefully placed in the icing, finishing off the French dessert pastry.
Problem solving in the kitchen and bringing different flavors to the plates of Oak Park patrons is what makes her job enjoyable, said Rogak.
“We try to do interesting things with food. I mean, why not? There’s so much that you can do. Might as well try to put things together and expose people to different flavor combinations and things. That’s what makes this field so fun,” said Rogak.
Sugar Fixé Patisserie sugarFixe.com
119 N Marion St., Oak Park
Hours:
Thursday: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m
Friday/Saturday: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wed.: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A scoring tool is then used to equally separate the individual pieces for cutting.
G eorge’s Restaurant & Pancake House
HAmazing Mexican at NRebozo
ey there! At NRebozo we offer a variety of unique moles featured in our Fiesta Mole, which includes six enchiladastwo classic moles and four that rotate throughout the year. Our fish tacos change with the seasons, such as featuring fruit salsas like Cantaloupe or Mango in the summer, Chicharron Mole in the fall, White Habanero sauce tacos in the winter, and Tamarind fish tacos in the spring. And you can’t have a great dinner without great drinks, right? We’ve got you covered there too, from traditional Margaritas to a Prickly Pear Margarita topped with Burt Rose. We also offer a delightful Hibiscus Guava Margarita made with Ritual
Zero-proof Tequila for those who prefer mocktails.
And if you’re thinking of having a special event, we’ve got you covered there too! Chef Paco and you can sit together and design a menu that best suits your event and any dietary restrictions you have. You can also rent out the full restaurant for your event and we offer private event packages that include a full bar of all our margaritas, beers, wines, Tequila, and
Mezcal. It’s a perfect place for family events, birthday parties, work parties, or just any celebration in general!!!
7403 Madison St, Forest Park, IL 60130 (708) 445-0370 newrebozos.com
An uprising of bakeries
So many wonder ful treats. So little time
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
There is a bakery goods surge happening in our area. Surely this is a good thing. Explore our eet/dulce/dolce abundance!
Mamma Susi ’s Bake Shop
6501 W. Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn: Assunta ‘Susi ’ Tu rano was the family matriarch. The store ser ves up a wide variet y Tu rano breads and an assortment of I talian style pastries, donuts and cookies
Twisted Cookie
7401 Madison, Forest Park: Cookies, cookie pies, cookie cupcakes, cheesecake cookies, cookie bark, gluten free, dipped and stuffed brownies – so many flavors and varieties it’s hard to choose.
Sugar Fixe
119 N. Marion St., Oak Park: Macarons are a splash of color in cases filled with tarts, pastries, cookies. Custom cakes and bake-at-home options ound out the offerings
Publican Quality Br ead
211 Harrison St., Oak Park: Baked on premises, this location is bread forward, but includes pastries sweet and savory many of which follow seasonal flavor peaks.
Continued on page 18
Laury’s Bakery & Cake
12 Madison St., Oak Park: Jawdropping custom cakes. Sweet potato pie by the square and caramel cupcakes take the lead here. Red velvet cupcakes are not far behind!
Oak Park Bakery
904 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park: For more than 100 years the pies, pastries, breads, cupcakes, cookies and cakes have filled the cases here. They still make apple slices every day!
Forest Park Bakery
7332 Madison St., Forest Park: Donuts, cakes, pastries, pies, muffins, macaroons, breads, oh my! This long-time family operation knows their dough.
Vesuvio Bakery
8717 Cermak Rd., North Riverside: “Cannoli” is on the awning, so you know they aren’t playing. There are many flavors to choose from as well as breads, cookies and other pastries.
Silverland Bakery
Broken Tart
1108 Chicago Ave., Oak Park: This home of the “life-changing” kale scone also serves a curated selection of sweet and savory delicacies. Their olive oil cake is out of this world.
439 Des Plaines Ave., Forest Park: It started with a dream and a brownie recipe, now their many varieties of bars (including keto, vegan and gluten-free) are shipped nationwide.
Panaderia Puebla
614 Lake St., Maywood: Traditional Mexican pandulces, breads, cakes and pastries fill this shop. Their conchas get accolades online. Seasonal specialties.
Courageous Bakery
736 Lake St., Oak Park: Started in the cupcake craze of the early 2010s, but has expanded to pies, cakes and savory options. And now with ice cream – Courageous Cones!
Spilt Milk
811 South Blvd., Oak Park: Biscuits are the bomb. Artisan pies, cookies and pastries are baked with locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. Black cherry almond cake ice cream!
Vision-impaired baker loves selling sweets
S“My goal is to help others conquer the kitchen with poise, patience and perseverance,” said Keelie Banks, 35, owner of Suga Bakers, talking about her blog and her love for inspiring others.
But that statement takes on extra meaning when you learn about what Banks refers to as “a unique set of challenges.”
Eight years ago, she was diagnosed with retinal pigmentosa, a rare genetic disease that causes vision loss.
“With the help of God and my amazing support system, I remain committed to making my dreams a reality,” said Banks.
uga Bakers is not just an ordinary bakery. My mission far transcends the butter, flour and sugar that goes into making the good old fashion desserts that I am known for. My goal is to bring joy, happiness and connection to families, friends and communities-- one sweet treat at a time. Most of all, I want to show everyone that anything is possible when you believe.
My baking journey began over a decade ago. What started out as baking for friends and family turned into much, much more. Now, it is also my business as well as my joy.
Banks started baking 14 years ago. “What started out as a way to make extra money during my college years turned into a full- edged passion,”
Unfortunately, I was hit hard eleven years ago. I was diagnosed with a rare genetic eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. As my love for
baking began, my eyesight started to decline which caused me to put my dreams on hold for a while. I, however, didn't let that stop me. I regained the vision for my future four years ago in the midst of the pandemic. If the pandemic taught me anything, it taught me to embrace change, have courage, and that I was stronger than I had ever realized.
Banks said. But she’s always enjoyed creative endeavors and hobbies, like sewing, decorating and entertaining. She lives nearby in Bellwood, so she’s familiar with Forest Park, where she frequents restaurants, including Shanahan’s and Scratch Kitchen. Creativita is another favorite: “Painting and wine have become one of my new birthday traditions,” Banks said.
Now, I feel like it’s my mission to get back to the root of how we created special memories with the ones we love, with food, family, fun and delicious homemade sweet treats!
one of my new birthday traditions,” Banks
In her blog The Sweet Life, at sugabakers.com, she talks about her love of baking and shares recipes, like Ultimate Pumpkin Mu ns and Pumpkin Praline Pie.
Suga Bakers. Baking you happy one sweet treat at a time!
Suga Bakers bakery, located in Bellwood Illinois.
Decadent desserts, including German chocolate cake, red velvet cake, and a variety of cookies are for sale at sugabakers.com of
• 630-886-2525
• sugabakers.com
Taste the world on Elmwood Park’s Restaurant Row
By Risé Sanders-Weir
“Instagram-worthy” is easily the adjective for food served up on Elmwood Park’s Restaurant
Massa Café Italiano
7434 W. North Ave
#MassaCafe
Row. If you ate on North Avenue every day for a week, none of your social media followers would believe this much variety, paired with consistent quality, is packed into such a few blocks. It ’s the reason Elmwood Park has been a dining destination for decades. Free parking at 7420 W. North Ave. is a bonus too!
Italy is a little closer than you think. Massa Cafe Italiano has been serving up authentic Italian fare since 1968. Close your eyes as you bite into their menu, sip a house-roasted coffee, or delight in specialty frozen desserts and you will swear you’ve been transported abroad. Try an affogato – five flavor options all combine espresso, gelato and toppings to make you swoon.
Inari Sushi
7428 W. North Ave
#inarisushi
New Star
7444 W. North Ave
Spizzico
7446 W. North Ave
#newstarrestaurant
This mainstay of Restaurant Row was reinvented by Jinny Zhao Nothing from a can is her watchword. When Zhao took over the restaurant she added pan-Asian flavors to the mix. Can’t decide whether to eat Thai, Chinese, sushi, hibachi grill or just drink tiki cocktails? You don’t have to choose, because all are on the menu at New Star
#spizzicopizzapasta
The traditional thin crust cheese pizza at Spizzico is the measure all other pizzas should be judged against. The ‘Spizzico Special’ pizza has been called a love triangle, topped with sausage, mushroom, onion, and green pepper A full selection of Italian dishes fills out the menu. And delivery and catering are available too
Dine in or carry out, Inari is here to deliver sushi to your tastebuds. Lunch specials bring down the cost of your cravings and weekday specials give you permission to try something outside of your got-to order Ramen and poke bowls remix the sushi menu into new delights. And a selection of entrees sure to please nonraw eaters.
Taco Town
7446
#tacotownmexicangrill
There’s a new taco in town. They even serve up breakfast, a rarity in the arena of Mexican food locations. For later in the day, you choose your base (burrito, bowl, taco, tostada, etc.) then agonize over which filling – there are 17 options from chicken to tongue. Wash these treats down with horchata and agua de piña.
W. North Ave (enter on 75th Ave)
Alpine Food Shop
7538 W. North Ave
#alpinefoodshop
Other sandwiches try to reach this height, but an Alpine is an experience unto itself. Made to order when you order – meats, cheeses and other ingredients rest in cracklingly fresh Italian filone (of course you could also choose rye or multigrain bread). As a bonus, you can pick up many Italian treasures while you get your meal: pastas, sauces, spreads, and cookies.
Burger MOOvment
7512 W. North Ave
Johnnie’s Beef
7500 W. North Ave
#johnniesbeef
World-renown for a reason! Have you ever seen the building without a line out the door Me neither The menu is short and to the point. Italian beef wet or dry. Italian peppers sweet or spicy. Fries with just the right amount of crisp You can get a hot dog and a polish sausage here too Don’t forget the Italian ice!
Gringo and Blondie
7514 W. North Ave
#grindoandblondie
Mexican street food is their claim to fame. All the classics are waiting on the menu. Try a cemita on fresh sesame seed rolls with your choice of toppings and Oaxacan cheese. You can knock back mimosas and micheladas with brunch on the weekends featuring chilaquiles, Mexican French toast (cinnamon, caramel and pecans) among other delicacies.
#burgermoovment
Signature burgers for each season of the year (and a shake that coordinates) keeps the menu fresh at Burger MOOvment. All year round, you can choose what to slip between the buns: beef patties stacked 1, 2 or even 3 high; chicken breast – grilled or crispy; or black bean veggie burger There are toppings galore and bite-sized options for the small fry
Does the thought of BBQ sauce on your fingers in all its cinnamon-scented glory send you reeling back to a first date, an outing with grandparents or just the good old days? Since 1930 this temple of meats has been providing finger-licking good meals and is likely the oldest continually operating BBQ joint in the Chicago area.
Armand’s
7650 W. North Ave
#armands.ep
Pizza is at the forefront, but don’t forget about signature items, like, stuffed artichokes, baked clams and antipasto salad. Over the years Armand’s has expanded to locations beyond Elmwood Park, but this location is home. Need to feed a troop, order a yard long pizza. Need to feed yourself? Stop in for a lunch deal – personal pan pizza special.
Russell’s Barbecue 1621 N. Thatcher Ave
#russellsbarbecueEP
Elmwood Park has a long standing reputation for being home to outstanding restaurants. As a Village we are proud to share this reputation and work hard to promote it
RESTAURANTS
Alpine
7538 W North Ave
Armand's Pizzeria
7650 W North Ave
Ashleys Café & Tap
7500 W Grand Ave
Burger King 1750 Harlem Ave
Burger Moovement
7512 W North Ave
Caputo's
Fresh Markets 2400 N Harlem Ave
Circle Tavern 18 Conti Pkwy
Culvers 7542 W Grand Ave
Donny G's 7308 W North Ave
Dunkin Donuts 7201 W Grand Ave
Eggsperience 16 Conti Pkwy
Great American
Bagel
7230 W North Ave
Gringo & Blondie 7514 W North Ave
Happy Wok 1742 N Harlem Ave
Inari
7428 W North Ave
Jim & Pete's 7806 W North Ave
Jimmy John's 1702 N Harlem Ave
Johnnie's 7500 W North Ave
Massa Café 7434 W North Ave
McDonalds 7217 W Grand Ave
New Star Restaurant
7444 W North Ave
Old World
7230 W North Ave
Panera 7400 Nor th Ave
BARS
Celtic Corner
Circle Tavern
Russell's
Barbecue
1621 Thatcher Ave
Spizzico
7446 W North Ave
Sports Nook 7841 Grand Ave
Subway
2836 N Harlem Ave
7230 W North Ave
Tacos 2 Go
7530 W Grand Ave
Taco Town
7746 W North Ave
The Barre Studio & Café
12 W Conti Parkway
Tony D's
7725 W B elmont Ave
Trattoria
Peppino's 7440 W North Ave
Union Tap
7707 Westwood #1A
Wing Stop 1740 N Harlem Ave
Jim & Pete’s 7806 W. North Ave
#jimandpetes
Jim and Pete are no longer with us, rest their souls, but the quality of Italian food they envisioned serving when they opened in 1941 is still going strong. Owner Michael Bucchianeri says, “There’s simply too much tradition and history Great people, great customers and friends that will keep Jim & Pete’s alive forever.”
Trattoria Peppino 7440 W. North Ave
#trattoria_peppino
“Down-to-earth,” and “neighborhood favorite” are the words you want to hear when you are hankering for a big, satisfying plate of pasta. Pizzas don’t skimp on the toppings either Study the cocktail and a wine list until you find just what you are looking for. Peppino has an extensive menu that perks up your interest yet feels comfortable and filling.
Filling lunches that don’t empty your wallet
FBy Risé Sanders-Weir | Contributing Reporter
inding a good, cheap lunch has never been harder. Restaurants face the same inflation pressures as the rest of us. Luckily, our brain trust of people on social media helped us find some of the best deals in the area. Here are some ideas for the next time your stomach grumbles at noontime. All clock in under $10.
SANDWICHES
Sandwiches are a reliable option. Alpine Food Shop, 7538 W. North Ave. in Elmwood Park, has a variety made to order. Jerusalem Café, 1030 W. Lake St. in Oak Park, has both sandwiches and platters that limbo under $10. Sawmilly, 35 E. Burlington St. in Riverside, can fill you up on a budget too. You can imagine you are in Paris at Lea French Street Food, 106 N. Marion St. in Oak Park.
Continued on page 24
Sandwich from Lea French.
Continued from page 23
B URGER AND FRIES
For some a burger and fries hits the spot for a cheap and filling midday meal. Mickey’s Ribs & Gyros, 525 N. Harlem Ave. in Oak Park, has got you covered. Michael’s Beef House, 6747 W. North Ave. in Oak Park, and Parky’s (with windows now fixed), 329 S. Harlem Ave. in Forest Park, are worthy options as well.
PIZZ A
If a slice of pizza and a soda is a dream lunch for you, check out DiNico’s, 6627 W. Roosevelt Rd. in Berwyn or Cuzzo’s, 330 Madison St. in Oak Park. Both serve up large slices, ready to
OTHER BITES
There are many other lunch specials around the area that tip the scale just above $10 but are still very good deals (I’m looking at you Sen Sushi, 814 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park).
There are also many “bites” that might not tide you over until supper but deserve a mention. Two empanadas at Mulata, 136 N. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park, stay under our budget. And a couple of sides from Passion Eats Express, 7103 W. North Ave. in Oak Park, will satisfy a soul food craving. Enjoy!
burger and fries
FA L AFEL
If you are hankering for falafel and in Forest Park, Petra Falafel, 7314 Madison St., has got you covered. So does North Avenue Falafel, 6814 W. North Ave. in Elmwood Park
SALAD
How about a salad to keep you in trim? Maya Del Sol, , has got one that fits the Park, e. in
North Avenue Falafel
Mickey's
COURTESY OF MULATA
Empanadas at Mulata
Based here in Chicagoland, S. Rosen’s has been serving the area since 1909! Our selection of traditional rye breads, buns, and rolls have maintained the same great quality for over a century. Our latest addition is our Tuscan Cocktail Bread,
perfect for party fare and appetizers! Look for it in your local grocery store.
Italian Mini Beefs on Tuscan Cocktail
Ingredients Per App:
½ Slice of Deli Roast Beef (Italian seasoned is best)
½ Slice of Mozzarella cheese
3 Strips of roasted red peppers
1 Slice S.Rosen’s Tuscan cocktail bread
Directions: Place ½ a slice of the roast beef on the Tuscan cocktail bread, top with the mozzarella cheese and roasted red peppers. Bake in the oven at 375 for 7-8 minutes, until the cheese is melty. Serve immediately. Find more recipes at SRosens.com
Buy one Cookie and a Milkshake and get a second milkshake and cookie for 1/2 o when you bring a friend (also applies if you bring more than 1 friend). Friends must be present and must show coupon. Valid starting Sept. 1 - October 31, 2024
Let New Rose cook for you, with free delivery! Every week, we make two soups (serves 2) and two entrees (serves 2, 4, or 6). Free delivery to Oak Park, River Forest, and Forest Park. Dietary restrictions welcome.
Chef/Owner Su Jang
newrosecatering@gmail.com 708.261.6908
See our weekly menus, order, or cater your event at newrosecatering.com
Dining Plan: Riverside and Brookf ield
Iconic spots with a modern twist
CBy RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
ome for the zoo, stay for the food in Brookfield.
In the cheeky words of “The Irish Pub Song” by The High Kings every town has (or deserves) an Irish pub. Well, Brookfield has a wonderful one, Irish Times at 8869 Burlington Ave. From the moment you lay eyes on the exterior you feel transported into a cozier, friendlier, more relaxing mindset. Inside there’s a bar
and menu to match. Fish and chips, corned beef in various for ms and Shepherd’s pie come to the table to meet the cocktail, cider, beer or whiskey that you already have in hand. But you don’t have to stay in the traditional lane, there’s tacos, buffalo wings, fried pickles, and even a salad, if you insist.
Handcrafted barbeque is just down the street at Beach Ave BBQ, 3453 Grand Blvd. Beef, pork and chicken get in-house treatment – dry rubbed and smoked for more than 12 hours over oak logs. Meats platter up beautifully on the combo BBQ meat
sampler. There are sandwiches, ribs, rib tips, sausage, and even BBQ nachos. And do your kids like ribs, but you don’t want to share your slab? There are kid-sized meals for them.
Over in Riverside, downtown is popping with new options and long-time favorites
The Chew Chew, established in 1996, has become an icon at 33 E. Burlington St. In the evenings, this re gular award winner is great for a date night, a celebratory moment, or just about anytime delicious food is on your mind. The menu
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Beach Ave BBQ in Brookfield
IRISH TIMES
Irish Times in Brookfield
BEACH AVE BBQ
rotates to face each season’s freshest flavors. A featured appetizer is oysters, shucked to order. House specialty entrees include a smoked gouda alfredo pasta, steaks, and a variety of flatbreads.
La Barra, 2 E. Burlington St., covers a lot of bases. They have a patio, live music and a dedication to fresh ingredients with a modern take on Italian classics. Open in the evenings and also for lunch on the weekends, the menu spans pastas, salads, soups and many styles of pizzas. Crisp crusted ciabatta-dough pizzas are available in new and familiar flavors, such as cupping pepperoni with hot honey and margherita. Dee p dish pizza comes in re gular
Ending Hunger
More Info
Brookfield: irishtimespub.com beachavebbq.com
Riverside: thechewchew.com labarrariverside.com
or “skinny” varieties. There’s even a Chicago-style thin crust like the tavern style that Pizza Hut just introduced to a national audience.
Leave room for a sweet treat while you are in downtown Riverside at London Ice Cream, La Ofrenda Market, Sawmilly or Aunt Diana’s Old Fashioned Fudge.
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
The Chew Chew in Riverside
THE CHEW CHEW
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
La Barra in Riverside
LA BARRA
Range to La Gr ange for a change
Many choices in a diverse dining scene
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
La Grange is a town that punches well above its weight in the sheer number of restaurants, as well as the variety and quality of those establishments. For a town of 16,000 it is remarkable that more than 50 restaurants can be found within its borders.
“We are c entrally located with accessibility to the western suburbs,” said Cathy Domanico, executive director of the La Grange Business Association. “We have a very vibrant downtown with a lot of retail and it is very walkable.”
There are several dining districts. In the Westend you find treasures such as Milkstop Cafe, where a bowl of French onion soup is almost a meal unto itself.
Downtown proper is filled with boutiques, necessities (lawyers, accountants, fitness, etc.) and flavors. An afternoon af fo gato and a bite of f amous tof fee from Lilett Candies doesn’t disappoint. But nighttime is primetime for La Grange’s award-winning restaurants
Marco’s Kitchen opened in March 2020. Grit and community support pulled them through the darkest days of the pandemic. Now, they are back to their original fine dining plan.
“We’re French, Italian, little bit of Asian, Middle Eastern, Spanish and Mexican. So all of those flavors go on to Continued on page 30
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
French onion soup at Milkstop
MARCO’S KITCHEN
Duck Breast
MARCO’S KITCHEN
Marco's Kitchen
Lilett Candies
Continued from page 29
our menu to create our dishes,” said Marco Conte, chef and owner.
A crowd pleaser is roasted New Zealand lamb chops, encrusted with pistachios, served with a black garlic molasses. Another popular dish is duck breast and blackberry, sage reduction over pappardelle pasta.
In 2024 Marco’s Kitchen earned a DiRōNA award, given to exceptional restaurants in North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Patrons are front and center for another restaurant called fourteensixteen This American “craft” restaurant relies on freedom for the staf f to try new things, reinvent old dishes and strive for the out of the ordinary.
“We are blessed that diners are willing to come out and experiment,” said Bret
Bohning, chef and partner. “They are also honest when things don’t work. Customers feel ownership of the restaurant too. It’s a lovely back and for th.”
Each season drives the menu. This summer pan-seared gnocchi graces the menu with a supporting case of ve getables: broccolini and romanesco. All top a bed of cauliflower puree. Watermelon gazpacho is poured tableside, sparkling with ginger, cilantro and lime facets
Modern, authentic Italian is the flavorprofile of the menu at GP Italiano.
“We say that everything goes on our plates would be something you’d find in Italy today We’ve done our research,” according to chef and owner Joe Dellacroce.
His flour-covered apron attests to the hundreds of pounds of pasta he makes re gularly. And speaking of flour, it is sourced from Italy, as well as the buffalo mozza-
rella which is flown in from there too. Even the cows are Italian, sort of. Beef comes from Piedmontese cattle (an Italian breed) raised in North Dakota.
All dishes are cooked in the restaurant’s wood-burning pizza oven. Even pasta dishes, such as chicken parmesan is nestled in cast iron and finished there. Their Neapolitanstyle pizza took some getting used to for patrons, but now it is a fan favorite.
La Grange dining scene is a knockout! More Info
FOURTEENSIXTEEN
Alaskan Halibut
GP ITALIANO
GP ITALIANO
Neapolitan pizza
LA GRANGE
Dining Guide
With over 30 restaurants, visit La Grange for a vibrant and diverse dining experience!
RESTAURANTS
Antonino’s Ristorante
701 W. Hillgrove Ave.
Aodake Ramen
21 W. Calendar Ave.
Barrel House Social
100 W. Burlington Ave.
Billy Bricks
18 W. Harris Ave.
Blackberry Market
36 S. La Grange Rd.
Blueberry Hill
49 S. La Grange Rd.
Casa Margarita
32 S. La Grange Rd.
fourteensixteen
14 W. Calendar Ave.
GP Italiano
1 S. La Grange Rd.
Kama Bistro
9 S. La Grange Rd.
La Grange
Breakfast Cafe
24 W. Burlington Ave.
Lucca’s Pizzeria & Ristorante
108 W. Burlington Ave.
MAK’S House
46 S. La Grange Rd.
mána
88 S. La Grange Rd.
Marco’s Kitchen
26 S. La Grange Rd.
Milk Money Brewing
75 S. La Grange Rd.
Milkstop
700 W. Burlington Ave.
Nonna’s Good Life Pizza
40 S. La Grange Rd.
The Original Pancake House
942 S. La Grange Rd.
Palmer Place
56 S. La Grange Rd.
Prasino
93 S. La Grange Rd.
Q-BBQ
70 S. La Grange Rd.
Santiago’s Mexican
Restaurant
24 W. Calendar Ave.
Shang Noodle
19 W. Calendar Ave.
Steak + Vine
37 S. La Grange Rd.
Sushi Ukai
120 W. Calendar Ave.
BAKERY / DELI
Balkan Bakery
541 S. La Grange Rd.
Crumbl Cookies
1 N. La Grange Rd.
Swanson’s Deli
74 S. La Grange Rd.
TREATS / TEAS & SMOOTHIES
TATES Old Fashioned
Ice Cream Shop
25 S. Ashland Ave.
The Upbeet Life
18 E. Burlington Ave.
Uni Uni Bubble Tea
15 W. Harris Ave.
lgba.com/dining
“The reason for writing the book is Parakkat’s belief that good ideas can go farther with a map to follow...Throughout the book, Parakkat explains how anyone can start a movement with no capital investment, using tools freely available to most people on the planet.”
- Risé Sanders-Weir, Wednesday Journal
The Takeout 25 Effect is an inspiring account of a community-driven initiative, with lasting impact. Formed in Chicago’s western suburbs during the global pandemic, Takeout 25 aimed to save local restaurants while maintaining public health. It demonstrates the power of community-centric movements by illustrating the journey of Takeout 25 through compelling personal narratives, expert insights, and actionable strategies. This book is not just a recounting of events; it is a call to action for anyone motivated to make a difference in their community and beyond. In fact, it is a toolkit for social change.
The TAKEOUT 25 Effect
By Ravi Parakkat
Available in print, e-book, and audiobook
Locally: thepilebookstore.com
Online: bookshop.org, Amazon, Barnes & Noble
s es you just gotta g a
you
By Risé Sande rs
hen the thermometer rises you just gotta cool off. Air conditioning is nice. The pool is good option. But nothing tastes better than a hand-held blast of cold. There are still plenty of warm days ahead to enjoy what the area has to offer From tried-and-true to newcomers, you don’t need to travel far to discover a new favorite. Let the pros into their freezers and pull out just the right amount of winter to caress your tongue and cool your core. Use this map to locate them all. Then ride your bike to a few of them. Make it a chill crawl!
Amerikas
Amerikas represents the very essence of American cuisine, a concept dedicated to blending its Latin roots with flavors from around the world creating uniques dishes
34 Lake St, Oak Park • amerikasrestaurant.com
Cordial Inn
Cordial Inn Cheeseburgers go great with beer, seltzers, sodas, and all types of Mixed drinks. Tito’s cocktails are only $5 every Thursday!
La Parra Restaurant & Bar
Enjoy our Filet Mignon served with grilled asparagus, mashed potatoes, finished with a red wine garlic sauce and our Frida cocktails
6710 Cermak Rd, Berwyn • laparrachicago.com
The Coffee Shop
We offer an inviting space for people to connect or disconnect over a good cup of coffee and a fresh, made-toorder Walking Waffle. We are The Coffee Shop Oak Park! 163 S Oak Park Ave, Oak Park • thecoffeeshopoakpark.com
Blackout Baking Co.
Sweet, salty, rich, and smooth. Indulge in the perfect bite from this woman-owned Oak Park bakery. Baked fresh using highquality ingredients and shipping nationwide.
New Star Restaurant started over 60 year ago by the well-known Moy family. The Zhao family has been carrying the torch since 2014 with the same honest and delicious Chinese food every day. They added Thai, sushi and gluten free options always using the freshest ingredients!
What is your specialty?
We cover so many Asian dishes but our hibachi and sushi dishes are excellent! Our Thai noodles, Orange Chicken, Fried Rice and Eggrolls are dishes that our customers come back for.
What inspired you to be an owner?
I was a waitress on a student visa and after years of working the owner offered me the opportunity to buy the business. In 2011 I sold Chitung in Evergreen Park. I stayed home but was bored. When I heard about the Moy family selling New Star I was intrigued. New Star turned out to be a great opportunity for me and now my son Frank and daughter Jane help me with the business so it’s been an incredible journey for all of us. I look forward to the future!
What is your most popular dish?
Our Maki Sushi! We always use fresh salmon in our dishes.
What is the best thing about New Star?
- 9:30pm
There are several things! We always keep our place very clean. Our employees have worked here forever so they know our customers very well. We always get compliments on our take out packaging as well as the toys we give out to children who visit and the umbrellas we pass out when people are waiting outside. These gestures go a long way. Hospitality is everything. We aim to please our customers!
Flavors ofthe West Side
TBy RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter
here are many kitchen g ems around the West Side of Chicago. The restaurant scene has many old faithfuls and some new entries.
TNT Rooftop at 5405 W. Madison St. opened less than a year ago. Owners Anthony and Taneka Anderson are bringing fine dining to the area. Custom cocktails from the full bar kick off a meal seated either inside or on the Miami-style rooftop. A wide menu fires up a fine-dining experience with the addition of lamb, seafood and many vegan options. And to make a night out even more relaxing the restaurant offers car service to and from your location for an additional fee.
T he Black Foodie s, Dino and
Coretta Dean, are on a mission to suppo rt and amplify Black-ow ned businesses. T heir social media posts span the globe, but one of their most recent finds is a new spot along Division Street called Shake A Le g
If jerk chicken, shrimp or lamb sound good, Shake A Leg at 5512 W. Division St. is for you. The restaurant recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. Order at the counter for eat-in or takeaway. The dining room has a classy, yet comfortable feel and there’s also seating at the fully stocked bar. Cajun flavors and traditional soul food sides round out the menu and can be paired with catfish, pasta and salmon entrée options. Weekly specials come with their own signature cocktails.
An Obama Philly Cheesesteak (chicken and steak) and jerk chicken eggrolls
Cajun pasta with salmon at Shake A Leg.
eggrolls.
are specialties at Jay’s Backyard BBQ, 5604 W. Division St. Jerk spices also flavor tacos, gyros, Philly sandwiches and even salads and fries. Owner Jay Young opened the place in 2015 and it is still going strong. The restaurant takes orders at the inside window and is takeout only.
Uncle Remus’s saucy fried chicken has stood the test oftime. The restaurant at 5611 W. Madison St. is one of several Chicago locations. Established by Gus and Mary Rickette as G & G Chicken Shack, they later expanded and changed the name to Royal Chicken. During the 1968 riots along Madison Street two oftheir three stores bur ned down. As the Rickettes rebuilt, they wanted a new sign As the story goes, the sign shop had one that hadn’t been picked up. It said, “Uncle Remus” and the rest is history… delicious chicken history.
No overview ofdining on the West Side would be complete without mentioning a mainstay at 5412 W. Madison St., MacArthur’s Restaurant. It’s been serving up soul and comfort food since 1997 and has become a hot spot for political and community activity. And speaking of Obama, in his book The Audacity ofHope he gives this endorsement, “One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago is a place called MacArthur’s … plates filled with fried chicken, catfish, hoppin’ John, collard greens, meatloaf, cornbread, and other soul-food standards.” Venture out! And bite into flavors served up by your neighbors.
Anfora 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. In 2024, Anfora was nominated by USA Today 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards in the Best Wine Shop Category and placed third in the national line-up.
more indigenous grape varieties spanning well beyond the more wellknown international varietals.
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 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.
“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
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.
The shelves are a retail wine list filled with unique offerings, where you’ll find bottles for the everyday, celebration, or collection.
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.
128 S. Marion St., Oak Park 708-613-5388
ANFORA WINE MERCHANTS
DINE
FOREST PARK American
•BIZZY BEES CATERING
•CHARLIE’S RESTAURANT
•CHUBBY’S HOT CHICKEN
•ELBA’S GOLDEN STEER STEAKHOUSE
•FATDUCK TAVERN & GRILL
•GOLDYBURGERS
40+ DINING OPTIONS AT THESE & MORE RESTAURANTS!
EXPLOREFORESTPARK.COM
•HARVEST 365 FRESH GRILL
•JUNCTION DINER
•LOUIE’S GRILL
•MADISON PARK KITCHEN
•MCGAFFER’S
•OLD SCHOOL TAVERN & GRILL
•O’SULLIVAN’S PUBLIC HOUSE
•PARKY’S HOT DOGS
•RHYTHM & BLUES CAFE
•SCRATCH PUBLIC HOUSE
•SHANAHAN’S
•STARSHIP RESTAURANT & CATERING
•SUB TENDER
Chinese/Med/Thai
•CHINA DRAGON 2
•HABRAE THAI CAFE
•PETRA FALAFEL
•YUM THAI
•WHITE CRANE CREATIVE THAI & SUSHI
Italian
•CAFFE DELUCA
•JIMMY’S PLACE
•PIACERE MIO
•CASA HUMILDE CERVECERIA
•CACTUS GRILL
•CHIRRION MEXICAN GRILL
•DI’VINO
•MACHO’S MEXICAN GRILL
•MEXICAN REPUBLIC
•NREBOZO
•TACABRON
•FOREST PARK BAKERY
•KRIBI COFFEE
•SILVERLAND BAKERY
•THE BROWN COW ICE CREAM PARLOR
•TWISTED COOKIE
Zemi Coffee Cart owner Dominique Betancourt serving a customer.
CRedefining
COFFEE TO GO
By Risé Sanders-Weir
Contributing Reporter
affeine was never so convenient. Three mobile coffee vendors ply the area’s sidewalks, parks, parking spaces and block parties.
Spoke Cafe was a step up from the lemonade stands of Alec Olson’s youth. Four years ago, he noticed the popularity of nitro cold brew coffee at his dad’s office. His parents are his partners, but he does the brewing and selling. The OPRF high school junior often gets up at 4:30 a.m. to prep
The beans for his exclusive Bicycle Blend Coffee are roasted at Whirlwind Coffee on Madison Street. And Olson sells bean subscriptions, donating 20% from each bag sold to Beyond Hunger T he pedal-powered cart was crafted by the Oreg on-based Icicle T ricycle company. It has two taps: one for coffee and the other for root beer. In the warmer months, Olson brings ic e cream along to make coffee and root beer floats.
Olson will ride the bike up to 15 miles on weekends moving from block party to block party. He also stops at Dominican University’s Wednesday concert series. For booked events further away, Olson wheels the cart into his family’s van for quicker transit.
“I am not going to colle ge on Spoke money,” Olson said, “As an employee I do pretty well. As an investor, we’re almost there. We should get the cart paid of f this summer. But I am for sure having a lot of fun.”
Zemi Coffee Cart is owned and operated by Dominique Betancourt. In 2023 she started making coffee in her garage for neighbors. Her idea was to bring the culture and coffee of Puerto Rico to the area. With a generational connection to the island, Betancourt searched for her ideal coffee bean sourced on the island She taste-tested 25 farms before she found the one she wanted.
Her next step was to invest in a cart that could move the coffee around. She
sourced the electric assisted bike-cart combo from a company in California called Ferla.
Zemi’s specialty is, “a Latin cafe con leche. So, basically steamed milk and I put a little different spin on it with the skadoosh of vanilla,” Betancourt said. She also serves a range ofdrip and espresso drinks, as well as coco rico (hot chocolate) for the kids and kids-atheart. A range ofmilk options and other cold drinks are on the cart as well.
Zemi Coffee Cart can be found Monday-Friday on East Avenue by Rehm Park and on the weekends at block parties and other events. The cart can be booked for events on her website.
The 22 Coffee Buggy can be found at the Oak Park Far mer’s Market on Saturdays and makes re gular stops during the week at the main branch ofthe Oak Park Public Library and the Green Line stop at Ridgeland Avenue.
Owner Belinda Carucci had a shop in the city but shut it down during Covid. While visiting her son, who was studying abroad in Italy, inspiration struck. “Their coffee bars, I
loved the way they were doing it. It’s a culture.” she said.
Back in town she started planning. First was to be sure that the village would license a cart like hers. Then she found the trailer she wanted, which was built overseas though she did the interior design herself The business was ready to roll on Memorial Day 2023.
Stocked with Italian Lavazza brand coffee, Carucci serves a variety ofespresso drinks, with decaf and milk options A specialty is the Sweet Mary: condensed milk, steamed milk and espresso. For non-coffee drinkers there is cioccolato (hot chocolate) and a select variety of canned beverages.
Carucci says the nicest thing is when, “a whole group of people are drinking coffee and chatting. It’s just the best. Coffee and community go together.”
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
22 Coffee Buggy owner Belinda Carucci (right)
Located in River Forest, IL, Hub Kitchen is a shared commercial kitchen that provides a professional and affordable space for food-based businesses. Whether you are a caterer, baker, or packaged good provider, you can benefit from Hub Kitchen’s fully-equipped facilities, flexible rental plans, and free consultative services from seasoned business owners who are invested in helping you grow your business.
New Rose Catering Meal Delivery and Catering Celebrations by Us Catering
Jilly’s Jerky Gourmet Beef Jerky
Something’s Cooking Catering Corporate Catering
Sweet D'Lush Crepe Cart
Spoke Cafe Mobile Coffee and Root Beer Cart
Good Omen Gyoza Fresh Dumplings
Lil’ Greek Kitchen Catering
Rites of Wellness Herbal Remedies
The pulled pork sandwich process begins with rubbing down the pork shoulder with Q-BBQ’s Memphis rub It then marinades for five to eight hours.
Before marination, criss-cross cuts are made into the pork so flavors can be absorbed deep in the meat.
How Q makes its pulled pork sandwich
It takes time, that’s for sure
By SAM TUCKER Contributing Reporter
Q-BBQ serves up infamous American barbeque styles from Texas to South Carolina. One of their signature menu items, the pulled pork sandwich, is their take on the classic BBQ staple.
Q-BBQ is a small inde pendent Chicagoland barbecue restaurant with three locations: La Grange, Naperville and Oak Park. Their Oak Park location, at 124 N. Marion St., has been in business since 2016.
On the menu, American barbeque styles like Memphis ribs, Texas brisket, and Carolina pulled pork are offered in all of their marinated and smoked styles. Ian Thompson, re gional operations manager, said Q-BBQ “mirrors the styles” of traditional barbecue.
“I would say when it comes to us, do our best to stay ‘true and blue’ the re gions that we p ull from,” hompson said.
hompson said since they are a dwest-based restaurant, they try to give patrons options in the sauces and styles and educate them on what their menu entails. However, the root of their menu lies in popular traditional Southern barbeque.
After smoking for about 16 hours in their in-house smoker, the pork is ready to be pulled apart. 1 3 4 5
During the “pulling” in the process of making pulled pork, the pork shoulder bone glides out of the smoked meat - a sign it’s been properly smoked. The meat is then mixed together by hand, combining the leaner and fattier portions into one mix of tender, shredded pork.
The “Q-style” pulled pork sandwich, emulating the South Carolina style, has a combination of coleslaw, pulled pork and smoked gouda cheese. It’s one of the restaurant’s personal and fan-favorites on the menu, Thompson said.
The pork is rubbed down with their Memphis rub and then marinades for five to eight hours. The pork, still on the shoulder bone, is then placed in their smoker, where it smokes overnight for usually 16 hours.
Once removed from the smoker, the morning after, the pork is “pulled”; sifted through for bones, and the lean and fattier pieces are mixed together by hand into a shredded, melt-in-yourmouth mix.
A toasted brioche bun, a slice of smoked gouda cheese, and a helping of coleslaw tops of f the simple yet classic sandwich.
“You’re gonna get creamy from the gouda and the slaw. You get a little more sweet from the slaw, and a little acidity. So it just adds more depth. If you’re going to add a barbecue sauce on it; for our patrons, Memphis is very popular,” said Thompson, “but for me, I’m all about the vinegar.”
Q-BBQ q-bbq.com/story-charities/ 124 N. Marion St
Hours: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Served in the “Q-style”, the pork is placed on a brioche bun with smoked gouda cheese and topped with coleslaw. Q-BBQ leaves the sauce selection for its customers’ taste buds to decide.
439 Des Plaines Ave, Forest Park (708) 488-0800 silverlandbakery.com
Suga Bakers
Bellwood, Illinois 630-886-2525 sugabakers.com
74 S. La Grange Road, La Grange (708) 497-3676 swansonsdeli.com
Takeout 25
takeout25.org
22 Coffee Buggy
the22coffeebuzz@gmail.com the22coffeebuggy.com
163 S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park (708) 665-3878 thecoffeeshopoakpark.com
N. Marion St, Oak Park (708) 613-5491 thelittlegemcafe.com
Madison St, Forest Park (708) 689-8029 twistedcookie.com
Italian Restaurant .
100 S Marion St, Oak Park (708) 434-5766 victoryitalian.com
of Elmwood Park
Conti Parkway, Elmwood Park elmwoodpark.org
Whether you’re seeing a movie at the Lake Theatre or strolling through Austin Gardens, 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
Left to right: Denise Warren, Oak Park Branch Manager; Susie Goldschmidt, Oak Park River Forest Market President; Michael Starrick, River Forest Branch Manager
