WEST LOOP — Two years after opening La Sirena Clandestina, Chef John Manion is planning a second Latin restaurant in the West Loop.
At El Che Bar, Manion will serve up Midwestern fare with a "Latin-local" twist, heavily influenced by his travels in Argentina. The chef plans to open the restaurant, at 845 W. Washington Blvd. near Parlor Pizza, in summer 2015.
Housed in the now-gutted old Checker Cab building, the El Che Bar will feature floor-to-ceiling windows opening up to Washington, recently-uncovered original lath and colonial pastels, according to a press release.
The first word on food? Manion said the fare will be "elemental and unfussy" — smoked, seared, roasted, grilled.
Plans call for dining room seating for about 100 and a 14-seat bar looking onto 12 feet of flames from a custom grill.
The restaurant itself has been in the making longer than La Sirena Clandestina, Manion said. The name is inspired by a plaque — inscribed with the words "El Che Bar" — he picked up on a trip to Argentina years ago.
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