LINCOLN SQUARE — "Lincoln Square might have a hip new eatery next to Elizabeth."
That was the tantalizing teaser Elizabeth chef Iliana Regan shared Thursday via her email newsletter.
The folks at Chicago Eater confirmed with Regan that she's leased the storefront next door (the tire shop, not the soccer store), with plans to make her recent ramen and doughnut pop-ups a more permanent neighborhood fixture.
The concept is in such early stages, it doesn't have a name and Regan is still pulling together financing, according to Eater.
Regan opened Elizabeth, 4835 N. Western Ave., in fall of 2012, winning raves, including a Michelin star, for her "new gatherer" cuisine. Of late she's developed whimsical theme dinners, like a Lord of the Rings vs. Chronicles of Narnia menu planned for spring.
In 2014, she began hosting occasional doughnut and dumpling "socials" — events that saw foodies lined up for hours along Western Avenue for the chance to sample Regan's pastries and pierogies. The success of those experiments prompted her to announce Bunny/Wunder POP — one part microbakery, one part pop-up playground — set to open any week now in Lakeview.
While waiting on permits for the Lakeview venture, Regan began previewing what patrons could expect from Bunny/Wunder POP at Elizabeth, sporadically hosting breakfast service and ramen dinners.
If all goes according to plan, those random menus will become a regular occurrence.
"Fingers crossed," Regan said in her newsletter.
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