UPTOWN — After two years in Uptown, Riques Cocina Mexicana has officially closed its doors.
The restaurant at 5004 N. Sheridan Road announced the closure via Facebook on July 6, saying it was "time to change gears."
The note, which is also posted on its website, said Chef Enrique Cortez plans to pursue teaching in the culinary arts.
Cortez was the "mastermind" behind the restaurant who began showcasing Mexican cuisine when he founded Riques Regional Mexican Food in 2002. The venture received attention from GQ magazine for being one of the very few (possibly only) Mexican restaurant in the United States to accept Pesos, according to the restaurant's website.
Cortez handed over Riques Regional Mexican Food to a colleague in 2008, but opened Riques Cocina Mexicana in the same space in February 2015, the website said.
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