WEST LOOP — Four years after opening La Sirena Clandestina, Chef John Manion will soon open his second Latin restaurant in the West Loop.
Influenced by his travels in Argentina, Manion will officially open El Che Bar, located in the former Checker Cab building at 845 W. Washington Blvd., on Aug. 1. The Argentine-American restaurant is accepting reservations online through OpenTable now.
At El Che Bar, Manion will serve up Midwestern fare with a "Latin-local" twist. The dinner menu will be centered around an open hearth, a focal point in the dining room, where Manion serves wood-fired cuisine, Al Asador.
Offering an array of grilled meat and seafood preparations with a focus on locally-sourced ingredients, menu highlights include:
• cherry bomb peppers with soubise, egg yolk and lemon crumb;
• gnocchi with brodo, tomato, zucchini, chimichurri and parmesan;
• and a thin-cut pork chop with plums, hot mustard and peanut-pork rind crumble.
Bill Anderson leads the beverage program at El Che Bar, crafting a cocktail menu with an emphasis on spirits including cachaça, mezcal and pisco, and showcasing ingredients in different styles by adding smoke, fire and ash to the mix.
The cocktail menu includes the El Diablo, with Milagro Silver, fresh lime, Crème de Cassis, ginger beer, and a sprig of alcohol-soaked rosemary which once lit, offers an enticing aroma as small laces of ash fall into the drink. El Che Bar will also offer a selection of beers, one cider, and Fernet on tap.
El Che Bar's wine program, led by Alexis Chabert, focuses on small production wines from family-owned properties. With nods to South American wines including Malbec and Torrontes, the list features a mix of New World varietals focusing on the Americas coupled with classic and terroir-driven Old World wines.
La Sirena Clandestina Pastry Chef Marianna Reynolds will also run the pastry program at El Che Bar, where her desserts will also focus on utilizing elemental ingredients like smoke and fire.
Over nearly two years, the El Che Bar team transformed the former Checker Cab building into a sultry restaurant with seating for about 110. The black marble bar overlooks 12-feet of flames from Manion's custom-made grill, and other accents include floor-to-ceiling black pillars, exotic plants and other nods to the restaurant's South American roots.
Manion first announced plans to open El Che Bar in 2014.
El Che Bar will be open for dinner 4-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and from 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Chef John Manion plans to open his second West Loop spot El Che Bar Aug. 1. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
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