Restaurant News: Slurping Turtle Opens Monday, Bayless Opens Second O'Hare Outpost

By Anthony Todd in Food on Nov 22, 2011 3:00PM

- Rick Bayless has saved many a traveler from bad fast food with Tortas Frontera, the O'Hare outpost of his restaurant empire. However, since foodies are never satisfied, gripes and groans mingled with the satisfied moans; the food was only available in United's Terminal One. Never fear - Bayless has heard your cries. Grubstreet reported yesterday that the second Tortas Frontera has opened in Terminal Three. Holiday travel just got a lot better. For more, check out Roger's visit to T.F. from earlier this year.

- Takashi Yagahashi's Slurping Turtle is one of the most anticipated restaurants of the year. The restaurant's frontage has been up for months, taunting us with its promise of amazing ramen. Seriously: Food writers don't often gleefully forward each other press releases. That's how excited we are. Why? If you've ever been to Takashi, the fine-dining home of Chef Yagahashi or Noodles by Takashi on the 7th floor of Marshall Fields (oops, we mean Macy's) you know why. Slurping Turtle opens Monday, Nov. 28 with a full menu of "Japanese Comfort Food," including sashimi, ramen and a perfectly of-the-moment Bincho Grill. Roka Akor and SushiSamba RIO had better step up their games, because there's a new kid in River North. 116 W. Hubbard Street.

- Last week, Highball Lounge, a new cocktail spot inspired by the 1950s, soft-opened in Lincoln Park. It doesn't take much reading to know that we are huge cocktail geeks here at Chicagoist, but even our vest-and-bitters-loving souls are excited to see a departure from the Pre-Prohibition/Speakeasy concept. This lounge is more interested in evoking Mad Men than The Untouchables, with a menu focused on, well, highballs. The Moscow Mule, the Dark & Stormy and the Scotch & Soda will bring you back to a time before baked apple bitters and handlebar mustaches. We're excited to try it out. 738 N. Clark, 2nd floor.