Lincoln Park Restaurant erwin Closing
By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jun 7, 2012 5:40PM
Another Lincoln Park/Lakeview restaurant mainstay is packing up the knives and closing. erwin, which has been a solid presence on north Halsted for 18 years, will be serving its final meal July 1. Chef owner Erwin Dreschler and wife Cathy made the announcement in an email to customers. (h/t Ted Naron via Grub Street Chicago)
We have experienced a great run and developed relationships along the way that will always be cherished and remembered.This month is warmly dedicated to all our customers who have broken bread with us, to the cooks who have baked it, to the waiters who have served it and to the dishwashers who have cleaned up after us all!
Tell your family and friends to join us as we celebrate the last days of serving you - we will be open through Sunday dinner, July 1.
Dreschler was an early trailblazer in the local farm-to-table movement in Chicago, first at the former Metropolis in Old Town and later at erwin. Dreschler's cooking emphasized fresh local ingredients and simple flavors. The chefs who honed their crafts in Dreschler's kitchens included Paul Kahan and Mindy Segal; Kahan credited Dreschler with awakening him to the bounty being produced by Midwestern farms.
Like Charlie Trotter, whose own eponymous restaurant is closing at the end of August, erwin became something of an afterthought as Chicago's restaurant scene blossomed, though not out of any problems on Dreschler's part. erwin's burger is still considered among the best in the city and the last time I dined there, in late 2010, the quality of the dishes was still superb.