Restaurant News: Bleeding Heart Bakery Drama Over, Southern Mac Store Closes

By Anthony Todd in Food on Jul 18, 2012 9:20PM

- Finally, the drama with Bleeding Heart Bakery is over. The original owners of Bleeding Heart Bakery partnered with the owners of Roots Handmade Pizza last year, and opened an enormous new cafe and bakery in West Town. There have been a lot of rumors, vague statements and lawyer talk over the last year, but it looks like the partnership is over - that newish Bleeding Heart Bakery and Cafe in West Town will close on July 22 and reopen on July 28 as the West Town Bakery & Diner. In addition to the reconcepting, West Town Bakery will be greening-up; it will become the 8th 3-star Green Certified Restaurant in Chicago. A fitting move for the downstairs neighbor (and bread provider) for uber-green Homestead. We get the feeling that the situation is still tender - a press release informed us (in bold letters) that the owners would not be talking about the change until after it was over.

- Embeya, a new West Loop restaurant helmed by some refugees from the former Elysian hotel, is on track to open later this summer. The progressive Asian-French restaurant is helmed by chef Thai Dang (formerly of RIA and L20) and the former director of operations at the Elysian, Attila Gyulai. The descriptions of the food are still vague, but the design, by 555 International (GT Fish and Oyster, Girl and the Goat) is certain to be impressive. We'll stay on top of this one.

- Our souls are sad, but our aortas are happy - the Southern Mac 'n' Cheese Store has closed up shop. 312 Dining Diva reported that the GM, Evan Traub, said that he wanted to focus all of their attention back on the original restaurant (The Southern) and on the Southern Mac 'n' Cheese Truck, which will remain open.