Restaurant News: Jellyfish Opens, TAC Quick Chef Moves To New Spot
By Anthony Todd in Food on Sep 10, 2012 5:40PM
- The rapid expansion of Scott Harris's restaurant empire may have come to an end, at least temporarily. It looked for a hot second like Harris would become the king of Taylor Street after revamping classic Italian restaurant Gennaro's into Salatino's and opening Dough Boys. Unfortunately, after more than a year of operation, Eater Chicago reports that Harris has closed both restaurants because of lack of business. Dough Boys might relocate, but Salatino's is gone for good.
- Jellyfish, a new Pan-Asian restaurant perched above Rush Street opened quietly last week. We popped in to check out the space on Friday and it's lovely, especially a newly-built glass patio overlooking the street below. Blue curved ceiling tiles and squiggly hanging fixtures reminiscent of seaweed contribute to the otherworldly, underwater feel of the place, a welcome surprise after ascending from the bland and busy Rush street to the second floor space. Chef Harold Jurado (Sunda, Chizakaya) will be running the hot side of the kitchen while Chef Andy Galsan (SushiSamba Rio) handles the sushi bar. The large menu includes a variety of sushi rolls, tempura, hot japanese-style small plates and some really impressive looking cocktails. Hopefully, Jellyfish will be a good alternative to the Carmine's/Hugo's/Viagra Triangle blandness that surrounds it. We'll be back with more information once they've been open for a while.
- Grubstreet Chicago reports that Andy Aroonrasameruang, who has spent the last 10 years at TAC Quick, has gone out on his own. Aroonrasameruang announced that his new restaurant, called ATK (Andy's Thai Kitchen) would open this past Sunday at 946 W. Wellington. If his food is as good as it was at TAC Quick, we'll be pounding down his door soon. Also, important to be reminded of what fine-dining foodies often forget: great ethnic food is as much the result of the skill and passion of a single great chef as fancy americanized fare. They just don't get nearly as much attention.