MICHELIN AVENUE

Acadia makes the jump to two stars—why not? It seems a perfect place to take the folks, which is Michelin’s ideal. Parachute and Dusek’s, neither of which is quite so ‘rents-ready, make it to one star. The Lobby is eased off and Takashi and Senza closed. Only Michelin knows how to take one of the hottest food scenes in the country and make it look like almost nothing has happened in the past year; check out plenty more of this kind of complaining in the debut episode of Fooditor Radio, while Phil Vettel offers his take on what Michelin got wrong (I could agree with some, but I’m not convinced that giving, say, 30-year-old Spiaggia two stars is the way to show Michelin is on top of our scene).

PIZZA STEVEZA

Having tagged along one day, I can say that no one eats pizza like Steve Dolinsky—not that he stuffs himself, but that he takes two bites, forms a decisive opinion, and then you wind up taking the rest home. His decisive, sometimes rather caustic inventory of our entire pizza scene is running now and next week at his blog. And speaking of pizza…

BURT’S PLACE IN THE STARS

From LTHForum to Anthony Bourdain made it a star. Now it belongs to the ages—Burt’s, the quirky Morton Grove pizza place with collectibles for decor and a 70-year-old couple for staff, shut down in July for health reasons and is now closed for good. Hope you went while you could. (Fooditor)

SWIFTLY STUNNED

The Trib announces the name of mega-steakhouse Swift & Sons’ raw bar, Cold Storage—which was plainly visible painted on the wall at the opening event two weeks ago. (The opening date, November 18, is newer; they were talking a couple of months then.) Meanwhile, the first review is in—and Anthony Todd thinks Chris Pandel’s kitchen doesn’t have their act together yet: “Unfortunately (and surprisingly, given the bold flavors Pandel is known for) it feels like the kitchen has been told to keep their hands quietly in their laps and their seasonings safely on the rack… when the New York strip (ordered medium rare) arrives at our table, the knife literally bounces off the charred-to-black exterior (with a light pinging sound) and dedicated sawing reveals a well-done interior. At the same time, steak frites (ordered as rare as can be) arrives both medium-grey and cold—the slices of compound butter on the top meant to flavor the dish are still rock solid and chilled five minutes later.”

LIVIN’ LA VIA LIMA

Good week for the new Peruvian place in North Center, Via Lima. It gained a Bib Gourmand, probably the newest place on the list, and it got a pretty positive one-star review from Phil Vettel, though he doesn’t quite reach the point of recommending anything in particular, calling aji gallina “a bit more starchy than others I’ve had, but it’s decent enough” and saying an octopus dish “will be better when it’s less tough.”

ONCE YOU GO BLACK BURGER

Halloween kudos to Owen & Engine for taking its famous burger and using squid ink to mock Burger King’s black burger bun. Especially since they’re right across the street from BK. (Eater)

WILL IT LURE?

Mike Sula calls attention to the revival of Chinatown’s Lure Izakaya in the old Erwin space—and suggests it’s an overlooked gem: “The brothers did wondrous things with sushi at Mirai and Heat, but here they’ve taken a surprisingly straightforward approach to Japanese drinking food. Even the moderately creative MO Chan took with then-consulting chef Eric Aubriot at Lure 1.0 has been scrubbed away in favor of clean, mercifully minimal, mostly shareable little plates that, unlike many of the brothers’ previous endeavors, allow the superior quality of their product to show.” (Reader)

CHOP CHOP, SHOPHOUSE

Our enthusiasm for chains opening here is considerably lower than most of the food media’s, it seems, but we’ll raise our reaction from tepid to hopeful at the news that Chipotle’s Asian bowl spinoff, ShopHouse, will open in Schaumburg in November and the Loop in December. Even after learning it has nothing to do with Kenny Shopsin. (Chicagoist)

CHICKEN TOWN

Chicago’s first Gus’s Fried Chicken, the Memphis favorite, opens Monday. Eater has a story but I found out walking past it—it’s right next to the Publican, making the West Loop suddenly a chicken-heavy neighborhood between them, Nando’s Peri Peri and Chicken Shop in the Soho House.

LOAF OUT OF HELL

Farewell, Meatloaf Bakery, closing after 7 years of paradise by the microwave’s lights. (Eater)