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— Superstar actor/comedian Will Ferrell is apparently a big fan of Italian beefs. The former SNL cast member and movie star had Al’s Beef cater his private jet, the legendary beef sandwich purveyor revealed on Facebook. There’s no word on what exactly his catering order consisted of, but check out a selfie a staffer took with Ferrell below.
— Some major changes are coming to one of Chicago’s most critically acclaimed new restaurants of 2016. Executive chef Charles Welch and creative director Andrew Miller will exit Honey’s “in the weeks to come,” a rep says. The pair, who had Michelin-star goals for the West Loop restaurant and cocktail bar that opened in June 2016 to strong reviews at 1100 W. Lake St., are working on a new project and will reveal details about it soon, according to a statement. Stay tuned.
— Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) is doing nearly everything in his power to keep Edison Park country bar Firewater Saloon from opening a new location at 403 E. Illinois St. in Streeterville. In addition to stiff objections from a local neighborhood group, Reilly himself sent a letter to neighborhood residents that slams Firewater for “misleading landlords and neighbors about the types of liquor licenses they would pursue and engaging in illegal construction without permits,” calling these infractions “the sign of an irresponsible business” and asking neighbors to send letters of objection to his office and address them to the liquor commissioner. Reilly has a long history of attempting to and sometimes succeeding in shutting down establishments that he alleges initially portrayed themselves as restaurants before operating as nightclubs in River North and Streeterville, most notably the ongoing Bottled Blonde saga. His full letter about Firewater Saloon is below.
Firewater Letter 7-25-17 by Daniel Gerzina on Scribd
— Many Wicker Park restaurants and other businesses are getting ticketed for as much as thousands of dollars over sign permits that include signs for “boiled bagels” at Craft Pizza and “breakfast, lunch, dinner” at Dove’s Luncheonette, DNAinfo reports. Ownership of these businesses is not too happy about it.
— And finally, Manny’s Cafeteria and Delicatessen, Chicago’s torchbearer for Jewish deli/cafeteria food, will amazingly celebrate its 75th anniversary with a party at the restaurant icon at 1141 S. Jefferson St. on Monday, July 31 at 5:30 p.m. Tickets begin at $150 for the event where many notable Chicago politicians will speak and food and drink will be served. And on Aug. 1 the restaurant will charge just 75 cents for latkes, matzo ball soup, corned beef hash, and sprinkled cookies, and $7.50 for its famous overstuffed corned beef and pastrami sandwiches. Check out a segment about Manny’s very influential food and political history that aired on “Chicago Tonight.”