Stephanie Izard’s Duck Duck Goat Temporarily Closes After a ‘Contained Fire’

A small fire temporarily shutters Duck Duck Goat

Stephanie Izard and Boka Restaurant Group’s popular Chinese American restaurant in Fulton Market is temporarily closed due to a “contained fire” on Saturday, according to an official Facebook post. No one was injured in the incident, and ownership plans to reopen in about a week. Representatives did not provide more details about the fire or when it might reopen. Last month, the group announced that Lincoln Park’s Balena is permanently closed two years after a fire caused extensive damage to the acclaimed Italian restaurant. Fortunately, no one was hurt in that fire either.

The last surviving owner of celebrated Loop fixture Miller’s Pub dies at 86

Van Gallios, the last remaining owner of longtime Loop fixture Miller’s Pub at 134 S. Wabash, died last week at 86, the Sun-Times reported. One of eight Greek American siblings, Gallios ran the restaurant and bar with brothers Jimmy, Pete and Nick, who first founded the pub in 1950. The Gallios family and their staff waxed poetic about the early days of Miller’s Pub in an interview with Eater in 2012, and recalled serving stars such as Tony Bennett, Milton Berle, and Jimmy Durante after their performances at the nearby Palmer House. The venue underwent a revamp in 2018.

Miller’s Pub [Official Photo]

Award-winning mfk. executive chef adds Bar Biscay to her roster

Alisha Elenz, the 25-year-old executive chef and partner at Spanish seafood spot mfk. restaurant, doubled her responsibilities over the weekend when she took over as executive chef and partner at West Town sister restaurant Bar Biscay, according to the Tribune and a news release. She stepped into the shoes left by Johnny Anderes, whose last day was Saturday. The winner of the 2019 Jean Banchet Award for Rising Star Chef, Elenz was also a finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s award of the same name.

Leaked Kroger memo could signal change for Mariano’s

And finally, changes may be ahead for Mariano’s, the Chicago-area grocery brand from Cincinnati-based chain Kroger, according to a leaked internal memo reported by Business Insider and Crain’s. In the memo, leadership expressed concern about a vague brand identity and failure to break the top 100 in brand value rankings despite being a Fortune #17 company. Since acquiring Mariano’s for $800 million in 2015, Kroger axed on-site dining options and added more self-checkout stalls in the 44 Chicagoland locations.