Bob Djahanguiri, the trailblazing restaurateur who has defined the Chicago supper-club scene with his restaurants Yvette, Yvette Wintergarden and Toulouse on the Park, will open his first suburban outpost in early November. Yvette North will open at 605 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling (former site of Vivian Lee), sometime in early November. Chef to be announced.
Yvette North will seat 100 in its main dining room and an additional 40 in its booth-lined bar area. Live music and dancing, a Djahanguiri signature touch, will be featured nightly; there will be no cover charge (another signature touch). Menu will be similar to Yvette’s French bistro fare, plus a few American accents.
– La Strada Ristorante, 155 N. Michigan Ave., celebrates its 12th anniversary by offering a four-course dinner for $19.82 (the restaurant opened in 1982) every evening in September. Call 312-565-2200.
– It’s also the 12th anniversary for Jackie’s, 2478 N. Lincoln Ave., and chef/owner Jackie Shen also will offer a four-course, $19.82 dinner (a $50 value, says Shen) throughout the month of September. (Gee, we could get used to this.) Call 312-880-0003.
– Winnetka Grill, 64 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka, begins a monthlong salute to mushrooms this weekend. A special menu featuring nine exotic varieties will be featured throughout September. Call 708-441-6444.
– The Pump Room, Omni Ambassador East Hotel, 1301 N. State Pkwy., celebrates Rosh Hashanah by offering a special five-course traditional dinner on Monday and Tuesday. Cost is $29.95, $15.95 for 12 and younger; seatings begin at 3 p.m. Call 312-266-0630.
– Amourette, 2275 Rand Rd., Palatine, offers a six-course, four-wine dinner for $35 this Sunday. Call 708-359-6220.
– Chef moves: Stella D’Italia, 1547 N. Wells St., has a new chef, Franco Ercolino, who spent three years at Capriccios and Il Giardino in Palm Beach, Fla. And Mike Kurotobi (ex-Lettuce Entertain You) has been named chef at My Place For?, 7545 N. Clark St.
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– Another holdout falls: Bistro Banlieue, 44 Yorktown Convenience Center, Lombard, now accepts reservations. Call 708-629-6560.