About a month ago, we dined at the new Mado, changed up with a fresh kitchen staff after the departure of Rob and Allie Levitt. The verdict? Some moments of promise, but we left not particularly loving anything we ate.

Just a few weeks later, the future of the restaurant is unknown again. After catching wind from at Eater post that times were again tumultuous at Mado, we called up chef Brandon Baltzley (pictured here in the Mado kitchen).

Being asked by owners to make cuts in his kitchen staff coupled with trouble ordering from purveyors ("Just checks bouncing. And we don't know why," he says) has Baltzley questioning his future at the restaurant. "We're doing well, we're doing good business, our food costs are in line. We're not making a fuck-ton of money by any means ... [but] I think Per Se in their first year of opening grossed like $80." Baltzley told us he's bringing a proposal to the table today to the buy the restaurant so that he can start from scratch with a new name. "I'm trying to buy the place. I'm trying to buy out their lease, trying to figure out what all that would take. We would shut down for at least two weeks, just rename it."

Whether or not that's a possibility, the future of the restaurant is anyone's guess. "I just received word from another employee that spoke with [co-owner] David Richards that he's definitely not reopening." We could not reach Richards at Mado to verify plans for the restaurant, nor has he returned our e-mails.

Baltzley admits that the situation in which he signed on at the restaurant could be considered suspect. "I gave them the benefit of the doubt when I signed on to do this. I heard horrible things, you know. I was warned ... and seeing two chefs like Rob and Allie leave out of the blue like that, it's not normal, so I knew something was up. But I turned a blind eye to it."

Last night's episode of "Top Chef All-Stars" could have been referred to as "the episode in which Dale Levitski is especially quotable." He was cracking us up continuously, first with the Quickfire, in which the cheftestants made a midnight snack for kids attending a sleepover at the American Museum of Natural History.

"Because it is a very special night, I thought I would get them as jacked up on sugar as I possibly could," he told Padma and guest judge Joe Jonas. Along with sweet tart nuggets, he made "cave man boulders," what we could gather as a clump of pretzels, Whoppers and cinnamon graham crackers, among other sweet stuff. "You dip it in the chocolate and it'll be like a little 10-year-old rave." Cue a hysterical crack-up from Antonia and some fly dance moves from the other Dale.

The second must-rewind moment came moments later when the crew divided up into two teams: One was all the ladies and Dale, while the other was the remainder of the dudes and Carla. "I'm really happy with the way that this team worked out, 'cause it's like the Spice Girls and a bodyguard versus all the cool guys and their babysitter Carla."

In the Elimination Challenge, the Spice Girls and their bodyguard were named the losing team, but luckily, our hometown boy Dale's dish was the judges' favorite of the group, so we knew first thing he was safe. I was ready to see Tre sent packing for his over-reduced salty sauce, but it was a total shocker when Jennifer was sent home for her bacon and eggs dish that Tom called bland multiple times. Just one clue that this season is seriously one to watch.

I braved a chilly walk over to Wells and Grand today to the site of coming-in-2011 restaurant GT Fish & Oyster (the old Tizi Melloul), where chef Giuseppe Tentori hopped aboard the Gaztro-Wagon to give folks a taste of what's to come at the eatery.

For $12, we got one lobster roll, one cup of clam chowder and a cute little shortbread biscuit as a bonus. We're not sure how much a pre-packaged soup and sandwich can reflect what Tentori will be doing when he's cooking to order in a full kitchen, but we think it's a pretty smart idea to build some early buzz. I enlisted some colleagues to dig in as well. Everyone loved the cute "GT" stickers on the wrappers, but results for the food were mixed:

"Paltry amount of lobster! The bread-lobster ratio is off. The soup is good ... I like the smokiness."

"Lobster is lemony, fresh, summery. Sure, we'd always like more lobster, but for the price, it's not bad. Consider that Shaw's bursting-with-lobster roll is $18.99. For the soup, I like the little bit of heat. The consistency isn't very thick; it's drinkable."

"Are you sure Paula Deen didn't make this food? I tasted quite a bit of butter and oil--not that I'm complaining."

"I almost wish I had just gotten an extra bowl of the clam chowder and passed on the lobster roll. The chowder was just what a cold day needed. The lobster roll...well, it was out of a truck, what can you expect? Still excited to see what comes next from these guys."

Tune in Thursday mornings for our weekly blog entries following Chicago cheftestant Dale Levitski on Bravo's "Top Chef All-Stars."

Quickfire: We probably could have guessed this one. For the first Quickfire, the chefestants grouped up with others from their original season to create one dish that represented the city they filmed in. We were psyched to see Season 3 team -- Dale, Tre and Casey -- represent Miami with a pork tenderloin dish (with avocado-lime puree, tostones and mango-habanero sauce) that was among the judges' favorites. We weren't too sad to see them lose to Season 4's avant-garde homage to the Chicago-style hot dog with mustard ice cream courtesy of Richard Blais.

Elimination challenge: Each cheftestant was tasked with re-doing the dish that ultimately sent him or her home during their original season. For Dale, that was curry-poached lobster dumplings with chanterelle mushrooms, corn and bacon, and we cringed when more than one diner dissed the texture of the dumplings. We were thrilled that it wasn't enough to land him on the bottom three. LUckily, those who did -- Stephen, Elia and Fabio -- aren't on the top of my list as far as favorites go, so Judges' Table was a relatively unemotional one this time around.

Favorite quotes of the night:
"I'm kinda thinking, 'Oh crap, what did I get myself into?'" --Dale as the group suited up in their chef's coats
"I don't think he came out if the trenches. I think he came outta Macy's Day Parade or something." -- Tre about Stephen
"I motherf--ing dropped the fish." --Angelo to Tiffany

Why I love DVR: I was able to rewatch again and again the moment where, about 50 or so minutes in, Tom Colicchio overzealously swirls his wine glass and splashes it onto the table. Hilarious look on his face as he realizes what he's done. Anybody else catch this?

Big changes at Mado within the last week. The Levitts are out. Running the kitchen now is Brandon Baltzley (with assists by Emmanel Candengo and Marcus Townsend; they've eschewed traditional chef titles and have all three of their names on the menu), who recently moved to Chicago after working at 6th Street Kitchen in New York. The restaurant itself is looking majorly different after a quick makeover: No more red walls, chalkboards or pig-shaped charcuterie boards. Instead, it's white tablecloths, chartreuse on the walls and a brand-new menu, though the pricepoint is roughly the same. Baltzley describes the food as "weird" but "approachable." Whatever that is, it definitely doesn't sound boring.

Here's a look at the new menu:

Soups
Parsnip Soup, Sweetbreads, Pickled Apples and Pears 9
Pozole, Chile, Chayote, Pork Shoulder 8

Small
Pumpkin, Beer, Jalapeño, Pepitas 9
Duck Pot Pie, Pumpernickel, Caraway, Chocolate 10
Curried Okra, White Bean, Charred Cornbread 9
Scallops, Cocoa Butter, Turnip, Breakfast Radish 12
Lamb Belly, Maple, Apple, Crisp 11
Brussels Sprouts, Almond, Shallot, Guanciale 9

Salads
Beets, Greens, Stems, Hot, Cold 9
Winter Greens, Anchovy, Lemon, Garlic 9
Citrus, Walnut, Cuttlefish, Chorizo 11

Pasta
Gnocchi, Sage, Brown Butter, Lemon, Ricotta 16
Farrotto, Butternut Squash, Parmesan 16

Large
Wood-Grilled Salmon, Cauliflower Panna Cotta, Smoked Roe, Fingerling Crisps 24
Smoked Duck Breast, Yukon Gold, Turnip, Pomegranate 26
Pork Cheek, Celery Root, Apple, Miso, Wood-Grilled Peach 22
Lamb Neck, Lamb Bacon, Sunchoke, Truffle, Hazelnut, Kale 26
Fluke, Pistachio, Cucumber, Garlic, Pernod 24

Get ready to set your DVR! Gourmet hot dog joint Chicago's Dog House in Lincoln Park will be featured on the Food Network's "Outrageous Food" show. Catch the episode at 9 p.m. this Friday, or on Sunday, Nov. 14 when it re-airs.

Here at Metromix we've been wondering for weeks where Chef James Toland will be setting up camp for his new restaurant. The answer? May Street Market, which closed over the weekend. When Toland revealed earlier this season that he'd be taking over an existing restaurant space in River West, we actually guessed the Red Canary, but we were incorrect there.

You'll remember Toland's restaurant name announced as the Ramones-inspired Gabba Gabba Hey, but he recently changed that working name out for his own: The place will be called James Toland. "I want to meet the surviving members of the Ramones someday, just not in court," he said in a press release sent yesterday. Read more early details about the restaurant here.
 

Scott Weiner, Vinny and Michelle Garcia, Greg Mohr

You heard it here first: The guys behind Wicker Park sports bar the Fifty/50, Scott Weiner and Greg Mohr, are hard at work launching their next project at 1916-1924 W. Chicago Ave., and it's going to be a big one: A 200-seat pizzeria and bar called Roots nextdoor to the new home base for Bleeding Heart Bakery & Cafe. It won't open until March 2011, but these tidbits should help whet your appetite:

1. It's been a long time coming
Mohr and Weiner have been searching for the right space for Roots for months, and after getting to know Bleeding Heart's Michelle and Vinny Garcia (who live near the Fifty/50 and eat there often), decided to collaborate. Sports-bar dudes teaming up with punk-rock bakers sounds like a cool combo to us.

2. The pizza's Quad City-style
Mohr, who grew up in Rock Island, Ill., and Weiner brought on Wise Guys Pizza owner Marv Wise (who also spent years at the Quad City's well-known Harris Pizza) to consult on this particular style of pizza, known for its hand-tossed pies cut into strips with scissors. "It's not crispy thin-crust, but it's definitely not deep-dish," says Weiner. "The crust has a very specific spice mix ... and it has dark malt in it, which gives it a sweet nuttiness."

3. The drinks may give you flashbacks
More than a dozen Midwestern-brewed beers may not bring you make to your childhood, but Roots' house-brewed root beer on tap and spiked sodas in big ol' pizzeria-style Pepsi cups just might.

4. The bakery won't just bake
Bleeding Heart's two-story bakery and cafe won't just be about the organic treats and crazy cakes that the Garcias have become known for. Michelle will also flex her brunch muscles with dishes such as mushroom polenta eggs Benedict with persimmon hollandaise and decadent doughnut breakfast sammies. The Garcias will also look to Bleeding Heart's most popular cupcake flavors as inspiration for its coffee drinks, pancakes and waffles.

5. They'll be plenty to watch
Thanks to a glassed-in kitchen and viewing mirrors, you'll be able to watch staffers in action tossing pizza dough at Roots. At Bleeding Heart, passersby will be able to spy Vinny decorating cakes in the storefront window.

Chef Matt Troost's Taylor Street restaurant, Three Aces, is just getting off the ground this week. They're opening tomorrow for a series of neighborhood sneak-peek lunches --- meaning if you're in the area, wander in and see if you can grab a table -- from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. The lunches will continue throughout this week until the restaurant receive its liquor license. When it does, dinner service will follow. Here's an excerpt from the menu to whet your appetite:

FARM | Arancini, fontina, braised oxtail, celery leaves, parmesan ($6)
MILL | Pici, braised lamb, black olives, pine nuts, cured egg yolk ($9)*
BARN | Lamb and pork belly sausage, beet and bacon has, poached egg, stout mustard ($10)
PIZZETA | Farm egg, parmesan, scallion, ricotta, pancetta, rosemary ($10)


*Pici is a thick, hand-rolled spaghetti-like pasta. For more pasta trivia, check out RedEye's gallery of pasta types in honor of World Pasta Day.

Del Seoul, a new Korean street food spot on Clark Street, is already drawing a legion of Lincoln Parkers. When we arrived at 7 p.m. on a Wednesday night, we were first in line, but with the 10 or so tables already filled, our tacos were up before we could sit down. When we left, there was a line all the way to the door. The menu features Korean barbecue banh mi sandwiches ($5.95-$6.95), bibimbop and dumplings in addition to tacos. We tried the Kalbi taco, grilled beef short rib with a sweet soy soju marinade, plus a panko-breaded shrimp taco with sesame-chili aioli ($2.50-$2.95). We loved the tasty, crispy shrimp but were a little underwhelmed by the Kalbi. We wouldn't expect a sports bar to outdo a street food joint, but we found the Korean Kogi barbecue beef tacos at Benchmark to have a much zippier marinade. We will still be back to try kimchi and pork belly fries ($6.95) or raid the mini-fridge on the counter for a jar of kimchi ($3). 

Shuttered after a fire earlier this year, Avec is preparing to reopen soon. A date hasn't been set yet, reports the restaurant's chef liason Heather Medina, but we can tell you that Chef Koren Grieveson is planning to bring back a handful of menu items from the original 2003 menu. 

Oct. 18 update: Toland hasn't released his address just yet, but he did just blog a preview of some cocktails that the late-night lounge portion of Gabba Gabba Hey will be serving. The Haunted Town black martini sounds especially interesting. Check it out here.

Chef James Toland was aiming to open his new restaurant concept, Gabba Gabba Hey, in Logan Square, but he's instead landed in a River North space. He's expected to announce the exact address on his blog within days, as soon as the lease is signed. Since he tells us he hopes to be open by Oct. 31, we'd guess that Gabba must be taking over an existing restaurant already in operation. Any guesses on where?

Chicago Breaking Business reports that Boston Blackie's is closing some locations, effective immediately. Check out the full story here. 

This just in! RJ (left) and Jerrod Melman (right) are naming their French restaurant Paris Club. They're aiming for a mid-November opening. Read more about the project here.

If you live or work near Arami, you'll be excited to hear this: The restaurant debuts lunch service (dine in and carry out) starting tomorrow. Service runs Tuesday through Saturday and the restaurant is still BYOB until it receives its liquor license, expected to arrive by the end of October.

I kinda of always thought that Chicago Gourmet in Millennium Park was full of 60-year-old couples getting tipsy on wine samples. Well, it is, but there were also plenty of 20- and 30-somethings noshing and socializing at this year's fest. Hey, even the Landon twins made an appearance to support the Rockit booth. I just wanted to take a minute to share some photos and some random observations:

Lots o' dining news to report this week. A few tidbits to whet your appetite here; for more details, click through to the full descriptions on our site.

IN THE LOOP:
-Pret A Manger opens at 7 a.m. tomorrow. Go get a sandwich!
-The W Hotel is changing Tuscan-inspired Ristorante We into IPO, a new restaurant serving globally inspired contemporary American dishes fit for sharing, on Oct. 4.

A LITTLE FURTHER SOUTH:
-Kendal Duque stepped into the kitchen at the Chicago Firehouse in the South Loop, ready to freshen up the old-school spot's heavier preparations into brighter, fresher more contemporary preparations. Don't worry, he wouldn't dare touch the oysters Rockefeller or the double-cut pork chop, but he is saving the seafood dishes from their heavy butter sauces. On our last visit, we were surrounded by seniors, so this is a smart, smart move on owner Matthew O'Malley's part to try to appeal to some of the South Loop's 20- and 30-somethings who previously wouldn't set foot in the place.

AND A BIT MORE SOUTH STILL:
-Creole eatery Le Fleur de Lis aims to open in Bronzeville on Oct. 17, serving up jambalaya and Sunday jazz brunch a la New Orleans.

Hey Top Chef fans, did you catch tonight's reunion show? Hopefully you didn't tune out before the end, when the cheftestants for Bravo's All-Star version of the series (starting Dec. 1) were announced. None other than Chicago's own Dale Levitski from Sprout is part of the cast. Go Dale!

Check out Curt Wagner's Show Patrol blog for more on the other cheftestants.

Due to "some minor issues in trademarking," according to a press release sent today by publicist Amanda Wurzbach from Total Dish Marketing, Urban Burger Bar in Lincoln Park will now be know as Burger Bar. The sign will switch over later this week or early next. 

Attention Edgewater residents and M. Henry fans! The uber-popular brunching and lunching spot now has a sister location about a mile north in the former Standee's address. Called M. Henrietta, it's not only serving breakfast, brunch and lunch just like the original, but dinner as well. Given the popularity of the original, it's hard to believe that it opened so quietly last Thursday. Does anyone think this means brunch lines at M. Henry will be shorter, or will they both be just as busy as ever?

On the top of my list of patios to hit before the summer's over: Henri. The Michigan Avenue spot impressed on my first visit, and now that the sidewalk cafe's open and lunch service has launched (both are new this week), I'm plotting a return for a midday burger.

Here's a look at the lunch menu:

COLD

Smoked steak tartare - $14
Quail egg and potato chips

Torchon of foie gras - $22
Apricot and brioche

HOT

Escargots Bourgogne - $13

Celery puree - $11
Smoked whitefish and braised leeks

Market potage - $12

RAW BAR

Oysters mignonette - $18

Chilled shrimp - $16

Selection from the sea - Market Price

Glass of Black Velvet - $12

STONE OVEN PISSALADIERES

Lyon artichoke - $14

Raclette

Market tomatoes - $14

Raclette and Virginia ham

SALADS

Greens salad - $9

Daily lettuce, vegetables and buttermilk dressing

Organic tomato salad - $22
Sartori Reserve and herb puree vinaigrette

Iceberg - $13 / with stone-oven steak: $26 / with stone-oven chicken: $23

Tomato, bacon and Bleu d'Auvergne

Poached egg salad - $13

Potato chips, Bibb lettuce, radish and bacon dressing

Stone-oven chicken - $16

Romaine, cucumber, tomato, dill and shaved salted croutons

Daily poached fish niçoise salad - Market Price

Olives, potatoes, green beans, egg, mushrooms, onion, lettuce and mustard vinaigrette

SANDWICHES

House cobia gravlax - $14

Cucumber, lettuce-onion seed butter, potato roll

Prime burger - $16

Short rib, tomato jam, Sartori Reserve, potato roll

Beef tenderloin - $19

Roasted tomato, onion rings, mustard

Croque monsieur - $16 / Croque madame with egg: $18.50

French ham, Comte Gruyere, brioche

Lobster club - $22

Applewood bacon, brioche

Daily sandwich - Market Price

House-baked pain dulce

ENTREES

Napoleon of raw and cooked summer vegetables - $22

Tomato and pepper jam

Dover sole meunière - $32

Summer vegetables

Mussels - $18

House sausage, fennel broth, toasted miche and roasted red pepper rouille

Roasted Florida snapper - Market Price

Poached tomatoes, onions and Parisian potatoes

Housemade pasta - $17.00

Roasted tomato, olive oil, rosemary and brie

FROM THE STONE OVEN

New York strip steak - $38

Cheddar potatoes

Sullivan chicken - $20

Summer vegetable tart

SIDES

Amaranth

Potatoes dauphinoise

Heirloom tomatoes

Potato puree

Asparagus

Farmed daily vegetables

Travel + Leisure loves the pancakes at Lula Cafe. Can't say I disagree. But since they're the only Chicago 'cakes to make T + L's list of the 10 best pancakes in America, this is akin to claiming they're the best pancakes in Chicago.

The good folks at T + L can't possibly have eaten every pancake in our town. (I most certainly have not.) Or in America, for that matter. And they've done right by us in holding up Lula as an example. But are Lula's the best in town? I offer you some possible contenders: Hearty. M. Henry. Hub 51. Please discuss. 

Henri, the anticipated Michigan Avenue spot from the folks behind the Gage, opens Saturday. The restaurant, designed with inspiration from the work of architect Louis Henri Sullivan, will serve modern American fare with classic roots and a strong seasonal and regional influence.

The Gage's Dirk Flanigan serves as executive chef here too, so it's no surprise that game (elk, venison, quail, rabbit and the like) will be regular fixtures on the menu. Sample dishes include a vegetable tart, rabbit consomme with rabbit agnolotti and plats du jour such as bouillabaisse. The wine list focuses on biodynamic selections, and cocktails lean classic, with an entire section dedicated to wine-based cocktails.

In closing news, the Stew reports that CND Gyros, one of Streeterville's finest dives, will be serving its last round of cheese fries and cheap beer this weekend. Also recently shuttered: Hyde Park BYOB Cafe Florian.

Lots of news to report this Monday on the closings front, unfortunately. West Side soul food institution Edna's Restaurant served its last meal over the weekend, a little more than a month after owner Edna Stewart died of complications from ovarian cancer. Stewart opened the restaurant in 1966.

We also just learned that Steven Song has sold his Lincoln Park spot, Masu Izakaya, and the new owners have closed to reconcept. Masu lasted only four months. (Perhaps it wasn't quite the right fit for the neighborhood? At least, that's what we wondered when we saw a guy haul in an entire case of Bud Light when it was operating as a BYOB shortly after opening.)

Delhi 6, a quirky little boutique-slash-eatery in North Center, also closed last weekend after barely four months in business, according to the restaurant's website.

 

Lillie's Q, the latest in a sudden onsalught of barbecue and barbecue-focused joints (Pork Shoppe, Smokey Bears BBQ House, El's Kitchen) opens tonight in Bucktown. (Or so we've been told to expect--no one's picking up the phone at the moment.) Five things that sound like they could help us get past the barbecue fatigue that's already setting in:

1. Peach wood. Lillie's is using peach wood. Hickory is a Midwestern favorite, and we see a lot of cherry in blends too. But I actually prefer peach or pear wood for lighter meats, such as chicken--and Lillie's is doing both a quarter chicken and pulled chicken. 

2. Baked beans. But not just any baked beans. These are spiked with house-smoked bacon and rest for four hours underneath pork shoulders as they cook (hello, tasty pork drippings!) along with barbecue sauce, brown sugar and molasses.

3. Low-country boil. A Carolina classic, served in classic style. And a nice alternative to 'cue. 

4. Meat hooks. Actual butcher meat hooks are part of the lighting design. Well done.

5. "Moonshine." There's a copper still behind the bar that will dispense small batch "moonshine." I'm pretty sure nobody goes blind from that stuff anymore, but if you're worried, there's a decent beer list too--including a locally produced house brew from Metropolitan.

In case you haven't heard: It's open.

We've got a photo tour and a list of things to know before you go, which includes answers to burning questions such as, "What is fat bread?" (But not, "Where's Tom?" or "Is Gail judging desserts?" Sorry.)

And just as a point of interest, the T-shirt I wore to the restaurant two days ago still kind of smells like burning wood and goat fat (or maybe pork fat) when I hold it up to my face and inhale deeply. Uh, not that I've been doing that or anything.

RJ and Jerrod Melman want to change the way you think about French food. (That is, if you're among those who think it's stuffy and staid.) The brothers (and sons of Lettuce Entertain You's Rich Melman) behind Hub 51 and Sub 51 have a new project in the works, and the goal is to reintroduce French fare to a new generation of diners.

They're partnering with chef Jean Joho to open a casual restaurant in the space currently occupied by longtime River North spot Brasserie Jo, also a Lettuce Entertain You concept. Brasserie Jo will close in late August to make way for the new restaurant, which is aiming for an October opening after renovations to the space. No word on menu yet, but Brasserie Jo executive chef Tim Graham will remain in the kitchen.

The suspense is over. I just got confirmation that Girl & the Goat opens Monday. They won't start taking reservations until 10 a.m. Monday, so man those phones. (Here's a tip: It's on Open Table.)

Wondering what's in store? The restaurant's Web site launched about a week ago with a sample menu and folks who attended this week's friends and family preview dinners are all abuzz on the restaurant's Facebook page.

A shake that is on the M Burger menu. This is not the shake you will order.

Just in time for the July 4 weekend, M Burger quietly has rolled out a new off-the-menu special (meaning you need to ask for it by name--you won't see it listed among the regular items).

It's called the double-shot Black Cat espresso shake, and it's pretty much what it sounds like: a 16-ounce espresso shake perked up with two shots of Intelligentsia Black Cat espresso.

It's $2.99 and should be around through July 15.