RM restaurant news: Red Lantern under new management, Einstein closed

With a few closings, openings and management changes, Rolling Meadows officials say overall the restaurant scene is doing well.

Red Lantern Asian Bistro, 1655 Algonquin Road, is under new management. It closed this past Sunday for renovations.

The restaurant will reopen in early October under a new name, Asian Tokyo, and will add Japanese food to the mainly Chinese food menu, said employee Fanny Ng.

Ng said the spot will still be a casual dining restaurant with similar prices and atmosphere.

Another visible spot, Einstein Brothers Bagels, 5500 New Wilke Road, closed in late August after a possible leasing dispute according to city officials.

There’s no plan for a new restaurant in that location yet, said Valerie Dehner, community development director for the city.

Chili’s Bar & Grill at 1480 Golf Road closed after a leasing disagreement in September 2011 and remains shuttered a year later, but Dehner said management has told her there are interested parties looking at the property.

Despite the closings, Dehner said she doesn’t think Rolling Meadows has been hit as hard as other suburbs by the economic downturn and that good news is happening on the city’s food scene.

“We’ve been really fortunate with restaurants. Something closes, but for the most part it doesn’t stay closed long,” she said.

Two other restaurants will be opening in Rolling Meadows this fall, Dehner said.

Muscle Maker Grill, 1673 Algonquin Road, will open at the end of September in the place of Hungry Restaurant, which closed last spring. The new casual food spot will offer wraps, pasta, salads and other health food options, according to the owners.

The large Old Country Buffet building at 1440 Golf Road, which closed in March, will have a new tenant this fall, Dehner said. Flaming Grill & Supreme Buffet has applied for a business permit to serve Japanese and Chinese cuisine buffet style.

Other positive economic news came for Rolling Meadows on Tuesday when the city approved a developer agreement with Chicago-based Clark Street Development to redevelop the long-vacant Dominick’s property along Kirchoff Road.

Dehner said that news was “very encouraging,” and could bode well for the rest of the city.

“We’ve seen more of an uptick in activity in the past year or so. What I’m hearing from the real estate community is that the deals are increasing and there should be more positive activity,” Dehner said. “I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that this keeps going.”