Bartlett getting 2 new restaurants
There are signs of growth all over Bartlett -- construction on the Clare Oaks Retirement Community and the new Metra and fire stations, for instance.
Few have been of the gastronomic variety, but that will change in upcoming weeks.
Sarina and Rakesh Chopra are working out the final details of a cafe- and bistro-style eatery planned at the new Westgate Commons on West Bartlett Road.
The Bartlett couple hope to open it by the end of the year. They cleared a big hurdle when the village board recently approved a liquor license and will soon submit interior architectural plans.
The yet-to-be-named restaurant will seat about 70 guests and feature a small outdoor dining area.
Though it's their first restaurant venture, the business isn't foreign to the Chopras.
Since 2002, they've owned the food service management company Corporate Dining, which provides corporations and large businesses with upscale catering. They have locations in Rolling Meadows and Vernon Hills.
"It's been my husband's dream to open a restaurant," Sarina said. "And (Westgate Commons) is an awesome location. It's basically in our backyard."
Chopra said the concept is fine, yet affordable, American continental cuisine.
"And for the little daring, our cuisine will be fused with some European touches and techniques," she said.
Chopra wants to bring the cozy ambience she finds so attractive in Europe to their restaurant. To her, that partly means a low-key atmosphere at a low decibel level.
A couple of miles south at Stearns and Sutton roads, Ovi's Pub is set to open next month after obtaining a liquor license last month.
Owner Ovidiu Catanescu -- call him Ovi -- owned a restaurant in his native Romania before coming to the States 22 years ago.
"I've wanted to do this for a while," he said.
The menu will feature steaks, burgers, seafood and sandwiches, but he eventually wants to incorporate some Romanian fare.
"You have to cater to what people want," he said. "But we'll gradually introduce foods that are a bit unusual. If they like it, we'll keep going."
Catanescu says Ovi's won't be a sports bar but rather a family restaurant that has a bar. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
The 53-seat eatery is at the site of two failed restaurants, according to Jerry Kallas of the Bartlett plan commission. Other members of the commission were also concerned about whether another could succeed.
"The location's not great," Catanescu responded, referring to the strip mall. "But it will have quality food at reasonable prices. Word of mouth will make it succeed."