More than burgers for new South Elgin stop

Nancy and Tim Blevons hope their new restaurant will stand out among all the eateries along Randall Road for a few reasons.

First of all, Nanner's Beef Burgers & Beyond at 1900 McDonald Road in South Elgin is not a chain.

It's family-owned and operated with personable staff and good service, said co-owner Tim Blevons.

Nanner's, which is derived from Nancy's nickname, also serves a variety of gourmet meals with healthy alternatives like salads and veggie burgers.

"We want to have fresh cooked food but offer it at reasonable prices and deliver a lot of value," Tim Blevons said. "You can't rush quality."

Second is their nephew, Eric Socash, 24, who is the head chef and catering manager.

Socash moved to the suburbs from New Jersey and recently won an award for the most original side dish at the Food Network's Burger Bash contest as part of the network's New York City Food and Wine Festival hosted by Rachael Ray. The episode does not have an air date yet.

The Blevonses, who live in Addison but are considering a move west, bought the struggling "Big Fat Gyros" restaurant over the summer.

They experimented with the menu and on Thursday finally had the Nanner's sign installed outside.

From 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nanner's will hold a grand opening celebration.

The staff will have $1 food samples for sale, with proceeds going to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Nancy Blevons' brother, Melvin "Butch" Mueller, committed suicide in April.

There also will be a 50-50 raffle for cancer research in honor of Tim Blevons' sister and Nanner's cook, Connie Boland, who died of pancreatic cancer this month.

The grand opening will feature a class and alternative fuels car show and an appearance from the South Elgin High School marching band.

"We like helping people out. This is a great vehicle for us to give to the community," Tim Blevons said.

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. For details, visit nannersbeef.com or call (847) 888-8812.