La Chicanita expansion gets the green light

Arlington Heights Trustee Tom Stengren put on a huge sombrero before voting on the La Chicanita expansion project Monday night.

It was a good omen.

The village board unanimously approved Javier Villarreal's plan to expand the Mexican restaurant at 200 N. Dunton Ave. in downtown Arlington Heights.

Villarreal will rename the restaurant Javier's -- because, he said, most people can't pronounce La Chicanita. The expansion will increase Villarreal's seating area from 118 to about 200 seats. There will also be an outdoor seating area for about 30 people.

Under the plan, the eatery's outside will be remodeled to feature a Spanish Mission-style exterior. The entrance will be moved from Dunton Avenue to Miner Street.

According to the Downtown Master Plan, Miner Street should be closed between Dunton Avenue and Northwest Highway for an open public parkway. It would be right in front of Villarreal's new restaurant entrance and outdoor dinning section.

However, there are no plans to close that part of Miner at this time, so the restaurant's outdoor seating will go only on Villarreal's property, not on a public street or sidewalk.

After the expansion, Villarreal will keep the restaurant open later -- until 11 p.m. during the week and 1 a.m. on the weekends.

The menu won't change nor will the restaurant be closed during construction. The project should be complete before next year's Cinco de Mayo holiday.

There has been a Mexican restaurant at the northwest corner of Dunton Avenue and Miner Street for more than 30 years, even before La Chicanita opened there, said Village President Arlene Mulder before casting her vote.

"Forever that spot been a place for some of the most authentic Mexican food in Arlington Heights," she said. "For years, it was the only place."

In November 2006, another Mexican restaurant, Fuego Mexican Grill & Margarita, opened on the south side of downtown Arlington Heights at 17 W. Campbell St.