Restaurant News: New M Burger Opens, Pump Room Previews, New Baltzley Pop-Up

By Anthony Todd in Food on Sep 14, 2011 3:20PM

- The Pump Room, now under the management of hotelier Ian Schrager (Billy Dec is consulting on the Pump Room Bar) is open. Sort of. Eater Chicago announced Monday that the restaurant had started hosting "preview" dinners - and if you check Open Table, there are reservations available tomorrow night and beyond. The Grand Opening isn't till October 11, and we're not certain we can recommend going this early - the food still costs the same, and it's likely not quite done. But if you desperately want to look at the new space and be the first among your friends, be our guest. The somewhat strange menu includes farm-to-table modern dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the space transforms into a "throwback supper club" at night serving Indian and Asian. The complete menu is online at Grubstreet.

- Chef Brandon Baltzley, host of the successful CRUX pop-up dinner on August 19th, is hosting another event. Baltzley is teaming up with Jared Wentworth of Longman & Eagle for a 60 person dinner on October 17th. The dinner will be named "Apicus" after the first published Roman cookbook, and tickets will cost $140 ($200 with wine pairings). Email cruxrestaurant@gmail.com for more information.

- If you're a fan of M Burger
and work in the loop, today is your lucky day. The newest outlet of the Lettuce Entertain You venture into the burger world is opening in the Thompson Center. Open Monday-Friday 10 AM - 5 PM, you can get extra creamy goodness from 2 PM - close with half-priced milkshakes. 100 W. Randolph.