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Openings Thu Aug 11 2011
Prasino Coming to Wicker Park
When I lived in Athens for a bit, I always got a kick out of asking for skim milk at the kiosk down the street from my apartment building -- since the label for skim was green, you'd ask for "green" milk. It sounded a lot better in Greek: "To prasino gala, parakalo." So I smiled inwardly when I saw the sustainable semi-chain (they already have two suburban locations) Prasino is set to open in Wicker Park as early as this coming Monday -- though you can get an early look at a CS-sponsored event tonight. From the looks of it though, Prasino will put the chintzy plastic news-stand kiosks and cardboard milk cartons I keep mentally associating it with to shame. Occupying the first floor of that new construction they've been putting up FOREVER across the street from Moonshine, the newest addition to the Division dining scene will be sleek and modern, with eco-aware touches like burnished wood surfaces, corrugated cardboard lamp shades, and chairs upholstered in recycled polyester. (Urban Daddy has a pretty sweet slideshow.) According to their website, the building should be as energy-friendly as it is aesthetically pleasing.
The menu seems to reflect the building's aesthetic as well, with options like micro-brewed kombucha (which I'm not familiar enough with to be excited about); breakfast dishes like "Paris" eggs benedict with ham, brie, a pretzel croissant, and truffled hollandaise (pretzel...croissant? OK, that's kind of exciting...); small plates including a lobster-stuff avocado with chili buerre fondue (...FONDUE?); and a grilled Thai curry pork loan entree (OK. Officially kind of excited). Despite the Greek name and the presence of a few Mediterranean menu items, Prasino's palate ranges far and wide, from French to Tex-Mex style offerings. While they do have green eggs and ham, they don't have green milk. But everything else sounds pretty tasty.
