New Chicago beer garden in the works
If you feel yourself slipping into a serious case of the winter blues, hold on: The owners of The Continental and Darkroom welcomed 2008 by breaking ground on a double-wide lot which will eventually be home to The Old Oak Tap, a bar boasting nearly 2,000 square feet of beer garden--in front! The whole idea of the tap is to bring the outside in, so look for modern rustic decor that makes use of stone and reclaimed oak among other natural materials. Partner Chris Ongkiko (The Continental and original Lava on Damen Avenue) tells us chef John Manion (of recently shuttered MAS) will be consulting on the menu, and the bar will be stocked with a lot of beer and wine. But with the stellar track record of the partners' other spots, we're definitely psyched about the music: indie rock, but more varied sounds than the cool beats you hear at Continental. Target opening: September 2008.