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The fire's out
Fahrenheit, one of the most anticipated suburban restaurant openings of last year, closed its doors this past weekend. This morning, we talked with chef Pete Balodimas, who opened the restaurant with his parents after leaving his gig as chef de cuisine at Spiaggia. He gave us a canned line about being "ahead of our time in the suburbs," but really, it comes down to a matter of not having enough bums in seats. “Overall, we weren’t doing the numbers we expected to be doing,” he said.
The pork belly with Granny Smith-apple slaw and cheddar beignets (pictured) that we had there back in November still—yes, still—comes up in conversations with friends about the best meal we’ve had in the ’burbs. But admittedly, we also haven’t been back since—and not for a lack of want, either. Like most gourmet destinations, the super-high-quality ingredients Balodimas prided himself on (and the price tag that came with it) put Fahrenheit in the special-occasion category for most locals, save for wealthy Fox-Valley foodies with money to burn.
The only complaint we had back when Fahrenheit opened was the location. With a Main Street St. Charles address, we expected a quaint storefront in the city’s pretty downtown district, but instead found it in a strip mall (albeit a shiny new one) further east. We couldn’t help but think that after shelling out $200 for a five-course dinner for two, you might rather stroll along the Fox River than walk out into a parking lot with a view of the KFC across the street. Thoughts from the chef? “No, we think our location’s perfect,” he says.
No rest for the weary, though—Balodimas is already started the hunt for exec chef positions. “I put my resume out there yesterday. I’m just keeping my ear open.”
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