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Sunshine Cafe

Sunshine Cafe
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  • Post #31 - February 6th, 2007, 2:38 pm
    Post #31 - February 6th, 2007, 2:38 pm Post #31 - February 6th, 2007, 2:38 pm
    I tried calling just a week or so ago, and still just got the machine "vacation" message. I begin to be very nervous. (No signs of any activity inside.)
    "Strange how potent cheap music is."
  • Post #32 - February 6th, 2007, 2:53 pm
    Post #32 - February 6th, 2007, 2:53 pm Post #32 - February 6th, 2007, 2:53 pm
    mrbarolo wrote:I tried calling just a week or so ago, and still just got the machine "vacation" message. I begin to be very nervous. (No signs of any activity inside.)


    They've been mysteriously shut down since October and you're just beginning to get nervous now??? :-)

    At this point, I'd be shocked if they ever opened up again. Thrilled, but shocked.
    Dominic Armato
    Dining Critic
    The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com
  • Post #33 - February 6th, 2007, 2:59 pm
    Post #33 - February 6th, 2007, 2:59 pm Post #33 - February 6th, 2007, 2:59 pm
    Dmnkly wrote:They've been mysteriously shut down since October and you're just beginning to get nervous now??? :-)


    You bet your sweet bippy! Love and desire know no bounds and like il mio signor, I too now begin to feel the first twinges of concern.... :) :(
    Gypsy Boy

    "I am not a glutton--I am an explorer of food." (Erma Bombeck)
  • Post #34 - February 6th, 2007, 5:36 pm
    Post #34 - February 6th, 2007, 5:36 pm Post #34 - February 6th, 2007, 5:36 pm
    I hung/hang on to the rationalization that if they were simply gone, the interior would have been cleaned out, perhaps some notice or building permit stuck on the door, and the phone message changed. Maybe one of those "thanks for your patronage" signs...something.

    I am prepared to be very sad sometime in the near future however. I can't think of anyplace like it.
    "Strange how potent cheap music is."
  • Post #35 - February 6th, 2007, 9:54 pm
    Post #35 - February 6th, 2007, 9:54 pm Post #35 - February 6th, 2007, 9:54 pm
    The only news I could find is that the owners returned to Japan
    http://www.centerstage.net/patronreview ... hich=place
  • Post #36 - February 6th, 2007, 10:26 pm
    Post #36 - February 6th, 2007, 10:26 pm Post #36 - February 6th, 2007, 10:26 pm
    Curry wrote:The only news I could find...

    unfortunately it's not news. we've basically known since late Oct she was going back to Japan... no one would/could tell me for how long at that time.
  • Post #37 - February 9th, 2007, 10:32 am
    Post #37 - February 9th, 2007, 10:32 am Post #37 - February 9th, 2007, 10:32 am
    LTH,

    Was driving past Sunshine Cafe yesterday and could not resist stopping to look in the windows. Now, I'm not exactly Sherlock Holmes but the place did not seem abandoned. The one plant I could see looked healthy, as if it had been watered recently, there was not a pile of papers strewn about the door way and the interior simply appeared as if they were taking the day off.

    Maybe I'm grasping at straws, but I think there is still, at least a little, hope Sunshine Cafe will reopen.

    Enjoy,
    Gary
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #38 - February 9th, 2007, 1:46 pm
    Post #38 - February 9th, 2007, 1:46 pm Post #38 - February 9th, 2007, 1:46 pm
    I walked by on Sunday and took a peek inside the window. They've taken down the vacation sign in the door, but for the most part the restaurant was untouched. There were even coats hanging on the coat rack. I give them a call every week, just to see. Not holding my breath, though.
    My dad said there was a Japanese restaurant near his job that went "on vacation" for about 6 months and then reopened, so don't give up hope yet!
  • Post #39 - March 2nd, 2007, 3:59 pm
    Post #39 - March 2nd, 2007, 3:59 pm Post #39 - March 2nd, 2007, 3:59 pm
    I've been calling Sunshine Cafe every now and again in the hopes that somebody might pick up one day, and lo and behold, somebody just did!

    Sadly, this conversation did not go exactly as I had hoped, providing neither elation nor closure.

    Unidentified Japanese-Sounding Woman: Hello?
    Me: Hello! Is this Sunshine Cafe?
    UJ-SW: Yes.
    Me: Oh, wonderful! Are you open?
    UJ-SW: No.
    Me: Oh... are you going to be opening again soon?
    UJ-SW: I don't know.
    -- Pause --
    Me: Ah... are you the owner?
    UJ-SW: No, I just came in to pick something up. It's empty. I don't know.
    Me: Uh... okay.
    UJ-SW: Bye bye.

    So. Yeah. Make of that what you will.
    Dominic Armato
    Dining Critic
    The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com
  • Post #40 - April 1st, 2007, 10:59 am
    Post #40 - April 1st, 2007, 10:59 am Post #40 - April 1st, 2007, 10:59 am
    Sunshine's finally re-opened - official thread here:

    http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... 007#122007
  • Post #41 - May 30th, 2007, 12:24 pm
    Post #41 - May 30th, 2007, 12:24 pm Post #41 - May 30th, 2007, 12:24 pm
    I've been calling the sunshine cafe every couple months since they closed. This morning, for the first time, a woman with a japanese sounding accent answered. When I asked if they were open again, the woman said yes, but not until sometime in June.

    Metromix is also reporting that they plan to reopen this spring. I'm holding out a bit of cautious optimism. Has anybody else heard anything?
  • Post #42 - May 30th, 2007, 12:33 pm
    Post #42 - May 30th, 2007, 12:33 pm Post #42 - May 30th, 2007, 12:33 pm
    Man, every time this thread pops up I think "Woo! it's reopened!"

    Then reality hits...count me as a once loyal customer who is awaiting their return.
  • Post #43 - May 30th, 2007, 4:22 pm
    Post #43 - May 30th, 2007, 4:22 pm Post #43 - May 30th, 2007, 4:22 pm
    I saw the longtime waiter of Sunshine on the street the other day, in front of the restaurant (sorry, I don't know his name, but we "know" each other from going in there many, many years.) Anyhow, he said that the elderly woman who does all the cooking and has all of the recipes "in her head" ie not written down anywhere, has been rather ill and recently had a brain tumor removed. Once she recovers, he said they hope to have her train a few people on all the dishes and then reopen. He seemed hopeful and upbeat, I felt a little like a jerk for coming at him with a "Hi, hey, when are you going to reopen?" and then hear of the heart of the whole operation is struggling with her health. Anyhow, I thought I'd share the latest with all of you who have been holding out and holding on for so long.

    bjt
    "eating is an agricultural act" wendell berry
  • Post #44 - June 10th, 2007, 9:22 am
    Post #44 - June 10th, 2007, 9:22 am Post #44 - June 10th, 2007, 9:22 am
    I called Sunshine last weekend because I had seen people working inside, getting things cleaned up. The woman I spoke with (not sure if it was the owner or not) said she wasn't sure when they'd be reopening, maybe the end of this month (June).
  • Post #45 - June 16th, 2007, 4:08 pm
    Post #45 - June 16th, 2007, 4:08 pm Post #45 - June 16th, 2007, 4:08 pm
    Was walking by Sunshine today and happened to notice the door was open. I went in and asked the owner how she was and she said she's fine now. They plan on being open by the 27th of this month. Keep your fingers crossed.
  • Post #46 - June 27th, 2007, 7:45 pm
    Post #46 - June 27th, 2007, 7:45 pm Post #46 - June 27th, 2007, 7:45 pm
    Was strolling by this evening and the signs have finally flipped from closed to Open once more. Unfortunately I was not able to slip on in, but perhaps soon...
  • Post #47 - June 28th, 2007, 8:15 am
    Post #47 - June 28th, 2007, 8:15 am Post #47 - June 28th, 2007, 8:15 am
    Confirmed. Sunshine Cafe is open for business. Was there last night for dinner and it was pretty much the same as before. This is a simple, very basic Japanese restaurant that does their dishes well. Nothing surprising, but consistant. Anyway the prices have increased about 8-12%, which is still pretty cheap, IMHO. Lots of locals were dining in the joint and as we left a neighbor asked us how it was and how she was glad to see an open sign in the window - there were two large open signs actually.
  • Post #48 - June 28th, 2007, 8:37 am
    Post #48 - June 28th, 2007, 8:37 am Post #48 - June 28th, 2007, 8:37 am
    yellow truffle wrote:This is a simple, very basic Japanese restaurant that does their dishes well.


    And it is a GNR Winner as well. This is great news! I'll be there sooner rather than later.
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #49 - June 28th, 2007, 8:49 am
    Post #49 - June 28th, 2007, 8:49 am Post #49 - June 28th, 2007, 8:49 am
    So I was walking in and noticed the GNR winner award plaque and wondered how many of things have been given out since it was introduced. It seems that everywhere I go, I see the plaque.
  • Post #50 - June 28th, 2007, 8:50 am
    Post #50 - June 28th, 2007, 8:50 am Post #50 - June 28th, 2007, 8:50 am
    yellow truffle wrote:So I was walking in and noticed the GNR winner award plaque and wondered how many of things have been given out since it was introduced. It seems that everywhere I go, I see the plaque.


    I think the number stands at around 63 or so.

    Read all about it here.
  • Post #51 - June 28th, 2007, 8:51 am
    Post #51 - June 28th, 2007, 8:51 am Post #51 - June 28th, 2007, 8:51 am
    If you're seeing more of our plaques than of, say, Time Out's reviews or Zagat stickers, you're definitely eating in the right places.
    Watch Sky Full of Bacon, the Chicago food HD podcast!
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  • Post #52 - June 28th, 2007, 10:23 pm
    Post #52 - June 28th, 2007, 10:23 pm Post #52 - June 28th, 2007, 10:23 pm
    Sunshine's reopening is easily the best Chicago restaurant news this month.
  • Post #53 - June 29th, 2007, 10:01 am
    Post #53 - June 29th, 2007, 10:01 am Post #53 - June 29th, 2007, 10:01 am
    I wasn't able to have a sit-down meal there on re-opening night, but I did pick up some carry out. The menu is a few items shorter than before (no tempura!) and the service was a touch slower than before, but that's understandable. They forgot one of my entrees in my order, but gave me a large tofu salad instead of a small one so I still had enough food. I'm all ready to forgive them, since I'm just happy they're back. I really missed my zaru soba and ume musubi! Hey, if you were there around 8 on the 27th, you probably saw me waiting for my food. ;)
  • Post #54 - June 29th, 2007, 10:21 am
    Post #54 - June 29th, 2007, 10:21 am Post #54 - June 29th, 2007, 10:21 am
    kezza wrote:Hey, if you were there around 8 on the 27th, you probably saw me waiting for my food. ;)

    Nope we were there from 6:15-7:15. In my sit down experience, the food came in pretty quick. Although the place was 1/3 filled.
  • Post #55 - June 29th, 2007, 11:47 am
    Post #55 - June 29th, 2007, 11:47 am Post #55 - June 29th, 2007, 11:47 am
    Aaron C wrote:Sunshine's reopening is easily the best Chicago restaurant news this month.


    Amen to that. And in celebration, I think the Lovely Dining Companion and I need to pay a visit posthaste. Like tonight! :D Here's hoping we find it filled.
    Gypsy Boy

    "I am not a glutton--I am an explorer of food." (Erma Bombeck)
  • Post #56 - July 2nd, 2007, 6:02 am
    Post #56 - July 2nd, 2007, 6:02 am Post #56 - July 2nd, 2007, 6:02 am
    Just a quick note to encourage one and all to visit. We were there on Friday, as anticipated. We ate between about 6 and 7 and were surprised, and a little disappointed, that there weren't more people there. By the time we left, the place was somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 full. Of course, just about every table that came in had fond greetings and "welcome backs" to give, which was kinda heart-warming. Otherwise, everything is pretty much back to normal. Dinner, as always, a pleasure. So, if you hadn't realized that Sunshine is back or if you've been dawdling, consider this post your wake-up call.
    Gypsy Boy

    "I am not a glutton--I am an explorer of food." (Erma Bombeck)
  • Post #57 - July 2nd, 2007, 7:06 am
    Post #57 - July 2nd, 2007, 7:06 am Post #57 - July 2nd, 2007, 7:06 am
    Can anyone confirm if they have okonomiyaki at Sunshine?
  • Post #58 - July 2nd, 2007, 7:08 am
    Post #58 - July 2nd, 2007, 7:08 am Post #58 - July 2nd, 2007, 7:08 am
    I would call to be absolutely sure but I don't think I've ever seen it on the menu.
    Gypsy Boy

    "I am not a glutton--I am an explorer of food." (Erma Bombeck)
  • Post #59 - July 2nd, 2007, 7:50 am
    Post #59 - July 2nd, 2007, 7:50 am Post #59 - July 2nd, 2007, 7:50 am
    Oculi wrote:Can anyone confirm if they have okonomiyaki at Sunshine?
    Gypsy Boy wrote:I would call to be absolutely sure but I don't think I've ever seen it on the menu.

    It is not on the menu, but maybe if you ask nicely...

    I have only seen (but not tried) the okonomiyaki at the eatery in Mitsuwa.
  • Post #60 - July 2nd, 2007, 10:08 am
    Post #60 - July 2nd, 2007, 10:08 am Post #60 - July 2nd, 2007, 10:08 am
    dodo on damen and augusta has a respectable version.
    "In pursuit of joys untasted"
    from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata

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