Closings

Lure Izakaya Pub Closes

Many people have the dream that a chichi Asian restaurant and nightspot in Chinatown will attract young Asians and their hip non-Asian friends. We’re not sure that any place has ever proven this true, however, and the latest to meet an early end is Lure Izakaya Pub. Opening with both Kee Chan (Heat) and French chef Eric Aubriot (Aubriot and many more) in the kitchen, Lure seemed much easier to like than Chan’s previous place in the same spot, Mulan, with a sense of humor about itself the other lacked (see this great LTHForum post on Geisha Night), and an izakaya menu of simple foods that got reasonably good notices from the likes of Time Out Chicago and the Reader. But for whatever reason, it didn’t catch on, and at present the restaurant’s website promises: “We are closed for re-location, Please check back with us later! Thank you for your support, see you soon in TOWNDOWN 2013!” Apparently this means they hope to open downtown next year; we shall see.

Lure Izakaya Pub Closes