Market Watch, April 2018

94 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM APRIL 2018PHOTO BY TK TKheavily populated areas of the neighborhoods are Rutherford adds Weve seen great success with that Tony Burger 4 Stars director of operations describes the companys venues as neighborhood staples Weve integrated ourselves into communities he explains We select locations that are cornerstones in each neighborhood Weve built the backbone of our restaurant group on being associated with Northside neighborhoods and in the last couple of years weve jumped into the competition by adding two downtown locations and by streamlining our cuisine with more modern offerings The globally focused Ella Elli is 4 Stars most upscale venue Located in Lakeview Ella Ellis menu includes charcuterie and toasts pizza and pasta and seafood and meat dishes Standouts include Mediterranean sea bass with blistered cherry tomatoes garlic and chilis and lamb scottadito with herbed yogurt and harissa entrées range from 12 29 Ella Ellis beverage program is equally international Cocktails 12 include the Pom Spritz made with Francesc Ricart Brut Cava Solerno Blood Orange liqueur house made tarragon syrup and pomegranate juice and the Mezcal Penicillina comprising Montelobos mezcal Barrows Intense Ginger liqueur house made grapefruit cordial and lime juice These are joined by local craft beers and international brews 6 12 as well as roughly 40 wine labels 7 11 a 3 ounce glass 10 18 a 6 ounce glass 40 112 a 750 ml Mexican inspired Tuco and Blondie is another departure from 4 Stars traditional American grill format The Southport Corri dor venue serves Tex Mex fare and does a robust Margarita busi ness selling more than 100 Margaritas a day Food ranges from Yucatán crispy pork ribs to fajitas tacos and enchiladas entrées are 12 24 and the restaurant lists seven Margarita varieties Tuco and Blondies Classic Margarita is made with Piedra Azul Reposado Tequila Bols Triple Sec liqueur lime juice and agave syrup while the Cadillac version comprises Don Julio Reposado Tequila Cointreau and Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge liqueurs lime juice and agave syrup The venues other cocktails include a Michelada a Paloma and signature creations cocktails are 7 14 Mexican beers and sipping mezcals and Tequilas also have a place on the menu We want our guests to feel welcome in a pair of shorts and a T shirt or in business clothing Rutherford says We focus on making our places comfortable but not so casual that they dont feel nice that makes for a great dining experience The drinks side is crucial to making sure people are happy Company CornerstonesThe American grill Dunlays On Clark in Lincoln Park celebrates its 15th anniversary this year The venues signature dishes include mac and cheese Seattle style barbecue salmon and chicken pot pie which are joined by a variety of burgers grilled pizzas and snacks entrées are 10 27 Wine is a highlight and 4 Star emphasizes affordability offering approachable labels like Catena Chardonnay Angeline Pinot Noir and Matanzas Creek Merlot wines are 8 13 a glass and 30 72 a 750 ml Dunlays On The Square in Logan Square has a similar menu All of our restaurants offer great value wines Rutherford says We want people to feel comfortable coming in and 4 STAR RESTAURANT GROUP AT A GLANCE2003Co founders and co owners Doug Dunlay Michael Dunlay Derek Rettell and Josh Rutherford director of operations Tony BurgerChicago11More than 30 millionBeverage alcohol makes up 35 40 of total revenues Wine leads drinks sales comprising roughly half of total beverage revenues with spirits and beer evenly splitting the remainder 4starrestaurantgroup comThe company will open its 12th restaurant this spring a location of Smoke Daddy in the Hotel Zachary near Wrigley Field Further down the line executives are considering expansion outside of Chicago though no firm plans are underway FoundedKey Executives HeadquartersNumber of UnitsAnnual RevenueSales BreakdownWebsiteFuture Plans4 Stars Ella Elli is globally focused with its food and drinks menus taking inspiration from a variety of cultures The restaurant has both brunch greek yogurt dish and cocktail pictured and dinner services