ML - Michigan Avenue

2014 - Issue 7 - November

Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!

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photography by kenny kim. opposite page: rachel oftedahl (big shoulders); chicago park district (eckhart); getty images (matchbox); Rodelio Aglibot tests dishes at his new Asian-inflected restaurant and sports bar, Reverie, in River North. Rodelio Aglibot's roots may be decidedly West Coast, but over the past several years this Hawaii- and California-raised chef has been embraced by Chicago foodies as one of their own. After successfully launching and oversee- ing River North hot spot Sunda for Rockit Ranch productions, Aglibot has now emerged as a force in his own right, with two hit restau- rants—E + O Food and Drink and Yum Cha—already under his belt. Now, Aglibot has partnered with local broadcast personalities, including Fox Chicago's Lou Canellis, Kip Lewis of Comcast SportsNet, and Ryan Baker of CBS2 Chicago, to bring his appealing Asian-inf lected fare to Reverie, a sports-bar concept with a focus on elevated cuisine (think Korean-inspired short ribs with pickled vegetables). After long evenings shuttling between the restaurants—occasionally via scooter—Aglibot retreats to his loft in River West, a neighborhood that, he says, fits his on-the-go lifestyle to a T. As he readied for Reverie's recent opening, the chef shared with Michigan Avenue some of his favorite places within his adopted 'hood. "About three years ago, I moved back from New York, and we were opening our restaurant out in the suburbs: Earth + Ocean in Mount Prospect. I needed to look for a place. I'm a city boy—I didn't want to be too far away from downtown, but I also needed freeway access. I have an engineering background, so I was strategizing what would make the most sense for me. And River West has the best of both worlds: It's practically downtown, and it has freeway access. I'm just north of Chicago on Milwaukee Avenue, and it's perfect for me logistically. I can hear the Blue Line run underneath me, so I can take that out to the airport when I need to. It has everything I need; I don't see myself anywhere else right now. "I love that Big Shoulders Coffee has opened up in the neighborhood. I've become friends with the owner, so I like to go down and grab a cup of coffee there and walk around. It's artisanal and handcrafted, and draws a creative clientele. It's more of a gathering place; it's not just about the coffee itself. "I also enjoy Eckhart Park, just on the other River West: "I don't see myself anywhere else." When "Food Buddha" Rodelio Aglibot isn't racing BetWeen his three chicago restaurants, he Finds sanctuary in his near West side neighBorhood. by j.p. anderson 80  michiganavemag.com PEOPLE Native

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