Fork and Coin, a new pub and supper club, is set to open in Portage Park, chef and co-owner Drake Mandrell said on April 15. The restaurant will be located at 3938 N. Central Ave., the former site of Bluebird Cafe.
Mandrell said Fork and Coin aims to provide a space where neighbors can connect over dishes such as soy-glazed fried cauliflower and glasses of sake. “I think people are really looking for that in-person connection and for an escape from the devices,” Mandrell said. “So I want Fork and Coin to be about getting off of social media and kind of coming back together.”
The restaurant plans to serve classic pub fare like burgers alongside dishes that feature ingredients from various Asian cuisines. Menu highlights include fried crispy pork belly, short rib with sweet potato, bahn mi sandwich, beet-pickled eggs with Thai basil, crab and scallion pancake, as well as different cuts of steak sourced from Brass Family Farm near Rockford.
Fork and Coin will offer private supper clubs with curated menus where guests can mingle while dining. A membership system is also planned to give members discounts and early access to events.
Mandrell has worked in kitchens for more than twenty years. He attended culinary school during high school in Pennsylvania before graduating from the Culinary Institute of America. His experience includes opening restaurants in New York City and the Hamptons, working as a chef instructor at The Chopping Block in Lincoln Square, and hosting food pop-ups across Chicago.
The building’s upstairs space will be available for private events once Fork and Coin opens later this summer following a soft opening expected in June. Mandrell also plans to restore the back patio next year after obtaining city permits.
