The Mediterranean/Latin fusion restaurant is bringing its flame-grilled meats and other handcrafted dishes from Niles to Rolling Meadows.
Phoenix Flame plans to move into the Rolling Meadows shopping center space at 3240 Kirchoff Road vacated by Great American Bagel.
It’s a major expansion and a multi-year goal for owner Yanko Dimchev and his wife Margita, who started their business as a food truck in 2016.
They have a dozen locations in Niles, but they were successful as an operation when they opened in 2020 at the height of the pandemic.
In Rolling Meadows, they will have a 55-seat full-service restaurant and bar for which the City Council approved a Class A2 liquor license Tuesday night.
Dimchev named his restaurant after the mythological bird that rises from the ashes, but it’s also a reference to the flame that roasts the meat in their kitchen. With Dimchev’s Mediterranean and his wife’s Latin heritage, they created a unique restaurant concept and menu that includes Bulgogi short ribs, Mediterranean sausages, pulled pork, chicken, shrimp, Canadian salmon and Argentine-style New York strip steaks. Many of these selections are available as appetizers, sandwiches, or wrapped in low-carb, gluten-free yuca tortillas for our weekly Taco Tuesday special.
“Before, the formula for success was fast, cheap and digital,” said Dimchev, who started in the restaurant business at age 9, setting tables. “Now (people) are looking for something unique, delicious and healthy.”
In January, the City Council awarded Dimchev an incentive package to help with construction and start-up costs. Under the city’s Restaurant Incentive Program, it will refund up to $5,000 in construction fees and a portion of the food and beverage tax (60% the first year, 40% the second year and 20% the third year). and a facade and interior grant of up to $10,000.
Rolling Meadows’ traditional downtown shopping center location is visible on Kirchhoff and has traffic and plenty of parking, Dimchev said.
“This place is exactly what I envisioned it to be as a restaurant,” he said.
He says he hopes to open soon after the renovations are completed. When it opens, the restaurant will be open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with a special breakfast menu on weekends.