TOMMY’S ROCK & ROLL CAFE opened nearly a decade ago, serving a no-frills selection of all-American fare like burgers, BLTs, and subs. In 1998, owner Tom Catalano Sr. downsized the kitchen to move in the burgeoning guitar business he’d been running from his house, and the eclectic combination of Stratocasters and sandwiches brought in a steady stream of regulars and a good amount of local press. But when business started sagging late last year, Catalano cast about for a new hook to lure customers. He decided to promote one of the more popular sandwiches on his menu: the sloppy joe. “I think people are tired of eating the same old stuff, and I don’t know of any other place that sells them,” he says–and at $3.25, including a bag of chips, they’re a steal. So far, specializing in the unofficial sandwich of Cub Scout campouts and school cafeterias has worked: “We’ve gone from one big batch a week to one big batch a day,” Catalano says. He hopes his new customers will go on to develop a taste for the more expensive fare at Tommy’s–the guitars. At any given time, Catalano, an avid player and collector, has more than 200 axes and amps in stock, plus guitar accessories, Elvis and WWF action figures, chess sets, porcelain figurines, a curio case full of fishing lures, a giant cardboard C-3P0, and bookshelves and boxes holding thousands of LPs. “I’m always looking for guitars, antiques, and anything else I think is cool,” says Catalano as he shows off his latest find, a vintage concertina nestled in a gleaming red case. “Anything that’s not moving is for sale,” he adds. Tommy’s Rock & Roll Cafe is at 2500 W. Chicago, 773-486-6768. –Jenny B. Davis
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After struggling with N.N. Smokehouse (which closed in 2000) and N.N. Spice Islands (closed in 2001), Larry Tucker is rebounding with the help of friend and business partner Eli Ortiz. They’re transforming breakfast nook Munch (which replaced the original Wishbone a few years back) into L.T.’s GRILL, serving three meals a day starting August 15. To appease regulars, it’ll still offer most of Munch’s breakfast menu–Swedish pancakes, homemade biscuits and gravy, and the Porky Pig, a wrap full of bacon, eggs, and cheddar cheese. To these Tucker will add some southwestern-themed items: at breakfast a Santa Fe hash (eggs made to order with chorizo, cilantro, green peppers, and a tomatilla salsa); at lunch a chicken salad (the bird’s marinated in lime juice and cilantro, then tossed with tortilla strips and greens); and at dinner a black-bean-and-chipotle-glazed chicken breast. He’ll also throw in a few specialties that hark back to his former restaurants: pan-Asian noodles, chicken-fried steak, panfried catfish, and jambalaya. Dinner entrees will come with a choice of sides like collard greens or cheese grits, like any good deep southern meal. Though the sign outside still says Munch, come September the decor will catch up with the menu–the yellow walls will be painted turquoise, and a cactus will become part of the logo above the entrance. Tucker will be moving a smoker into the kitchen to give loyal N.N. Smokehouse fans a dose of his outstanding barbecue. L.T.’s Grill is at 1800 W. Grand, 312-997-2400. –Laura Levy Shatkin
