Heath Department Loosens Reins: How To Prepare For The New Inspections and Reviews

As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Department of Health will allow some “low-risk” food sellers to self-certify their inspections. This would include businesses that sell pre-packaged food and beverages with minimal food preparation. Even if this revision seems to be most relevant to 7-11s and gas stations, small food businesses will benefit from the reduced supervision. Restaurants who have not had a food safety related closing for 36 months will also be eligible to self-certify. Unfortunately, the main issue with the Department of Health has not been the frequency of inspections, so much as the amount of time it takes to have plans reviewed by the department and the inconsistent application of design regulations.

The Department of Health is a vast regulatory body that oversees everything related to public health. The Food Protection Division is just one segment of the department, and is responsible for restaurants, taverns, groceries, commissaries, and hot dog cars.

moss’ 2 Sparrows Restaurant in CS Interiors

Our work at 2 Sparrows Restaurant is featured in the 2012 Winter issue of CS Interiors Magazine.  Article inside.

moss Brings Flirty Cupcakes In From the Streets

After spending the past few years on the streets, Flirty Cupcakes has a new dessert garage to call home. Flirty was preparing their delectable delights in a shared kitchen in Chicago’s West Loop, and selling to the public out of two food trucks. Now in addition to their rounds in Chicagoland, Flirty will sell their in-house baked treats from their new shop on Taylor Street. After identifying the 1,200 square foot space on Taylor near UIC, moss helped transform the formerly hapless space into a modern dessert garage. Product list and photos inside.

moss Transforms Old Opera House into Brew Pub and Cafe

We peeled back 70 years of dirt, grime and funky looking remodelings of a historic Traverse City opera house to restore its original luster and charm. The result is Brew,  a coffeehouse and gastropub with a mighty list of local beer that uses repurposed elements to connect the city with its roots. Brew occupies the bottom floor of the 100-year-old opera house, whose maple floors, yellow masonry and rustic tin ceiling have been rescued from years of neglect. Windows that were obstructed by more recent construction work are incorporated into the new design to flood the space with natural light.

It’s not just the centenarian opera house that gives Brew it’s ultra-local construction: leftover wood from a nearby bowling alley forms sturdy tables, and wood from a old barn features in the design. Mid-century furniture lends the café a cozy, living-room feel. Pieces like the reclaimed pendant light fixtures echo the region’s sawmill history, while an old school 18-inch zinc bar with a galvanized pipe footrest rounds out the historical design elements.

A café by day (featuring locally roasted beans and a custom built pour over stand) and a tavern by night, Brew also offers food and spirits sourced from local farmers, artisans, distillers and brewmasters with continually evolving menus, cocktails and craft beer pairings.  Photos and project info inside.

2 Sparrows Restaurant by moss Design

Merging Sustainable Agriculture and Modern Architecture.

We wanted the design to speak to the industrial and traditional roots of the Chicago food industry, while responding to the unique mission of 2 Sparrows.  Similar to how a sparrow builds a nest by collecting building elements from nearby, we assembled the space for this seasonally driven, gastro-brunch restaurant with building components collected from Chicago.  This approach resulted in an industrial farmhouse aesthetic rooted in Chicago restaurant classicism perfectly calibrated for food production and enjoyment.  The architectural design echoes the sustainable agriculture ethos of the restaurant and complements the food and products from local farmers, artisans, distillers, and brewmasters offered at the restaurant. Product list and photos inside.