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"We fell in love over barbecue," said Akiko Moorman. In Little Village, Moorman and her husband, Chef Phillip Foss, have had to re-think El Ideas, the tasting menu-driven, intimate little dining room, and re-imagine it as Boxcar Barbecue. "So El Ideas is this Michelin-starred chef tasting menu whereas Boxcar is very straightforward barbecue," she said. "The biggest thing is we don't have outdoor space or a bar. So in terms of pivoting we were pretty limited when it came to options." At least he's got a Southern Pride smoker, which he's filling with chicken, for starters. "We have a chicken th...

El Ideas [Official Photo] Phillip Foss and Akiko Moorman have converted Foss’ Michelin-starred Douglas Park restaurant into a smoked-meats emporium. Foss is loading up the Bradley smoker that he inherited when he took over the space nine years ago with cuts like a hulking and buttery beef rib. The couple’s new venture, Boxcar Barbecue, debuted Thursday. El Ideas is one of Chicago’s most unique restaurants, where diners have crowded into a cozy dining room in Douglas Park. The restaurant opened in 2011 and was part of a cluster of Chicago restaurants, including Alinea and Moto, that push...