As Chicago restaurants keep trying to pick up the pieces and move on after more than two years of pandemic turmoil, a frustrating new obstacle has emerged for hospitality operators: online hackers, some of whom are trying to get money from their targets. . Sochi Saigonese Cuisine† the regional Vietnamese restaurant in Lakeview named on Michelin’s 2022 Bib Gourmand list, is the latest local spot where he’s caught up in a virtual battle.
In the past 10 days, Sochi has been inundated with a string of one-star Google reviews that have lowered its overall ratings, according to an employee who wrote in a private facebook group for members of the Chicago hospitality industry. Last Wednesday morning, the employee writes, owners Chinh Pham and Son Do received an email from a person claiming responsibility for the barrage of negative reviews and demanding a $75 Google Play gift card to stop the flow of stop bad reviews. “We sincerely apologize for our actions and would not wish to harm your business, but we have no other choice,” reads the email, reviewed by Eater. “The fact is, we live in India and see no other way to survive.” Pham and Do’s attempts to contact Google have so far been unsuccessful.
Other members of this hapless club of restaurant owners who are under digital siege include the Bien Trucha Group, which owns four restaurants in the western suburbs. In June, hackers used a phishing scam to access the group’s Facebook page, collected thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency advertising fees and posted nude photos on the chief technology officer’s personal page. Although Facebook initially did not respond to the group’s questions, Bien Trucha’s page was fixed after the publication of a Stand story about the saga. Ocaso, a Mexican restaurant in Logan Square, also fell victim to phishing fraudsters who destroyed his reservation system last winter, put online orders on his website and created a fake Facebook page for the restaurant.
oriole named one of the top 100 restaurants in the world
Oriole, Noah and Cara Sandoval’s West Loop tasting menu restaurant, makes its debut at the List of the 50 best restaurants in the world at number 91. Yes, that number is greater than 50; despite its name, the list goes to 100, and the back-end release is a teaser for tracks 1-50, which will be revealed later. At present, Oriole is the only Chicago restaurant on the list and one of only five in the United States.
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Roscoe Village Burger Fest returns
The Roscoe Village Burger Fest returns to Belmont Avenue between Greenview and Lincoln next weekend, July 15-17, after a pandemic hiatus, Block Club Reports† Ten local restaurants will be vying for the title of Chicago’s Best Burger – though oddly enough some of them, including Byron’s Hot Dogs and Lola’s Coney Island, are not known for their burgers. There will also be music and children’s activities; suggested admission is $10.
West Town brewers celebrate beer, jam bands
In other festival news, the Dancing in the Streets Fest, featuring beer and jam bands, will take place August 5-7 in West Town, on Hubbard Street between Paulina and Wood, Block Club Reports† It was initiated by On Tour Brewing founder Mark Legenza, a fan of the Grateful Dead; other participating breweries include: Forbidden CarrotMidwest Coast, Great Central, Finch Beer and Goose Island.