Journal & Topics Media Group

Couple Brings Latin, Mediterranean Flavors To Niles

Phoenix Flame Open At Oakton & Waukegan

Phoenix Flame owner Yanko Dimchev, serving up a short rib taco at his new restaurant at Oakton Street and Milwaukee Avenue. (Tom Robb/Journal photo)

A new restaurant serving Latin and Mediterranean dishes opened last month at Oakton Street and Waukegan Road in Niles. The operation, which began as a Glenview-based food truck, is now a storefront, primarily focused during the COVID-19 pandemic, on delivery, carry out and curbside pick up. 

The husband and wife team running Phoenix Flame — Yanko Dimchev, running the front of the house, and his wife, chef Margita Sojos — bring with them experience gained in some of Chicago’s top restaurants preparing tacos, empanadas, wraps, and salads along with more substantial dishes such as marinated spicy pork with a pineapple glaze, shrimp skewers and Mediterranean sausage.

The couple took their experience working in downtown Chicago restaurants and opened a Glenview-based food truck of the same name in 2016. That truck was sold Monday, Sept. 21, now that the brick and mortar operation is in place. 

Chef Margita Sojos, Dimchev’s wife, who hails from Ecuador, and came up working in some of Chicago’s top restaurant kitchens. (Tom Robb/Journal photo)

Sojos, who hails from Ecuador, said she worked in some of Chicago’s best restaurants for the last 17 years, working her way up from a cleaner to cooking on the line, most recently at the famed Chicago steakhouse Gibson’s. Dimchev said he ran front of house operations at a Michelin Star-rated restaurant on Michigan Avenue.

Although the couple has an impressive culinary pedigree, meals at Phoenix Flame do not match those higher Michigan Avenue prices. Tacos, empanadas, salads and other small plates run between $3 and $5.50. Wraps run about $10 and larger main course meals range from about $12 to $15. 

Dimchev said his top selling items have been Nic’s short rib taco, served with a tangy slaw and Asian barbecue sauce along with a Mediterranean sausage sandwich. 

He said all the meats served at the restaurant are purchased fresh from Wisconsin. Poultry is purchased from Harrison’s Poultry on Waukegan Road in Glenview. All the food is made on site to order.

Phoenix Flame is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The restaurant delivers to a three-mile radius around Waukegan and Oakton, using its own employees rather than services such as Uber Eats or DoorDash. Orders can also be made for pickup through the restaurant’s website. 

Niles Chamber of Commerce Director Alicia Bermes said she and Niles Mayor Andrew Przybylo have set a tentative date with Dimchev for a chamber grand opening and ribbon cutting Tuesday, Oct. 20.

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