Is Restaurant Ba Ready to Cook?

With Highland Park's just around the corner, Highland Park foodies know that Restaurant Ba chef James Graham will be serving up soup soon. Recent dispatches from Graham's Blog indicate that the rustic French restaurant is nearing a grand opening, too.

In a blog posted on Jan. 11, Graham proudly announced that he'd scored a mint condition, six-burner, one-and-half oven range for Ba.

"The hood system is almost finished and we are waiting for the fire suppression system to be installed," Graham wrote. "Riaz, and the crew have been doing all of the finish work on the walls. Julia is almost done with the dining room. And I am not far away from cooking!"

Subsequent posts on Jan. 15 provide a glimpse into Ba's dining room and show a central air conditioning unit being installed.

In the past, Graham was been reluctant to answer questions regarding Ba's opening date, preferring instead to refer curious parties to the long list of contractors and bureaucrats who control the pace of Ba's progress.

"I am building a restaurant from scratch, by hand, with only a few friends and family to help," Graham said in a blog post on Dec. 15. "Considering that, I am making good time."

With Graham's recent posts, however, it seems the chef is getting ready to open his doors.