New 'Fries Shanty' Coming to Warren

John Lidz knows what it takes to feed a lot hungry people—before working on Wall Street or opening an importing/exporting business, he cooked...a lot.

"I ran a mess hall in the Army," he said, adding, "We had to move it twice a day."

Though he won't be directing the operations in his Little Shanty Fries restaurant opening in Warren around the end of the month, he did admit he's "not worried about cooking in a fixed facility." 

The 1,850-square foot family restaurant Lidz is opening in the Warren Village Shopping Center, at Mountain Boulevard and Warrenville Road, will feature a "very retro" design and an atmosphere Lidz said he hopes makes people "feel like it's been there forever after it's been open five minutes."

The idea for the restaurant's menu stems from Lidz' family recipes, and he said all food at the restaurant will be fresh and not frozen. He added that the menu will extend beyond the burgers and fries the names implies, with grilled vegetables and chicken, and salad options.

"We all like junk food, but we also have to make healthy choices," he said.

Lidz decided to create his own restaurant scheme because he didn't believe there was a franchise opportunity serving comparable food that really fit Warren.

"We think it's an ideal place to open a family restaurant," he said. "It'll be the kind of place you'll walk in and immediately feel comfortable."

But in case you're worried about that Army training, Lidz is quick to note the kitchen will be run by professional chefs.

"My job is to set the atmosphere and general direction," he said.