May 11--Packed, chef Mike Sheerin's dumpling house in Hyde Park, has gone from "eagerly anticipated" to "late lamented" in the span of four months.
Packed seemed like an ideal name for the "dumplings reimagined" restaurant (1321 E. 57th St.) when it opened in January. Customers flocked to the operation in such numbers that Packed ran out of food on several occasions. But soon came complaints about high prices and inconsistent performance, and Sheerin pulled the plug.
"We tried," he said, "but business wasn't enough to sustain the restaurant for a long time."
Sheerin said he and partner Aaron DiMaria committed to responsibly sourced meats, which kept profit margins thin. "We went for sustainable ingredients, buying expensive products and probably not charging enough," Sheerin said. "Ultimately, the location wasn't the right one for our first store."
Sheerin remains executive chef at Embeya restaurant (564 W. Randolph St.).
Phil Vettel is a Tribune critic.
