**Update** I just discovered this article that says they’re also hoping to reopen their restaurant in the Chicago metro area.
What is this, “Crush Mike and Katie Day”? I mean seriously. First we find out that Cilantro Grill has been transformed into a Pepe’s, making me wonder if it’s 1988 all over again. Now, we find out that Masala Yangu in Naperville, the restaurant with the best pigeon pea meal and sweet potato dessert has closed its doors.
This just in from Dish:
“Masala Yangu (43 E. Jefferson Ave.; Naperville), an East African spot that lasted 14 months, has closed. It will operate as a catering company. . . .”
This is a shame, not only because it was some of the best food in the city, but it was also run by some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met. I’m actually heartbroken and a little upset that such good food and good people had to close their restaurant.
I first heard about Masala Yangu from Dish as well. We made reservations for the place before they even opened. I was beyond excited to finally get some cultural flavor in the area. We were there for the opening weekend, and even with the limited menu, there was more than enough to make a vegetarian and his omnivore girlfriend quite happy.
But it was the owners, Rahila and Calvin Young, running the place that really made the difference. In those 14 months, even if we were only there once every other month, they would remember our names. I remember dining by myself once, and the wife came up and asked where Katie was, and if she would like some dessert bagged up and brought home to her.
Service like that is hard to come by! Naperville doesn’t know what they’re losing. Enjoy Bar Louie, suckers.
Two Bites in Suburbia 
I only just found out that the restaurant closed as I rarely dine in Naperville, but I’m pretty disappointed as I was looking to take a friend who had really wanted to go back after the one time we dined there a few years back.
This doesn’t surprise me much, unfortunately, as it was a bit out of the way and hard to find and the place was empty when my group of friends went. The food was great though and we enjoyed talking to the owners about the origins of the cuisine and the culture.
A shame, even a year after you wrote this
I was there only once but very much appreciated the service and individual attention. Rahila was most informative about the background of the cuisine and history of the region. I was looking forward to going back during NCC Homecoming but am now quite disappointed.