Chicago Foodies

Rama Thai Kitchen – The Edible Art of Sushi

I recently returned on a trip from La Jolla, California where I satisfied my craving for the freshest sushi I could get my chopsticks on. Rappungi Sushi Bar, centrally located in the heart of downtown La Jolla, was the place of choice.

 

Reminiscent of the days years ago that I spent working in the great food city of San Francisco and being spoiled by the delights of this new-to-me cuisine, my earthy Midwestern food roots were instantly replaced by tiny raw-fish I could shove into my mouth in one bite. Who would’ve thought?

 

Rise Sushi and Sake Lounge

I’ve been to Rise Sushi and Sake Lounge on Southport a couple of times with large groups of people.  Last time was no exception as there were 8 of us in our party.  There were some things that Rise did well.  The menu is extensive, which was appreciated by several in our group that were not interested in sushi. Specialty entrées, noodle dishes and small plates proved to be more than enough for the non-sushi lovers to choose from.

Bob San: Neighborhood Sushi

It used to be when you walked into Bob San on Division the sing-song greeting “irasshaimase” would bounce off the celery walls and land on the cement floor at your feet. A pioneer since 2000 on a strip of Division that now boasts a yoga boutique, a chocolatier and a parade of restaurants and bars, Bob San didn’t draw a crowd, initially.

Ginza for Udon

Ginza is around the corner from my office and I've mentioned it here before (and here) and I know udon is kind of pedestrian but recovering from an illness sucks, especially the first day back to the office. What better way to temper the unbearable congestedness of being than with a steaming bowl of soup. Especially when you get the red pepper powder container to liven up the proposition. I went with the tempura udon. It's a nice bowl where they toss in tempura shrimp, potato and eggplant, right into the soup. It does get soggy but I've gotten used to it. I do ask for a side plate and take them out ASAP. That breading comes off completely otherwise. It hit the spot and I did start to hanker for some salmon, so I left before I could rack up that bill.

The additional fact that you automatically get a cup of green tea in lieu of water is another reason for the infirm to enjoy.

Sushi Para II

My first warning probably should have been the "all-you-can-eat sushi" for only $16.99. However, my hole-in-the-wall-lovin' self worked up an appetite as we descended to a basement in Lincoln Park, revealing a small space adorned with wooden furniture and a sushi bar wedged in the corner.

I deliberated over the menu and like all my prior "all-you-can-eat" experiences, secretly vowed NOT to roll out of the door in discomfort by the end of the meal. Their menu had a decent variety of appetizers, nigiri sushi and their special rolls. My friends jumped on the appetizers as I carefully made my choices of the special rolls.

First Look: Sushi-X on Diversey

My wife, as an interior designer, was fortunate enough to get an invitation to get a sneak preview of Sushi-X. I admit I have not been to Sushi-X's original location, on Chicago and Milwaukee in East Ukrainian Village.  One of the first thoughts I had was that this is a bold move for them:  there are quite a few sushi places around Lincoln Park and Lakeview, anywhere from more "old school" styles with bright lighting and lots of bamboo to trendy, hip places.  Sushi-X aims for the trendy and hip segment of the sushi market, with its dark colors, dark lighting, Japanese anime, and techno.  Maybe this is good timing as there have been more of the "trendy" places opening around Lakeview, and surprisingly, a few signs around Lincoln Park as well.

Ginza Fish at the Tokyo Hotel

The menu has been changed but in font and paper-stock only. You can still get a great Curry Rice and Gomae. They were cutting up this tuna while I was there having lunch and I took this picture. This is just a tiny part of the beautiful fish he was carving up.

Here's a link to the previous trip there.

Ginza Fish
19 E. Ohio St.

Alice and Friends

Alice and Friends is a vegetarian restaurant on the north side in Edgewater. I've been there several times and have never had a bad meal. I'll go as far as saying that it's not only my go-to veggie spot, it may be my favorite restaurant in Edgewater. It's also almost entirely vegan.

The un-meat selection consists of beef, duck, chicken alternatives and my dinner companion questioned how it was possible for someone who doesn't eat meat to make food that tastes like meat. How can the chefs be vegetarians? Who knows but the bottom line is that the different pseudo-meats are disturbingly close to the genuine article.

Trader Joe's Sushi

Yeah. I know. It's a grocery store. I've had grocery store sushi before and it's not that good. I've also tried to swallow a hard boiled egg without chewing. That's really a bad idea. It basically get's caught in your throat where your muscles that aren't supposed to be used for food mash it into a paste that can barely go down. If you're wondering why I'm describing this egg-situation I can only refer you to the headline... yes. It's that bad.

OYSY– What Happened?

I went through a phase where I was eating lunch at OYSY often. Then I had a bad super-white-tuna lunch special that really didn't sit well. I figured it was an unlucky meal but hadn't gone back since.

Roughly 6 months later I was wandering around looking for lunch and figured I'd try it again. I was part in the mood for sushi and part wondering whether I'd been just unlucky that once and since I hadn't mentioned that meal here I figured this time, I'd mention my lunch.