A pretty spacious corner with a modern interior and comfortable space housed this open-kitchen Japanese restaurant. This restaurant was the final meal of my Chicago trip and I was looking forward to it!
These were some delicious dumplings, with a juicy Wagyu and kimchi filling and an intense and savory dipping sauce. The crust was crispy, and the wrapper was perfectly chewy to hold all the juices in. 9/10
Next, chilled sashimi sweet shrimp, scallop, and bluefin tuna akami arrived on this giant bowl of ice. All of the sashimi was fresh and clean, but the sweet shrimp stood out with a plump and tender texture and amazing sweetness. 9/10
This beautiful board of nigiri was fresh, interesting, and delicious. The standout one was the salmon, with such a fatty texture and amazing acidic and spicy flavor from the jalapeño and aioli. 10/10
A mound of fresh chopped tuna was topped with apple, caviar, basil, and a raw egg. Mix these together for an amazing smoothness of the tuna and egg broken up by crispy apple and caviar pops, with the sweet apple and briny caviar shining through. 8/10
An amazing mixture of mushrooms, tofu, and parsley coated the rice with a wonderful glaze of earthy and umami flavors. The broth achieved the perfect balance between the delicious broth and perfectly cooked rice, with the perfect wetness to coat the rice completely. This was a very earthy and hearty dish, but it was still clean and sophisticated. Truly extraordinary. 10/10
This grilled corn was a fun and flavorful snack, but it wasn’t anything outstanding. 6/10
Smoky sweetness and complex savory notes permeated the tender, fresh, and succulent black cod, and the pickled radish provided the perfect acidic contrast to the rich and flavorful fish. The extra sauce on the side was completely gone by the end, and that just shows how phenomenal this dish was. 10/10
These fried pockets of tofu were topped with avocado, chilies, and microgreens, and the delicious spicy jalapeño mayo on the bottom added another layer of flavor. These were just a burning hot flavor bomb. 7/10
A soft and fatty piece of charred sea bass rested on a dollop of pumpkin purée. The textures were all soft and smooth in this dish, and the flavors were rather mild and unimpressive. 6/10
This bluefin otoro was absolutely gorgeous, with such a fatty and soft texture. Bluefin tuna definitely lives up to its reputation. 10/10
Perfectly cooked rice wrapped around a spicy scallop mixture, with a beautifully seared scallop and spicy mayo on top. This roll was absolutely outstanding. 9/10
While this steak looked amazing, it was slightly tough and chewy. I’m pretty sure this was not because of cooking, but rather the steak itself was not high quality. 5/10
Final Review: The food here was delicious and innovative, often elevating Japanese classic with skilled execution and powerful flavor combinations. The only fault with the food is that the portion sizes are on the smaller side, so we had to fill in an extra order. The service was solid, nothing extraordinary for a restaurant of this caliber. They were patient and attentive and overall good. Wonderful food and solid service. 8/10
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