The
raw fish craze appears to have no end in sight. Another wave of new
sushi restaurants has hit Chicago and they just seem to keep on coming.
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Izumi's location on West Randolph Street can't be beat. Of course, there is great sashimi and mouthwatering maki. But besides these masterpieces, what makes this maki mecca stand out from all the others? Two words -- Sake flights.
"Because I think to the sake beginner they're not going to know what they're going to order so I like to give them a picture of what would it be if they want to order this sake and that sake. So sake sampler we serve sake on the coaster and will have the explanation on each one. I think they will try a sampler, a little sample and they will decide, they will be able to compare and decide," said Uwapat Vasunirachorn, Izumi.
At Izumi they have Sake flights that come with a card that describes each one. Just like wine, sake comes in different varieties.
"It's a unique concept we have three flights we have flight A, B and C. Flight A will be combination of the dry and sweet sake and flight B is more if you like sweet sake or you like more sweet drink I would say flight B is the best and flight C is more full body or dry Sake," said Vasunirachorn.
Amidst the multitude of sushi spots, Kaze is pioneering a new concept in Roscoe Village. Besides the typical makis and sashimis, this new sushi spot serves fresh fish topped with seasonal ingredients that compliment the fish.
"The thing we do with our chefs they've used a lot of their experience to figure out how to compliment traditional sushi with toppings," said Andre Williams, Kaze.
There are actually three sushi chefs at Kaze. This 'trifecta' of tuna expertly prepares each dish. The nigiri sampler dish includes a salmon topped with enoki mushrooms and truffle oil and yellowtail topped with banana peppers and black pepper. This innovative toppings concept is what sets Kaze apart from the other sushi masses.
"The chefs have spent a lot of time thinking about how to put that all together to give you the complete Japanese fine dining experience and we like to think that if you let us take you on the journey with our food concept that you'll really have a wonderful dining experience," said Williams.
You don't really need to soak your sushi up with soy sauce. Executive Chef Chan seasons it all you need before he serves it. The trouble with the typical soy-wasabi treatment is the sauce tends to mask the pure flavors of the fish, which is what you're paying for in the first place.
If you don't want to go out, you can make sushi at home. Mitsuwa Marketplace, the biggest Japanese grocery store in the Midwest, offers a large selection of sushi, including spicy tuna, unagi. Since sushi is becoming so popular, why not go to the biggest place around to buy your Japanese provisions.
"A lot of American people, they're finding Japanese food very good, healthy, and interesting. Just a lot more variety to their regular dinner, lunch," said a representative from Mitsuwa.
This location has been open in Arlington Heights for 14 years. The Mitsuwa Corporation also has other stores in California and New Jersey. Ninty-percent of the products are imported straight from Japan. They have got everything, including snacks, ice cream, a huge sake selection, frozen dinners, rice cookers and fish-lots of fish.
"Fish is one of our big things. We can our real fresh sashimi here for sushi. All you have to do is cut it and just serve it. You can make it on sushi, make a roll or just cook it. It's good," said a representative from Mitsuwa.
You can buy fresh fish to make your own sushi or just drop by the huge case of already prepared sushi to go. Mitsuwa has been preparing 'sushi to go' for as long as the stores been here-way longer than Jewel or Dominick's.
There is more than just sushi-check out the huge food court with all kinds of Japanese dishes.
For sushi lovers and all things Japanese this is one place you have got to check out.
For more information:
Izumi 731 West Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 207-5299
www.izumisushi.com
Kaze
2032 West Roscoe Street
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 327-4860
www.kazesushi.com
Mitsuwa Marketplace
100 East Algonquin Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
(847) 956-6699
www.mitsuwachicago.net
