Since a large percentage of my dining out is actually comprised of Asian foods, it's ironic that back when I would actually formally review restaurant for fun, I never wrote a review for a Japanese restaurant. Even more surprising, when asked which Japanese restuarant in Chicago is my favorite I always have to stop and think about it. The answer really depends on what you're looking for in a Japanese food and what you're going to order. I mean, there are certainly standards of freshness, but I there are also just variations in taste expectation.

Here are three worth trying for different reasons:

Kaze
2032 W Roscoe St
Chicago, IL 60618
773.327.4860

Kaze may be my overall favorite of the bunch for it's creativity and quality. However, it is for that same reason that many may not enjoy it as much. For example, on this summer's omakase Chef's interplay of savory and sweet is very well done, but for those expecting a more traditional Japanese menu this may not be the best choice. While they can certainly handle more traditional items, it's just not worth the price.

The summer omakase:

Homemade tofu garnished with slivered almonds, mozzarella, boiled shrimp & black caviar paired with a tofu skin shooter in a soymilk & blue curacao liquor


Tuna Zuke Maki - Avocado & scallions wrapped inside out served with zuke tuna, cucumbers, wasabi mayo & tobiko

Awabi (Abalone topped with Kaze’s homemade sauce finished with yuzu & tempura flakes), Spicy Tako (A mixture of octopus, okra, fried garlic, tobiko & spicy mayo), White Tuna (East coast tuna topped with a bananawasabi puree), Katsuo (Bonito topped with a puree of garlic-infused enoki mushrooms & tomatoes garnished with pickled onions & fried garlic), Ika (Japanese baby squid topped with a spicy tobiko sauce)

Baked Whitefish - A crepe wrapped around slices of ankimo, minced shrimp & whitefish finished with Macku’s strawberry sauce served with a smoked salmon & cheese-filled dough







Mizu

315 W North Ave

Chicago, IL60610
312.951.8883

Yakitori is actually surprisingly hard to find in Chicago. But Mizu in old town has a nice selection of Yakitori (including gems like chicken skin and tongue) made fresh on the grill along with its sushi and ala cart menu. While not quite as good as pure yakitori restaurants in LA and NY, Mizu fills the much needed void in Chicago.

Chicken and Scallions








Squid, Chicken meatball

Sashimi

Chicken Skin









Chicken Wings







Ginza

19 E Ohio St
Chicago, IL 60611-2707
Phone: (312) 222-0600

Ginza, a small restaurant next to the ultra-shady Tokyo Hotel, is more of a tradition Japanese restaurant. The menu may not be flashy, but it full of value. Included on the menu are hard to find classics like Gold Don (uni, squid and ikura on rice).

It is a matter of preference but I generally do not like sitting at the sushi bar. I think it can be traced back to my distaste for being watched while I eat. But, there certain undeniable advantages to sitting at the bar; the obvious being that it is only at the bar where you can meet and actually converse with the person who is preparing your dinner.

JW's Sushi Bar
Pacific Place, 88 Queensway
Hong Kong SAR, China
+852 2841 3899

It was at the JW 's California Sushi Bar in the JW Marriott in Hong Kong, where I had the pleasure of sitting at the bar and meeting Toshitaka Kasseki. It is at this quiet section of the JW complex that Kasseki has been working for over ten years. I'm not sure this hotel restaurant qualifies as a hidden gem, but some of the food that Kasseki is preparing is certainly worth some more attention.

The omakase on this particular night was provocative, balanced and immense.

Octopus w/ Stewed Turnip
Seared Toro w/ Black Bean and Mustard Sauces
(a memorable savory creation - uber tasty)
Clam Medley
Grilled Hamachi
Sushi Course

Trio of Uni (US, Hokaido, Russian)

Mak's Noodles
Phone Number: +852 2854 3810
Address: 77 Wellington St, Central
Hong Kong

For a while now, whenever I would order wonton noodles, I would hear from Grace about this small noodle shop which she would often frequent in Hong Kong and how much better it was. And since I make it a point to try to eat everything that is ever mentioned to me with even just a smidgen of smug (either to prove they are wrong or provide myself with a good meal; win-win), I knew that we had to go while in HK.

The restaurant itself is small but clean. The noodles were pretty much as advertised; and I would have been more impressed if not for the portion size. Now I'm not asking for US sized uber portions, but at least something more than a small bowl which is barely enough to fill a toddler still in diapers. Surprisingly the best part of the meal may have been the tendons. The wontons were good, but probably not worth traveling across a sea. The tendons on the other hand were a soft and smooth savory delight, rarely available on this side of the pacific.

Wonton Noodles

Beef Noodle Soup

Wonton and Dumpling Noodle Combo

Marinated Stewed Beef Tendons