We Deserve Better - Koko Sushi

OK, so Saveur does a whole issue on Chicago, the first time that the magazine has devoted and entire issue to a single city. Chicago's the best food city in the US and all that.

Everyone here knows that Chicago is full of truly wonderful places, from the top of the high-end to the most humble ethnic storefront.

The food and restaurants here make me proud to call this city my home, and then I read this in today's Dish newsletter:

We serve Japanese food: different kinds of sushi, sashimi rolls, maki, and bento box combinations. Oh, and we also we serve tapas.” –Jane Pavlova, manager of the month-and-a-half-old Koko Sushi (3140 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-248-2988). When we asked what she meant, Pavlova said, “That means different kinds of mix of European cuisines. A little bit French cuisine, a little bit Italian. Pastas, salads, soups.” Oh, of course.

Now my head hurts.

Ha, sorry, this place could turn out to be amazing, but something tells me that this quote from what I'm assuming is an earlier incarnation:

Koko Sushi Bar & Lounge opened in Mid-January and has become the new pioneer in the best of sushi & tapas cuisine in the greater Northeast Wisconsin area.

is more delicious than anything served in the restaurant.

The menu, should you choose to peruse it for curiosity's sake, is on grubhub.

I just have a hard time understanding a place that can serve both "bucatini amatriciana" and something called a "samurai maki".

There's a reason why Sabatino's doesn't have a sashimi platter, and why Katsu doesn't serve bolognese.

edit to add: They also serve an appetizer called "Chicken on Viking Sauce". I hope it comes with a horned helmet.

bananasandwiches wrote:edit to add: They also serve an appetizer called "Chicken on Viking Sauce". I hope it comes with a horned helmet.

If so, that might, actually, get me in the door.

this is gonna ruffle some feathers, so i apologize in advance, but we deserve better sushi and seafood in general than what i've experienced in this town. note that we haven't yet been to oceanique yet, so i concede that point until we get there.

jpschust wrote:this is gonna ruffle some feathers, so i apologize in advance, but we deserve better sushi and seafood in general than what i've experienced in this town. note that we haven't yet been to oceanique yet, so i concede that point until we get there.

I 100% agree.

Well, after walking by this restaurant for several months, tonight we went in. At 8:30, there was only one other table besides ourselves.

The Italian? The tapas? The Viking appetizer?

All gone.

The menu is now completely sushi/sashimi/bento boxes, with 4 or 5 entrées with a Japanese flair. The interior was contemporary--dimmed lighting, curving ceiling panels, rich and deep color scheme, ambient music (not too loud).

Dining out with celiac disease is always an interesting proposition. I must say that they handled it quite well. The manager (could have been owner) came over, discussed our options, and the server stood over the sushi chefs, asked us multiple questions, and stepped in to prevent soy sauce from being flung over our sushi as a post production plate dressing.

One couple came is shortly after we did and he ordered a Sapporo which was brought in short order. Maybe they'd been there before and were looking for meatballs, but after a sip of his beer, they got up and hurried out, throwing their coats on as they scurried away. As we were paying, a group of six or seven people came in; from all appearances, they were friends of the manager/owner.

The maki was fine. Prices were comparable to others in the area. Our server was a gem--she was efficient, careful, and had a lovely personality. If I didn't have closer sushi restaurants, and one with a sushi chef who really "gets" celiac and goes out of his way to ensure my partner is safe, I might even go back. If they are still open, that is.