Hello Sushi Bar and Thai Cuisine

I admit. I was skeptical. Another sushi bar/thai restaurant in Chicago. Friends called, said it had just opened and we should try it. Five of us met for dinner on Saturday night and ate mostly from the sushi bar part of the menu with a handful of appetizers. I don't think we disliked a single sushi roll. The fish seemed fresh and well-prepared. On the appetizer side, I wasn't a fan of the fried tofu -- even the sauce couldn't save it for me. The gomae was thawed frozen spinach artfully served in a rectangular shape with an overly sweet sesame sauce. Not all appetizers disappointed. The shumai were delicious. What caught my eye (and later, tastebuds,) was the Hor Mok, steamed catfish in a curry sauce served in a banana leaf cup. We ordered it and it was one of the favorite dishes of the night. I said it reminded me of the preparation at Spoon Thai. Turns out this is a sister restaurant to Spoon Thai and Silver Spoon. We learned that the sushi chef used to work at NoMi as well. I look forward to exploring Hello's menu more and hope it can rise above the mediocre Thai and sushi in the Rogers Park/Edgewater area.

Hello Sushi Bar and Thai Cuisine
1553 W Devon, Chicago
773-942-6734
http://www.hellosushibar.com (under construction)
Open every day 11 AM to 10 PM. BYO.