Kabocha

Chef Shin Thompson's (formerly of Bonsoiree) collaboration with Ryan O'Donnell (Rustic House & Gemini Bistro) titled Kabocha is opening to the public Friday April 26th in the West Loop. Jonathan Keeley will be the sous chef. Reservations can be made via Open Table (they are already fully booked for the weekend, but have availability starting Monday; they also will be accepting some walk ins at the bar this weekend). Kabocha will be a modern Japanese Brasserie (with American and French influence); the menu looks outstanding (see the website for the menu - the shellfish aquarium in particular looks intriguing to me). In addition to a la carte, there is a special two person chef's table for $110 per/person that involves a ten course Kaiseki tasting menu (changes daily). Reservations for the Kaiseki menu cannot be made online and this option will not start for a couple of weeks. In addition to the website, Kabocha has an active Facebook page with more details. Open for dinner Monday through Saturday; closed Sundays.

Kabocha
952 W. Lake St.
Chicago, IL 60607
312-666-6214
http://kabochachicago.com/

More information about Kabocha in an article on Eater: http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2013/ ... spring.php

Hmm I work next door, might try for a bar seat early Friday. The aquarium does sound pretty neat
http://www.thrillist.com/eat/chicago/west-loop/kabocha

Dropped by for a bit yesterday. For now they are serving a VERY limited menu at the bar (they say this will change in the future), so don't expect to be able to walk in and get a regular meal. The two dishes I had were pretty tiny and you'd have to order a bunch of them to end up with a decent dinner. That said, they were pretty tasty. I liked the sour-salty umeboshi cocktail, apparently Shin Thompson's creation.


This thing is a hamachi tuna mosaic with herbs and bacon on top...I"m guessing meat glue might be involved here.


This is a motoyaki, which was a very rich almost-casserole like dish with scallops and crab in a creamy aioli. I could have eaten probably 20 of these.


The bar menu for now is really just these two dishes + soup + the potstickers + shishito peppers.

This is a motoyaki, which was a very rich almost-casserole like dish with scallops and crab in a creamy aioli. I could have eaten probably 20 of these.

If this is the same motoyaki dish from Boinsoree, I agree and would be happy to share an order (so 40, right?) with you.

We went for dinner on Friday evening. It was quite full, and except for a food runner trying to give us someone else's food once, service was good.

We had 3 people and split a few different dishes:
Small
-Shishito peppers
Medium
-Rabbit dumplings
-Duck confit potstickers
Large
-Whole fried fish
-Seared Silken tofu
-Kombu cured lamb loin

It was good. Flavors were well matched, I never felt like there was one too many ingredient or that a dish wasn't well balanced. It's very big, modern, noisy, but we were still able to have a conversation and hear our server. It's a different sort of meal than they were doing at Bonsoiree, bigger, heartier flavors. I came home smelling like fried fish (my clothes still smell like it!).

I had a very enjoyable dinner at Kabocha tonight. Really different vibe and completely different menu and style than Bonsoiree (the Motoyaki is the only dish I recognized), but I like what they are doing. A big surprise was the cocktail program; I had one of the best cocktails I have ever consumed there tonight, the sour plum (the alcohol is shochu and plum wine and it is sweetened with yuzu juice and a Japanese fruit, umeboshi, provides saltiness). The seafood aquarium is pricey ($85), but worth the splurge; about a pound of Maine lobster, six large shrimp, three shrimp heads, six oysters, three king crab legs, a raw scallop, edible seaweed, two dipping sauces and some really cool edible coral (one was beet based, the other squid ink). Beautiful presentation and very fun play on a seafood tower. I also definitely recommend ordering the whole fried fish as an entree; perfectly cooked, well seasoned, great sauce and large portion. The one dish I ordered that was just fair was the pork crepinette. Service was friendly and attentive and the space is attractive. While it was not real busy tonight, we did dine early; I think that Kabocha has a bright future and should do well. I plan to return this summer to partake in the Kaiseki Table and likely will stop in for a cocktail next time I am in the neighborhood.

Gonzo – I had the sour plum cocktail and wasn't that impressed. It was just average to me, a little flat in flavor and I didn't find it very refreshing.

I do agree that the whole fried fish (yellowtail snapper tonight) is excellent though. Nice bold flavors with the feremented black bean chili sauce, and the fried fish is still tender and flaky and the crisp skin isn't greasy at all. I also really enjoyed the more delicate flavors of the butter poached hirame with farro, charred bok choy and pear tarragon froth. Both the lobster and "psychedelic" salads looked better than they tasted and the sashimi moriawase, listed as market price, was $36 and I felt it was over priced.

mid 7's, on a Thursday night, in the bustling West Loop and only 2-3 tables besides ours the 2+ hours we were there. It's slightly off the main drag on Randolph, but just under the Morgan-Lake Green Line, and near Vera, Publican, etc. Newly opened, trendy West Loop-chic decor, of-the-moment Asian-esque menu. Which is a roundabout way of saying: I was surprised that it was so empty. And it's unfortunate, because the food was quite good, but the experience was a little off. It felt like a "scene" waiting to happen, a party where the guests never showed up.

On to the food.

We didn't end up getting the signature "aquarium" with the edible coral but did try quite a variety of dishes. And they were good. Nothing mind-boggling, but admittedly my bar for that is awfully high. We started off with the tuna & hamachi mosaic. Very pretty on the plate, and tasty if a bit monotone. I didn't get much of the smoked bacon. Next up: motoyaki. Agree with previous posters - this dish is one of the best on the menu. Rich, creamy, perfectly cooked, beautifully plated. Shisito peppers with cauliflower and artichoke sauce were, again, good, if not particularly noteworthy. To me they were very similar to a preparation I had at Girl & the Goat a month or two ago. Really enjoyed the piping hot sweet potato croquettes but wish there was more of the caper aioli - there was just a tiny smear, and didn't add much to the dish. Rabbit and thai basil dumplings were tasty - no issues with dryness that I've seen in other reviews - though I didn't get much of the Thai basil. The duck confit potstickers, same. No complaints, though both the rabbit and the duck dishes made realize it has been too long since I've been to Urban Belly, where the dumplings are out of this world. Oh, for an Asian squash & bacon dumpling right now... But back to Kabocha, the last dish we had was the shabu shabu. It was my first experience with it, so I don't have a point of comparison. I loved the mushrooms they used, and the rich broth. By the end, the broth got a bit cloying & sweet but maybe this is typical? I really don't know.

Service was good, and as an added bonus, Thursdays they offer half price wine and beer.

I hope this place finds its audience & finds a way to stand out amid the increasingly common modern Asian options in the area.

mid 7's, on a Thursday night, in the bustling West Loop and only 2-3 tables besides ours the 2+ hours we were there. It's slightly off the main drag on Randolph, but just under the Morgan-Lake Green Line, and near Vera, Publican, etc. Newly opened, trendy West Loop-chic decor, of-the-moment Asian-esque menu. Which is a roundabout way of saying: I was surprised that it was so empty. And it's unfortunate, because the food was quite good, but the experience was a little off. It felt like a "scene" waiting to happen, a party where the guests never showed up.

Yeah there really is something about it that I don't know...seems sceney or something. As an office worker nearby, It's hard for me to chose it as an after work option vs. the friendlier environments of Vera or La Sirena.

Seems like they've noticed it because they've been offering a bunch of deals like half price beer and wine on Thursdays, BYOB Tuesdays, but I think it's the menu that's the hard sell. I can usually put together a satisfying <$25 casual meal at a place like Vera not including drinks, but that is a lot harder here. Even the potstickers are $14.

I had a meal here about a month after they opened and thought it was ok. We did not get the aquarium but did order quite a few items. The details are a bit fuzzy now but I remember liking a lot of the smaller, appetizer-type dishes that we had to start (pickles, tartare, motoyaki, etc.). Good flavors, distinctive preparations. However, as we moved into the larger courses, my enjoyment diminished. I thought they were more flawed and somewhat generic. At that point in the meal, I felt like I could have been eating anywhere. It wasn't very distinctive. And, has been noted above, prices are high. We had a few cocktails, too and they were not for me. They seemed to me to be cocktails designed primarily for non-drinkers. There are so many choices in this city and my meal at Kabocha did not compel me in any way. I just could not come up with a reason why I would choose it over someplace else.

=R=

They figured out how to bring me back in "Spicy Miso Ramen
pulled pork, black garlic apple chili paste, farm egg
paired with a 16oz Kirin Ichiban beer
$10

Just in time for the fall weather,
Chef Shin Thompson's ramen is finally ready to be revealed.

As a young kid, Shin traveled to Japan with his Uncle from Sapporo, visiting the best ramen shops in the world.
Taking those memories into the kitchen, Shin has crafted a ramen recipe that reflects the robust and no-nonsense feel of the
West Loop/Fulton Market District where Kabocha stands today.
The scratch noodles are made
and the broth has been simmering for 48 hours...

Holding true to tradition,
we are keeping the ramen experience informal and offering it exclusively at the bar.

Be one of the first to talk about it...
stop by after work and taste it for yourself.

RAMEN + BEER STARTS 10.8.13
AVAILABLE ONLY AT THE BAR
NO RESERVATIONS NECESSARY"

I tried the ramen at the bar this evening and loved it; really great flavors. I am far from a ramen expert, but out of the several versions I have sampled this version stood out as my favorite.

I also had the ramen at the bar at Kabocha - killer deal for $10 with a Kirin. The pork tasted/smelled very closely to bbq pulled pork, and the broth wasn't nearly what you might expect when you think "ramen" - but it was satisfying. Sweet, salty, and sometimes a little sour, it hit the spot for me. The noodles were really good, with a perfect bite. I don't know if there is another $10 or less special in town that is better than this one.

I had the ramen today and it was excellent. The broth was very well-flavored. I didn't remember it came with a beer and was pleasantly surprised. It was early Tuesday night and almost the entire bar was full of people getting the ramen. The rest of the restaurant was empty. Single ladies– the ratio of men to women at the bar was very high.

In typical fashion, went in, had 2 $10 ramen, and ended up with a bill of $125... only three other people in the place when we got there, and left there. Dead Halloween night for them. I really don't understand the pricing here, how can four potstickers cost $14, and a really good ramen with a beer cost $10? Hubs had the tartare, also pretty spendy. Ryan mixed up some really good martinis so we chatted with him. The space is large and beautiful. Hope that it was just a one off night for them.

nicinchic wrote:In typical fashion, went in, had 2 $10 ramen, and ended up with a bill of $125... only three other people in the place when we got there, and left there. Dead Halloween night for them. I really don't understand the pricing here, how can four potstickers cost $14, and a really good ramen with a beer cost $10? Hubs had the tartare, also pretty spendy. Ryan mixed up some really good martinis so we chatted with him. The space is large and beautiful. Hope that it was just a one off night for them.

I figured out how your bill turned out higher than expected

Indeed! And I'm certainly not complaining, just saying... We certainly are the customer Shin is looking for, happily played right into his hands..

The whole $10 burger and a PBR/ramen and a Sapporo thing at new, "hip," and often good restaurants is something I love. And it seems to work. It's a good trend.

As I mentioned in the opening/closing thread, looks like they are closing their doors after service this Saturday. Anyone know what happened?

"TO ALL OF OUR LOYAL GUESTS

We will be closing our doors for the last time
on Saturday February 15th after service.

We sincerely thank you for your support & hope you will join us this week to enjoy Kabocha for one last time.
"

Too bad, but this and OON show the upscale Asian niche can't handle much more than Saigon Sisters, BellyQ and Embeya in the West Loop. The ramen seemed pretty popular though, which shows that niche isn't quite filled yet, though with Urban Belly and Sodikoff's ramen place opening up, that's going to change.

I'd never visited Kabocha before I read this thread, but the prospect of good, cheapish ramen and its imminent disappearance led me there tonight on my way home. It's hard to judge service when the restaurant's mere days from closing, but I found the staff I encountered sort of... impersonal? Disengaged? Someone would ask me a question and as soon as my answer could be discerned as a complete sentence, he or she would turn and stride away, oblivious to the trailing "aaaaaand..." I'm a pretty low maintenance guy; I've never returned a plate or asked to speak to a manager or the like, but it happened several times. Still, it looks like the rug's been pulled from under the place, and I'll assume that that's why.

But that ramen, man, god damn. I opted for the pork and, while the rich broth tasted a bit like bouillon (well, better than bouillon), it was a deeply satisfying bowl, with the flavors smartly balanced and house-made noodles "toothsome," both literally and in the catachrestic sense that's so popular these days. I especially liked the pork shoulder and pickled mushrooms. They have a sweet, sweet deal going tonight and tomorrow, a five-course pre-fixe for a mere 50 bucks, and it's BYO with no corkage fee. I liked the ramen enough to try for a reservation tomorrow, and I hope I'll have a chance to savor Chef Thompson's fare in the future, wherever he may land.

syncretism wrote:I'd never visited Kabocha before I read this thread, but the prospect of good, cheapish ramen and its imminent disappearance led me there tonight on my way home. It's hard to judge service when the restaurant's mere days from closing, but I found the staff I encountered sort of... impersonal? Disengaged? Someone would ask me a question and as soon as my answer could be discerned as a complete sentence, he or she would turn and stride away, oblivious to the trailing "aaaaaand..." I'm a pretty low maintenance guy; I've never returned a plate or asked to speak to a manager or the like, but it happened several times. Still, it looks like the rug's been pulled from under the place, and I'll assume that that's why.

But that ramen, man, god damn. I opted for the pork and, while the rich broth tasted a bit like bouillon (well, better than bouillon), it was a deeply satisfying bowl, with the flavors smartly balanced and house-made noodles "toothsome," both literally and in the catachrestic sense that's so popular these days. I especially liked the pork shoulder and pickled mushrooms. They have a sweet, sweet deal going tonight and tomorrow, a five-course pre-fixe for a mere 50 bucks, and it's BYO with no corkage fee. I liked the ramen enough to try for a reservation tomorrow, and I hope I'll have a chance to savor Chef Thompson's fare in the future, wherever he may land.

I was actually there tonight as well for a final bowl of Chef's ramen as well as an order of Motoyaki - two of my favorite dishes in Chicago right now. I made it to Kabocha about a half dozen times (twice for dinners, the other occasions for ramen and Motoyaki) and never encountered poor or indifferent service. I would chalk up your experience to the staff being shaken up about the restaurant shuttering after service Saturday. From my conversation it does sound as the owner has done a good job finding them work in other sister restaurants, but still definitely stressful for the staff and I could understand them being distracted.

Just to clarify regarding the five-course prix-fixe for $50; that was for yesterday and today (Thursday). For Friday and Saturday they are doing a $75 six-course valentines day meal. Still a great value and likely will be a wonderful meal (Chef tweeted a picture of Peking style pheasants for one of the courses).

It really is a shame Kabocha did not last longer; I love Chef's cooking and really enjoyed my visits to Kabocha. I wish him the best of luck and eagerly anticipate his next endeavor (which may very well feature ramen).

Gonzo70 wrote:Just to clarify regarding the five-course prix-fixe for $50; that was for yesterday and today (Thursday). For Friday and Saturday they are doing a $75 six-course valentines day meal. Still a great value and likely will be a wonderful meal (Chef tweeted a picture of Peking style pheasants for one of the courses).

Ugh - such an egregious error for a first post. Thanks for the important correction. I dined alone, which may explain (and is a likely consequence of) my bad dates.

syncretism wrote:Ugh - such an egregious error for a first post. Thanks for the important correction. I dined alone, which may explain (and is a likely consequence of) my bad dates.

Please, don't sweat it. Your post was thoughtful, and I hope we see more of them. Welcome into the pool.

=R=