Ponzu - Neighborhood Sushi in Lincoln Park

Pretty much since I've lived in Chicago I've been looking for a nice neighborhood sushi place. Living around Clark and Diversey for basically all of 7 years, I've been repeatedly thwarted. Sub-standard fish, mayo, and cream cheese abounds. I'm not looking for anything at the level of Katsu, just somewhere I can pop in, sit at the sushi bar and have a few decent slices of fish.

Maybe about a year ago, Edo Sushi (on Clark just north of Fullerton) closed and then re-opened as Ponzu. We went several times after the reopening and found exactly what I was looking for. Very solid sushi at very reasonable prices. I even started to forge a relationship with the sushi chef, Eric. For whatever reason we just stopped going and then Ponzu closed for renovations.

They re-opened about two months ago and we decided to stop in for dinner tonight. In addition to sprucing up the interior, the menu and sushi chef have both been upgraded. The menu now features a section of imported fish like madai, otoro, kona kampachi, and some other goodies. The new sushi chef (Toku) even claimed that tonight's uni was from Santa Barbara. Toku has previously worked at Hatsuhana and Kamehachi. He is definitely older than Eric, which I took as a promising sign when we sat down (Eric is now just up the street at Kabuki...which is disgusting, he's got his work cut out for him)

We started with nigiri of madai, otoro, hamachi, and fresh salmon. All were served in the "Kaze style", with pieces pre-sauced and served with a little topping (hamachi was topped with banana pepper, salmon with enoki mushroom, madai with spicy raddish, and otoro with fresh wasabi). The quality of the fish was very good, with the otoro as the head and shoulders stand-out (worth every time of the $9 per piece price tag). I also got a couple of pieces of uni. It was very good, but I seriously doubt it was the good stuff from Santa Barbara (especially at $4 per piece). It was also nice to be served as the pieces were completed (as opposed the the sushi chef just assembling a large plate and then handing it off when finished...I definitely subscribe to the point of view that eating sushi is a race against the clock). Catering to the neighborhood, the menu is loaded with fashion maki, but that's not where the action is at Ponzu.

Ponzu continues the trend of improving dining options at the northern end of Lincoln Park. Some solid sushi along with a couple of cupcakes from Molly's on the way home made for a very enjoyable evening.

Ponzu
2407 N Clark St
(773) 549-8890

jesteinf wrote:Ponzu continues the trend of improving dining options at the northern end of Lincoln Park.

Josh,

My bride is often in the area around lunch, Ponzu sounds a good option for her. Sound a nice stop for dinner as well, though I am fairly well stuck on Matsuya for Japanese in the general area.

Enjoy,
Gary

Matsuya
3469 N Clark St
Chicago 60657
773-248-2677

Gary,

If the wife is in the area for lunch, Ponzu has some pretty good lunch specials. I think they range from $8-$13. The most expensive one comes with a ton of food.

ETA - I am embarrassed to say that I still haven't been to Matsuya. I tried to go once before a Cubs game but it was jammed. It looks and sounds right up my alley.

I'm just going to keep posting about this place until other LTH'ers catch on...

Ponzu continues to operate at a very high level. Aji has been a mainstay in the rotation as of late, with sashimi prepared directly from the whole fish (it's not a big fish, so an order gets you an entire fish). Uni has been bright and creamy. Otoro is still the best in the city (IMHO). I also love to go old school and end my meals with a grilled salmon skin handroll. The skin comes out hot and crispy and just a little bit greasy. Rolled up with some avocado inside of well kept, crisp nori it's my favorite way to end a Ponzu meal.

Hopefully I won't have to keep talking to myself on this thread...

Last night, RAB and REB joined me and the wife for an outstanding dinner at Ponzu.

We started out with edamame and tuna tataki, both of which were fine but nothing special.

The main event though was the giant plate of gorgeous sashimi that followed. We put ourselves in the sushi chef's hands (which turned out to be an exceptionally pricey move) and we were treated to some of the best fish I've had in Chicago. Our plate included:

Madai (from Japan) - bright and clean tasting
Otoro - lovely, fatty nuggets served with Ponzu's wasabi garnish (they claim it's real wasabi, I'm not so sure)
Kampachi & Shima aji - Both sweet and buttery, with a slightly firm texture.
Norweigian Salmon - I don't think I've ever had salmon like this before. A spectacular color and a fatty/sweet flavor made this a real treat.
Aji - The whole fish preparation that I've described before
Grouper - I've never had grouper before, but the slightly tough texture and "ocean-y" taste was a nice change of pace from the rest of our plate.

Two rolls came out next. One was described as a "ginger roll" which I don't believe is on the menu. I forget what was inside the roll, but it was topped with crab (yes, real crab), some goma-ae, and 3 colors of tobiko. The second roll was salmon skin, which (IMO) is always a nice way to finish things off. The restaurant treated us to two slices of fruit-topped cake for dessert.

So like I said, just an outstanding meal, one of the best I've had at Ponzu. This was no value, though. This meal was $350 after tax but before tip. Expensive, but I'm generally not concerned with "value" when eating sushi, especially sushi at the level that Ponzu is now putting out. Ponzu is BYO, so that helps to keep costs down at least a little bit.

A few miscellaneous observations to add about our meal at Ponzu...

Many thanks to jesteinf +1 for getting us to try this place (and bringing the booze!). We enjoyed the company, and agree that it was, indeed, a terrific platter of sashimi.

The madai (snapper), kampachi (amberjack) and shima aji (mackeral) were are delicious and spectacularly fresh. In each case, these were among the very best representations of these types of fish that I've had as sushi.

The aji was another highlight of the meal, for me. Soft and creamy. I wanted to chew on the carcasses, but I was assured that they were just there for garnish.

I thought that the salmon was tasty, but only extraordinary for its extreme freshness. Otherwise, it seemed to me to be standard Norwegian farmed salmon.

I've only really enjoyed grouper in sushi form in South Florida. This remains the case, as the grouper at Ponzu was a little too chewy and slightly fishy. I suppose grouper just doesn't travel that well. I've also heard that they keep all of the really good grouper in Florida. Who knows?

The otoro was nice enough, but I've had better. The "wasabi sauce" tasted more like a wasabi/jalapeno sauce to me, and I did not love it. Between the cost ($72 for a smallish pile of chunks) and the sauce, I could have done without the otoro.

Both of the rolls that we tried were very nice, but a little too gussied up, or as jesteinf put it, "fashion rolls." Much of the menu is devoted to such rolls, and most of the folks at other tables seemed to be ordering them exclusively. Shame. Fish this good doesn't need (or deserve) that kind of treatment.

Bottom line: Wonderful fish, carefully prepared, not cheap. We can't afford to be regulars, but we will return.

RAB wrote:The otoro was nice enough, but I've had better. The "wasabi sauce" tasted more like a wasabi/jalapeno sauce to me, and I did not love it. Between the cost ($72 for a smallish pile of chunks) and the sauce, I could have done without the otoro.

Place sounds good, and I'm considering my maiden voyage tonight. Just want to make sure this isn't a misprint. Is a single smallish order of otoro really $72?

Kenny,

Otoro is $9 per "piece" and we wound up with 8 "pieces". Just something to be careful with.

jesteinf wrote:Kenny,

Otoro is $9 per "piece" and we wound up with 8 "pieces". Just something to be careful with.

We had an excellent meal with jesteinf and his lovely wife. But, "careful" we weren't. I would expect that dinner would be reasonable if you order off of the menu and/or inquire about pricing. In fact, the sushi on the menu is not any pricier than many other spots.

Ronna

Finally made it to Ponzu, and want to thank Josh for drawing it to the forum's attention. The fish at this place is very good, and the prices are actually way more reasonable than I expected. A modest dinner for 2 (14 pieces of nigiri and 2 maki), came in at $49 including tax, which included the small corkage fee. Yellowtail, escolar, and Ama Ebi were my favorites, and I really liked that all of the fish was served at a cool but not ice cold temperature. Too many sushi places serve fish that has barely finished thawing. The Ama Ebi was served in courses, with the sweet, raw shrimp (head removed) coming first, then the fried-to-a-gorgeous-crisp head (eyeballs, grayish-black mush and all) coming a few minutes later. Both parts of the shrimp were outstanding, and the contrast was memorable. One slight downer for me: the rice at Ponzu is dry and devoid of discernable tang or other flavor. The maki suffer as a result, so I'd stay away from those. Thankfully, the nigiri had a great balance of fish to rice, so the rice didn't play a big enough part to substantially detract from that.

Glad you liked it Kenny. We were there last Friday and had another great meal (standout was a special of Yellowjack, which was cut from a whole fish right in front of us).

I usually get sashimi so I can't comment much on the rice. Pretty much the only roll we get is the spicy tuna crunch. Since that roll includes tempura crunchies on the outside, it probably compensates for any lack of flavor in the rice. As you pointed out, and as I think I posted above, the nigiri is really where the action is at Ponzu.

After digging around the fridge last night and not finding anything exciting, RAB suggested that we go to Ponzu for sushi. Now, RAB doesn't frequently suggest sushi, so I was quick to agree.

Ponzu was quite empty last night and we were pleased to have our choice of bar seats. Service was excellent. Our server kept our glasses full and quickly removed plates. When she thought that my green tea had been sitting too long, instead of just topping it off, she removed the cup to get me a new hot one. Food arrived quickly and, as was the case with our first visit, was quite visually appealing.

As with last time, the nigiri was fresh and beautifully sliced and presented. Scallops, salmon, and yellowtail were highlights for me. And, I like the little Ponzu/ponzu touch - - even the fried shrimp head from the amaebi had a bit of ponzu.

It was an enjoyable dinner that didn't break the bank. I look forward to my next visit.

Ronna

Ponzu can be pretty empty during the week, which is a shame. They're normally pretty crazy though on weekends, so hopefully they're still in good shape given the economy.

Nice to finally read about someone other than me eating at Ponzu. This place certainly deserves more LTH love.

I've been to Ponzu several times and really had quiet, subtle enjoyable meals. I've been a couple of time for lunch, where their Bento boxes are really an excellent deal for under 10 dollars. They typically include several pieces of nigiri, a roll, a salad and some chicken along with Miso soup. I am not sure how authentic the salad (with its heavy ginger soy dressing) may be, but I love that stuff be it here or at Benihanas. The fish is tastes fresh and has a pleasant texture. The bento box is an excellent value and I enjoy sitting down with a paper and enjoying my pleasant lunch.

I finally had the chance to visit Ponzu for lunch this week. Parking was a challenge but after circling the block twice, I scored a rockstar spot and made my way in. The restaurant was not very busy for lunch on a Tuesday. One person at the sushi bar and 1 table occupied. It did pick up when I leave when there were 3 tables occupied!

Sat at the bar, and realized that I know the sushi chef from my restaurant working days. Toku-san was friendly and man, can he make sushi.

Without further ado, photos!

Madai


Yari ika

Without a doubt, one of the best things I have eaten this year. Sweet, soft ika, covering a mount of uni... You read it right... THERE IS UNI UNDER THE IKA!

Uni

I love the nigiri style of serving uni over the more popular gunkan style. Serving uni this way shows the freshness of the uni. It is almost impossible to serve less fresh (runny) uni like this!

Hamachi (banana peppers)


Tsubugai

This is the second time I have seen this in Chicago... The first tiime was years ago at a izakaya place in the burbs.

Toro


Salmon zuke (marinated salmon)


Aji


Sanma


Also served were mirugai and anago. General verdict? Excellent quality, slightly pricey. Each piece was $4 except for the toro which was $6. Lunch ended up being $57 (all in includes tax and tip). But considering that I ate 10 pieces of pristine sushi, and soup and salad, I thought it was not too bad. Plus like someone else mentioned upthread, you could get a gift certificate from restaurant.com to help with the cost. I know I have one ready!

Finally got to Ponzu for lunch today, after boning up on this thread and with the benefit of a PM exchange with Josh.

On paper, we ate too much food. And if we had photographs, I think the photographs would look like we had too much food. But this was one of those times that demonstrates that when the quality of food is truly exceptional, you can eat prodigious quantities of it without ever feeling (in your head or in your stomach) that you’ve eaten too much. I’m not sure how that works, but it does.

My friend and I ordered exactly alike. Our method, each of us, was to have the 6-pieces-of-nigiri-plus-dragon-roll combo, plus three additional a la carte pieces—the uni, the aji, and the otoro. Neither of us had alcohol—he had a Coke, and I had green tea. Bill with roughly 22% tip was $50 for each of us. Very fair.

The pieces that were soft were softer than any I’ve had before. The pieces that had a little resistance to them had this without toughness or chewiness—a delightful resistance. The uni really was “bright-tasting.” The otoro—which, by the way, must have come down in price, because now it’s $6—might have been the best thing I’ve ever eaten.

I returned with some friends last Wednesday and had an excellent dinner. With the restaurant.com certificate it was around $34 each for 3 us. One of said friends returned over the weekend and she reported that it was still good, but not as great as it was on Wednesday. Given that it is usually really busy on the weekends, I would recommend to go mid-week....

jesteinf wrote:Ponzu can be pretty empty during the week, which is a shame.

I would describe yesterday's lunch scene as a little bit fuller than "pretty empty," which was nice to see. Not what you'd call crowded, either, mind you, but, including us, there were four tables occupied, and the tables other than ours were parties of three or four. In this smallish storefront restaurant, that was enough to create a sense of mild activity. By the end of our lunch, those tables had left, but two guy-parties-of-one had come in to replace them. The level of business wasn't commensurate with the quality of the food, but neither did it have me throwing up my hands in despair on Ponzu's behalf.

riddlemay wrote:

jesteinf wrote:Ponzu can be pretty empty during the week, which is a shame.

I would describe yesterday's lunch scene as a little bit fuller than "pretty empty," which was nice to see. Not what you'd call crowded, either, mind you, but, including us, there were four tables occupied, and the tables other than ours were parties of three or four. In this smallish storefront restaurant, that was enough to create a sense of mild activity. By the end of our lunch, those tables had left, but two guy-parties-of-one had come in to replace them. The level of business wasn't commensurate with the quality of the food, but neither did it have me throwing up my hands in despair on Ponzu's behalf.

That's good to hear. I think the word may be out on Ponzu, and they're enjoying some very well deserved success.

jesteinf wrote:I think the word may be out on Ponzu, and they're enjoying some very well deserved success.

The word is out on Ponzu because of you! And you are owed some very well deserved thanks. (From us.)

riddlemay wrote:

jesteinf wrote:I think the word may be out on Ponzu, and they're enjoying some very well deserved success.

The word is out on Ponzu because of you! And you are owed some very well deserved thanks. (From us.)

Well, I'm not sure about that, but I'll take the compliment. I've been in there plenty of times when the place has been packed with DePaul students sake bombing and gorging themselves on maki platters. Their loss, but if it keeps the lights on...

I had a great lunch here last Saturday. My girlfriend lives blocks from here, but we've never been until Saturday.

It was the greatest value of lunch that I've gotten in Chicago, I think. I had one of the lunch specials (Sorry, I don't remember the name!). It consisted of the house salad with peanut butter ginger dressing, udon noodle soup, and then 5 pieces of nigiri for under 13 dollars. I really enjoyed the salad, although I didn't taste a whole lot of peanut butter. I really enjoy ginger based dressings and this one was quite nice. While I enjoy the creaminess of Toro's ginger dressing (my previous favorite), this one was lighter and more flavorful. The udon soup was the highlight of the meal for me. I thought it was just perfect, and it had the perfect blend of saltiness and savoriness. My girlfriend who is not a fan of udon soup even enjoyed it quite a bit. I then had 5 pieces of nigiri which tasted quite fresh.

My girlfriend had a maki roll which I found to be good, but unremarkable. It had avocado in it, which I really dislike in sushi, or really most food. Something about the texture puts me off, unfortunately, since it is healthy and in so many different foods.