Yusho - yakitori spot in Logan Square / Avondale

The wife and I had dinner at Yusho, Matthias Merges' (of Charlie Trotters') new Logan Square Japanese street food spot . The style of cuisine is described as yakitori, which is grilled skewered meats (poultry to be more specific). The menu has some similarities with other izakayas in town except they don't serve any sushi/rolls. The menu features about 25 savory plates averaging about $9 and ranging between $4 and $18. They also have a full bar menu, which includes a few beers, wines by the glass and bottle and sake. They have seating at the bar and non-communal tables. The restaurant has only been open for a few days...here are some of the dishes we had:

Their "bread service" is a basket of pork rinds (I hope I'm remembering correctly) with togarashi. They are crispier than the rinds that you'd find at Publican and have a touch of heat. Great to munch on.

then...

Chicken wings bonito salt, lime, Thai chili $6

These wings were deboned and served on a skewer. Very juicy and the great when dipped in the salt.

Chicken skin Japanese mustard, pickled garlic $4.5

The skin was crispy. The mustard was very present; I'm not a huge mustard fan, but those who like mustard should give this one a try.

I couldn't decide between the two duck dishes, so I got the Duck confit takoyaki, chili, bonito, scallions $7.5

These looked like little arancinis. I like the concept, but would have wished for a bit more seasoning/salt.

The Sea urchin nori, shiso, Buddha’s hand $8 was a good dish. It was a Budda's hand fruit fried (I believe) with some Uni in the center. Very good. The uni was not overwhelmed by the other components.

Next, we got the Squid elephant garlic, watercress, jalapeños $6. It was served on a skewer suspended above a consomme. There wasn't a ton of squid, and I don't remember much about it even though I love squid. The soup was tasty though. Loved the sliced jalapenos.

A gift from the kitchen of 2x fried chicken kanzuri, matcha, lime $11 was given to us. The chicken was moist, but could have benefitted by a touch more seasoning on the skin. The red pepper dipping sauce was a nice compliment.

We had an order of the Pork belly kimchi, black garlic, crosnes $9 This was yummy. Get in my belly.

Another one of my favorites was the Steam bun Kobe short ribs, bok choy kimchi, peanuts $6.5. This was served like a taco. Lot's of flavor. Don't miss this one. Tough to share though, so get your own.

Our final savory course was the The Logan “poser” ramen crispy pig’s tail, duck egg, cucumber, Thai chili $13 The tail is served on a skewer, suspended above the soup. The egg is very creamy (sous vide). This dish really worked and was a good fit for my wife, who was craving more starch.

Finally, for desert we had the Yusho poky togarashi caramel, ginger chocolate $5.5 The pockys are hard to describe, but I liked the caramel sauce with them.


At the conclusion of a meal, I frequently have a good idea of the amount of food I've consumed and the amount of the tab I'm about to be presented with. Here, I had no idea. Even though the dishes are cheap, your tab could bust your budget if you're not paying attention. My wife was stuffed at the end of the meal, but I could have kept going.

In all, we enjoyed the meal, especially considering that it was only their third day of service . There were a few things that we'd skip next time, but there are several things we'd love to try again. We will be back.


Yusho
2853 N Kedzie Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 904-8558
http://www.yusho-chicago.com

Their "bread service" is a basket of pork rinds (I hope I'm remembering correctly) with togarashi. They are crispier than the rinds that you'd find at Publican and have a touch of heat. Great to munch on.

I just went to Yusho tonight. It's a really nice addition to Logan Square, which Logan Square so does not need since LS seems like it's got the monopoly on cool new restaurants these days. I sat at the bar with two friends and shared a bottle of wine (Roman Birds? big bold flavors). I did not get the bread service that was mentioned here. Tant pis.

I couldn't decide between the two duck dishes, so I got the Duck confit takoyaki, chili, bonito, scallions $7.5

I just had the Takoyaki at Seadog, so I was curious about this duck version. I really like this. The whole thing was as light as air, with scrap of duck that you don't taste until you finish chewing. It was light and the opposite of what I think of when I think confit.

Chick Liver mousse was almost a typical charcuterie item except that it has a sort of sweet jam on top. I thought it would be overwhelming, but the jam was well balanced. We ate it with a tin of paper-thin rice-like crackers. I loved the texture, whipped and dense.

The sweetbreads were crunchy, not at all gamey, and thinly battered. You'll only get a skewer of three sweetbreads. So if you've got organ lovers at the table, order a stick per person.

Another one of my favorites was the Steam bun Kobe short ribs, bok choy kimchi, peanuts $6.5. This was served like a taco. Lot's of flavor. Don't miss this one. Tough to share though, so get your own.

The steam buns were a 70/30 hit for me. I loved the juicy shortrib on the inside, bursting with flavor, especially complemented by the kimchi. I just thought the bun was a little bit of a fail. It was chewy and dry when it should have just been soft and plying. Kind of like the pork buns at Momofuku or Sun Wah's duck dinner. It may have also just been a rare miss, in which I will forgive them and try again.

I think our final order was the whole quail, which is a trifle of a wee bird. The sauce tasted like soy, ginger, sugar, some other delicious brown asian condiment and came with a bed of barley risotto. That dish was a definite hit, I'd come back for the quail alone.

The bartender also gave us a tasting of this amazing beverage, which was a Soju that was carbonated and mixed with a slight dap of lime. Insanely refreshing and tart. If it were summer, I'd declare the summer beverage of 2012 already. I'd definitely go back, I'm already fantasizing about the late night quality noshing I can do here instead of resigning myself to the Golden Nugget.

I too was at Yusho tonight and thoroughly enjoyed my evening. Four of us ate eleven items and there were no real losers. The high points were the 2x fried chicken and the maitake mushroom in egg vinaigrette. I plan on returning soon. It was really nice that the details of the restaurant were well thought out. The room was comfortable, the sound level was very reasonable, and the service was outstanding, especially considering that they had been open about 4 nights.

I met up at Yusho a few nights ago with my photography guru Yellow Truffle, where the two of us geeked out while he tutored me -- yet again -- about cameras and shooting. I chose Yusho as our meeting spot because I'd heard some really promising things about their bar program. Not only did this thread, started by Hombre de Acero intrigue me but one of my favorite bartenders, whose opinion I really trust, had strongly recommended checking it out. Those leads turned out to be nothing less than solid gold.

As I tend to do, I arrived in advance of my companion so I could hang out at the bar for a while. It was clear from my initial glimpse of the cocktail menu, that this was a serious deal. Alex, who runs the cocktail program, has a wealth of knowledge and ability. The 10-drink menu was distinctive and sophisticated, and reflected a knowledge and fluency of spirits that is all-too-rare in our still up and coming local bar scene. I was immediately struck by the number of house-made ingredients -- bitters, tinctures, garnishes -- that were in these drinks. The spirits used in the cocktails were equally impressive -- not exactly rare, but uncommon and wisely chosen. As I chatted Alex up, he explained to me quite articulately and passionately why he'd built each of the drinks with the ingredients that were in them. I found this wonderful. As it should be, it was exactly the same as a traditional chef talking about how a particular dish came to be. Throughout the evening, Alex shared tastes with us of all sorts of things he's working on, including the Soju cocktail described above. It's known as Shu Hai (correction: Yusho calls it Chuhai), which is a carbonated, soju-based beverage. His version also includes green tea, lemon juice and cane sugar. In a typical rendition, soda is added to impart the carbonation, sometimes even in a mix-your-own situation, where all the ingredients are served separately. In Alex's version the entire cocktail is mixed and then carbonated all together, which gives it an especially evervescent quality. It was also extremely well-balanced -- tart but nicely sweet without being overbearing.

I climbed up on the relatively high, backless barstool and got adjusted as quickly as I could. As was discussed a bit in the thread I linked above, since food prep also takes place behind the bar -- the entire kitchen is there -- the height of the bar must be above a certain height so that a sneeze guard is not required. It took a few moments to get used to it but it was fine. In fact, we ended up spending our entire stay on those stools at the bar, foregoing a traditional table. I'm 300+ pounds with 2 artificial hips, so if I can hang there for over 5 hours, anyone can. . . .



The Bar at Yusho
Beginning of the evening, around 5:30 pm.

Being a fan of American whiskey, I started out with a Two Tribes . . .


Two Tribes - Redemption rye, palm sugar, cardamarro, barrel-aged stone fruit bitters
I loved this drink because it was very well-balanced and the palm sugar imparted a distinctive flavor, that went very well with the rye.



Pork Rinds - salt, nori, togarashi
I didn't see these on the menu but Alex served them to me gratis. They were extraordinarily light and delicate. They were just cooked and still popping a little bit when they were served to me.



Pork Rinds
I loved the addictive spice mixture on these rinds. Great stuff.



Three Arrows - Whipper Snapper whiskey, barolo chinato, fenugreek bitters (Alex, screen right)
Next up, I had this innovative riff on a Manhattan. I loved that it was fruit forward but finished very dry and slightly bitter. The flavor progressed and evolved all the way through the sip.



Cate's Esters - Lemonhart demerara rum, lime, cane sugar, orange & myrrh bitters
This daiquiri variation uses Lemonhart 151, one of my favorites and one of the most distinctive rums I know.

Yellow Truffle arrived and we had a few more cocktails. I'm not entirely sure what he ordered, and some of the ones I ordered were "Dealer's Choice," (a great option with a bartender of this skill level) so please forgive the lack of descriptions for some of the shots that follow. Suffice it to say, the cocktails were "effective" but they were also tasty and well-balanced. With just a couple of cues for spirit or flavor preference, Alex would come back with something that just nailed the request over and over again. He was in "the zone."



Dealer's Choice Cocktail



Dealer's Choice Cocktail



Alderman's Hodo Hodo - Johnny Drum 101 bourbon, gomme syrup, acid phosphate, aromatic bitters, soda
There are a few schools of thought about acid phosphate, why it was once popular and isn't as much these days. Without veering off into total geekery, it's very interesting to have the acidic component of a cocktail not impart any flavor of its own. That allows a lot more freedom to create flavor using only the other ingredients.



Gin & Tonic - Ransom Old Tom gin, house tonic, lime
Brilliant use of Ransom, another one of my faves!
(not entirely sure this is the right pic but the house G&T is excellent)

After quite a long time of kibbutzing -- between ourselves and with Alex -- it was finally time to order some food from the menu of proprietor/chef, and Charlie Trotter alum, Matthias Merges. The savory side of his creative, izakaya/yakitori-inspired menu is divided into 2 sections: "grilled birds" and "land & sea." Similar to what was posted above by deesher, there wasn't a dish I didn't like. All were at least good, and several were excellent. I thought a few items were a little too sweet for my palate but after the number of cocktails we had, you can take that for what it's worth. Here are photos of most (all?) of what we ate (along with a few other cocktails we had along the way) . . .


2x Fried Chicken - kanzuri, matcha, lime



Dealer's Choice Cocktail



Beef Tongue - garlic, sombal, daikon



Pork Belly - kimchi, black garlic, sunchoke



Chicken Wings - bonito salt, lime, thai chile



Quail Eggs - charred kombu, broccoli rabe, coriander



Sea Urchin - nori, shisho, buddha's hand



Dealer's Choice Cocktail



Duck Confit Takoyaki - chile, bonito, scallions



Salmon - orange teriyaki, arugula, cedar



Chicken Liver - black sesame, yuzu, pickled shallots



Baconian Cipher - Herencia resposado tequila, vermouth di torino, gran classico, tamarind bitters, grilled clove



Sweetbreads - umeboshi bbq sauce, frisee, toasted soy beans



Maitake Mushroom - egg, vinaigrette, dashi gelee



Steam Bun - short ribs, bok choy kimchi, peanuts



The Logan "Poser" Ramen - crispy pig's tail, hen egg, cucumber, thai chile
An homage to David Chang I have to single this dish out as a real winner. We were very full by this time but I loved every component of it -- broth, noodles, and oh, that crispy pig tail. Yowza!



Bar
About 11:30 p.m. That's a wrap.

Yusho is a place where every single detail seems to have been thoroughly considered and well thought-out. There was a comfortable harmony running through the space, beverages, food, service and overall hospitality. As a diner, it's a real pleasure to walk into an establishment where such care is so obvious. As a bar fan, Yusho has immediately ascended to the top of my destination list. The food was terrific and destination-worthy, too. As much as we sampled, there still seems an exciting world to explore here. I think this place is going to be a huge hit.

=R=

That's the kind of photography lesson I need-Are you for hire Yellow Truffle?

The food, drink and pics all look great. This place looks like a good take on yakitori.

Ronnie, those photos are drop-dead lovely, but that one of the chicken liver really speaks to me. I want that. Now. And it's 9:15 a.m. That's some good shooting, sir.

Ronnie,

Is all of your color temp balance done in camera? The light in that place is so orange, but it's perectly balanced in your shots.

ronnie_suburban wrote:I met up at Yusho a few nights ago with my photography guru Yellow Truffle, where the two of us geeked out while he tutored me -- yet again -- about cameras and shooting. I chose Yusho as our meeting spot because I'd heard some really promising things about their bar program. Not only did this thread, started by Hombre de Acero intrigue me but one of my favorite bartenders, whose opinion I really trust, had strongly recommended checking it out. Those leads turned out to be nothing less than solid gold.

Great time and really great place. Echoing the positive comments upthread by Mr. Kaplan.

Most of my drinks were focused on bitters. We ran through a negroni (dealers choice #1), and few more off menu items. The highlight beverage for me was the Victorian. Food was great, with everything well seasons and executed.

When going to a place like is, I think it is important to know that they respect authenticity, but value evolution more. The generic names given to food and beverages leads to a different (and new) experience. The fried chicken (kare age) with matcha was wonderful. Takoyaki, with duck and not octopus, was a great surprise. Steamed bun and ramen were also quite surprising (in a good way). Really enjoyed the flavors.

I did have an issue with the black sesame tuile was, challenging. I found the black sesame to be a little too overpowering, for the balanced liver and yuzu.

Now I have to process my pics and see how it compares to that wonderful camera (and lens) of yours, Mr. Kaplan.

jvalentino wrote:That's the kind of photography lesson I need-Are you for hire Yellow Truffle?

The food, drink and pics all look great. This place looks like a good take on yakitori.

Not for hire, but if you have questions, post them on the other section of this site. I think there are enough food/camera geeks here to answer your questions.

Had dinner & drinks at Yusho this past weekend, and am really looking forward to going back again. We had a handful of the dishes beautifully pictured in Ronnie's post (missed the tongue, urchin, and quail eggs though), and also had a few other ones: gobo root, which had an interesting, earthy, slightly pickled flavor and a really nice crunchy, root-y texture; peekytoe crab was a little light in the flavor department, but the cauliflower custard layer had an excellent texture; maitake mushroom, which ended up seeming more like a soup than anything else...I don't think I'd order this one again.

The chicken wings and the 2x fried chicken were, in my opinion, the stuff dreams are made of. They'll be must-haves on my next visit(s). The fried pork skins were also pretty awesome - some of the better ones I've had.

Between the three of us, we tried a good chunk of the cocktail menu: Baconian Cipher, Alderman's Hodo-Hodo, Hemingway in Hokkaido, the shochu-based draft cocktail (with grapefruit, on Sunday night), and the Cate's Esters. Not a miss out of the bunch.

Overall, I found the food, drink, and staff to all be excellent, and hope to make it back there again soon.

I had a great time last night at Yusho and can largely add a big "ditto!" to what's been said already. Great addition to the neighborhood, lovely space and yes, even if the barstools are a little higher than normal, it's not so bad once you're up there. The bartender offered me a Manhattan that wasn't on the menu and while I think it ran a little heavy on the bitters and vermouth, it was still a very, very good drink. There was also something of a quasi-celebrity sighting -- Chef Heather Terhune was there and while I wanted to say I thought she was treated pretty unfairly with Bravo's villain edit, I decided against it.

One quibble, though, is that we ordered the chicken liver and ran through the sesame crackers long before we were done with the liver. A waiter brought out more crackers for us before we even thought to ask for more (the liver was little assertive and the consistency a little on the runny side for our taste), which was a lovely touch. And then our bill showed a $1.50 charge for additional crackers. And my point isn't to quibble about an extra $1.50 (a minuscule amount given the total), but bringing out an item that we didn't ask for and then charging us for it rubbed us the wrong way.

Hardly enough to keep me away for long - I just won't order the chicken liver again. Or another dish that comes with crackers.

The wife and I ended up at Yusho this weekend. We were there to meet some friends but they got waylaid. However, once we there, we decided to hang out for a while, since she was eager to try it out. Again, food, beverage and service were all outstanding, excellent . . .


Gin & Tonic | Ransom Old Tom gin, house tonic, lime
My wife is a huge fan of Ransom Old Tom and she loved this cocktail.



Manhattan | housemade Boker's bitters
Alex mentioned that his housemade batch of Boker's bitters was ready and he made me this stunning Manhattan, incorporating those bitters. It was fruity up front and dry as a bone at the finish, which was accented by some very distinctive bitterness.



Salmon Belly | blistered skin, salmon roe takoyaki, chrysanthemum puree
We were tipped off by Alex that there was one of these available as a special and were encouraged to order it, so we did. Wow! The salmon belly was so fatty and delectable. The skin was blistered and crispy. In this composition, the takoyaki were filled with salmon roe, which also garnished the plate. The chrysanthemum puree was an out-of-this-world umami bomb, and was a great match for the other components on the plate.



Cate's Esters | Lemonhart demerara rum, lime, cane sugar, orange & myrrh bitters
Described upthread



Pisco Punch | Don Cesar especial pisco, sencha, pineapple and umeboshi gomme syrup, lemon
Working my way through Alex's set cocktail menu, I tried this pisco-based libation, which is not normally in my wheelhouse. I really enjoy it and thought is was a nice showcase for the pisco.



Hama Hama Oysters | on the grill
These gigantic hama hama oysters (cooking on the grill, off in the distance) were a special on this night. More on that later . . .



Pomelo
Also on the menu as part of a special. More on this later, too . . .



Pork Rinds | togarashi, nori, salt
I believe I was overheard telling my wife about these off-menu delicacies when a diner near us ended up with some. Even though we insisted that we were "just talking," this complimentary order showed up in front of us shortly thereafter. Wife loved them and I was delighted to have them again. I cannot believe how light and airy they are compared to some other house-made pork rinds I've had around town. And the combo of nori, togarashi and salt is fantastic.



Miso-Braised Oxtails | shishito peppers
This special was fantastic. The oxtails were tender, unctuous and full of flavor. The blistered peppers were a great accent. A wonderfully homey dish.



Hama Hama Oyster, grilled | ginger, aged soy, bacon
After coming off the grill, the meat is cut into bit-size pieces, adorned with the other ingredients and served elegantly and functionally. I thought this was another stellar dish, as the oyster was really sensational and paired exceedingly well with the other components.



Alex
In motion . . .



Old Fashioned, Alex's way | Johnny Drum 101 bourbon, Amaro Sevilla
Old Fashioned is my benchmark cocktail, so I asked Alex to make any variation on one that he wanted. He told me that this is how he'd make one for himself at home. I loved it, especially the addition of the amaro, which added a satisfying and herbaceous complexity to the beverage.



Boswell's 20th Century | DH Krahn gin, lemon, quina bianco, creme de cacao, frankincense tincture
Of all the cocktails my wife had, this one was probably her favorite. It was nicely balanced but leaning toward tart, which I also appreciated.



Peekytoe Crab | cauliflower, horseradish
The crab here had distinctive, intense flavor that shone brightly and also paired extremely well with the lightly-pickled purple cauliflower and horseradish. This dish, like so many of the dishes we had, was more than the some of its parts and really spoke to the quality of the ingredients and the composition.



Kindai Kampachi | pomelo, braised kombu
A fantastically meaty and clean-tasting sashimi special, which was was paired beautifully with pomelo and braised kombu.



Leeks | tart miso, crispy shallots, marcona almonds
Another very tasty dish. I loved the crispy shallots and the way the leeks were cooked until slightly tender without being mushy at all.



Hemingway In Hokkaido | Crusoe white rum, rhum agricole blanc, maraschino, Nigori sake, lime, grapefruit
After tasting this cocktail, the idea to pair sake and agricole rhum seems so obvious but it's not one I would have thought of on my own. I think this was a brilliant, truly inspired idea that was very well executed.



Short Rib | pickled jalapeno, young garlic
Another special that we decided to try after one of our neighbors ordered it. I love short ribs and don't often get to have them in this grilled, medium-rare form. These were perfectly chewy and I loved how the meat and sinew were left on the cross-cut bones (small bowl in background) for our gnawing pleasure.



Chicken Skin, grilled | Japanese mustard, pickled garlic
I've had fried chicken skin before but never grilled, which was fun to try. The mustard and pickled garlic were both great.

Even more than during my first experience at Yusho, I was again struck this time by how well the food and cocktails went together. Over and over again, bold, intense dishes were complemented so well by the distinctive flavors of the drinks we enjoyed with them. They were in perfect sync. For me, Yusho has quickly become a unique-in-Chicago destination for signature cocktails and creatively-conceived, expertly-executed food made from premium ingredients. One could very easily enjoy either or both. My early feeling is that the combination of food and cocktails at Yusho is as strong as anywhere I can remember Chicago. I'm really digging Yusho and looking forward to returning soon.

=R=

Heading over to Yusho tonight for dinner before heading to O'Hare. If anyone is interested in meeting up, PM me! Else, I will attempt to eat half the menu by myself!

I'm going to copy milz50's format since it made things easier to read

I headed over to Yusho last night with a girlfriend, sans turkob, so I figured I'd write about my meal. The secret is out about this place. I saw them turn away several patrons at 8:45 PM, so get a reservation beforehand with their nifty online reservation system on their website. You need to register, similar to open table, but it's not. I got a reservation for 8:45 PM the same morning. They have ample seating at the bar and you can usually get those seats first, but there is a front room and a back room with plenty of tables, so it's worth the wait for the extra comfort. Unless you want to hang out with Alex.

Let me start off by saying that I absolutely loved my meal as well as the whole experience of dining here. It's a hip place, but the tables aren't super crowded, the staff is chatty, friendly and attentive, and food offered something new and interesting.

The pork rinds again were not on the menu, but I saw several tables with the bucket, and I asked about it. Their story is that they don't have them all the time so it's not on the menu. And they don't want to source extra pork rinds beyond what they have from their normal food, so they can't sustain them as a menu item. So you can ask and see if they have them. The pork rinds were outstanding. They were freshly fried and crispy, the spices give it a little heat, and the pieces are humongous that you have to break. But the snap is really satisfying because it's fried perfectly. The portion is pretty generous too.

We then had the leeks, which like Ronnie said were crisp and not soggy. The shallots on top were a nice touch, but the almonds were kind of lost of me. Though I couldn't taste them, they added to the crunchy texture.

The 2x fried chicken had a nice orange colored aoli type dressing with it with a little bit of heat. The chicken itself was boneless, and perfectly fried and moist.

Honestly the dish I was most excited to eat was the sea urchin. It comes with something that looks like a rolled egg roll with meat inside. Though the combination was tasty, the roll muted the fishiness of the urchin for me, and for that, I was a little disappointed. But I think this is what makes the dish more accessible to the masses.

Next came the beef tongue, which was the biggest surprise of the savory part of the meal for me. It came on a skewer with some pepper sauce. The tongue was thinly sliced and oh so tender. It practically fell apart as I was eating it. The flavor of the grill was appreciably noticed in this dish more with slight hints of char. In hindsight I wish we had gotten more stuff from the grill. We had ordered the sweetbreads, but they forgot to give it to us, so I'm really glad to see a picture on this thread. Next time.

We ended the savory part of the meal with the poser ramen. It took a lot longer in between the other courses to get this dish, so it's fresh and made to order. The runny egg was perfect and made the broth somewhat creamy. The cucumbers are a little pickled and added a nice contrast to the rest of the soup. The noodles themselves were awesome, they sucked up the creamy broth nicely.

I'm really surprised that there hasn't been more talk about their desserts because this is where I think Yusho really sold me. We ordered the tofu and the soft serve, but they threw in a complimentary mochi for us. The tofu was a firm tofu served with a citrus like sorbet, which made it tart but not too sweet. The soft serve was my absolute favorite. It was szechwan peppercorn flavored soft serve with a buckwheat caramel sauce. The peppercorn was a nice savory/sweet flavor but it wasn't spicy. The caramel added more sweetness and the buckwheat added a nice crunch. The mochi was two different kinds - one had a crunchy peanut mixture which my friend promptly gobbled up and the other had a creamy sour/sweet filling.

Overall I loved the creativity of the chef. And the menu was so interesting that I definitely want to come back and try more things. Like most yakitori places, the food comes out super fast, though it was a little odd to me that none of the food was that warm. Hmm...not sure why.

Btw, I gave a little lth plug to the waitress telling her I found this place through lthforum. And she promptly walked up to Matthias Merges and told him.

I too enjoyed Yusho last week all by my lonesome self... A reward for going to OHare to pick the husband up! Overall I felt some hits and some misses. The service was awesome, especially when sitting alone at the bar... Did I mention I was alone?


Yusho - Pisco Punch by agashi, on Flickr


Yusho - Grilled Oyster by agashi, on Flickr


Yusho - Chicken Wings by agashi, on Flickr


Yusho - Sweetbreads by agashi, on Flickr


Yusho - Chicken Skin by agashi, on Flickr


Yusho - Sea urchin by agashi, on Flickr


Yusho - Beef Tongue by agashi, on Flickr


Yusho - Oxtails by agashi, on Flickr


Yusho - Salmon Roe Takoyaki by agashi, on Flickr


Yusho - Softserve by agashi, on Flickr


Yusho - Mochi by agashi, on Flickr

Favorite dishes:

Grilled oyster - Mine was not cut up which I appreciated. There is something about grabbing a hot oyster shell and inhaling the delicious briny sweet oyster!

Chicken skin - Impossibly crispy. I would have liked a little more fat on it (come on! It's CHICKEN SKIN!) but I really enjoyed this. I liked it even more when they tell me that one skewer holds the equivalent of half a chicken's skin!

Chicken wings - Crispy, nicely rendered means not greasy. Boneless was a nice touch.

Oxtails - Soft and salty-sweet. Shisito peppers blistered, sweet and spicy...

Takoyaki - I love the concept! Fluffy soft balls of batter, popping balls of ikura. Even though I felt this dish was over salted, I still think it is a good dish

Szechuan peppercorn soft server with buckwheat caramel and crystalized ginger - Love the flavors. Buckwheat added a nice crunch, the caramel was gooey good. Could have left out the nori wafer, coz it was not very good imo

Mochi - The silent killer. This was comped and I am so happy they brought it out... The hazelnut and milk chocolate one was out of this world. Chewy mochi skin, smooth chocolate with some crunchy bits... I would go back and order a dozen of these...

Misses:

Sweetbreads - Rich, grilled sweetbreads were perfectly cooked, but the bbq sauce was too overwhelmingly salty and sweet. I left half of it uneaten.

Sea urchin - I wanted more of the sea urchin brininess and sweetness that I love. Wrapper was thin, but after rolling the filling in it a few more times than necessary, it was pretty overwhelming... Sad me.

Beef tongue - I usually love this dish, but here it was pretty rubbery and the sambal was too strong. Ended up scraping the sambal off the side of the bowl.

Takoyaki - I chalk it up to the fact that Salmon Roe was a new change from the duck confit that was on the menu. Salmon roe is salty, and maybe they forgot to compensate for the saltiness in the sauce. Although it was salty, I ate the whole plate because it was good. Just had to alternate bites with a less salty dish! Which is why it is in both my hits and misses list!

Really sorry I couldn't jump in there with you CrazyC. It just wasn't in the cards. Very nice shots, btw!

However, I was back at Yusho again this week (sans camera) with a friend who really wanted to check it out. We had a great time at the bar and enjoyed what we ate and drank. Alex was there doing his thing and making us feel right at home. I'd gotten a tip from a friend about an unusual, off-menu gin and rum cocktail he'd been making. It's called a Hoar Frost and Alex's take on it employs Smalls gin, Smith & Cross rum and housemade rose simple syrup (in lieu of grenadine, which is called for in the original recipe). It came off a bit like a classic daiquiri but the savory herbal notes in the gin provided a depth to the cocktail that made it really special. Before that, we enjoyed a couple of neat pours of Pure Malt White variety Japanese whisky from Nikka. While this Scotch-style whisky is not usually my thing, I appreciated this very technical take, which was clean and only mildly peaty. In any case, I agree entirely with what Mike Sula wrote at the Reader earlier this week: "I couldn't spill enough ink on barkeep Alex Bachman, whose evolving cocktail program promises to fill a void in Logan Square/Avondale when Paul McGee leaves the Whistler next week." Yusho is a special place and Alex's bar program is a gem.

A few dishes were sent out for us, a couple of which I believe were specials. One of them was a thinly-sliced, ceviche-style conch with yuzu granite and pomelo, served in the shell. I absolutely loved the meaty-licious conch and the flavors were in perfect harmony. Another dish was a fantastic Japanase smelt that had been butterflied out and garnished with wasabi and lemon zest. The (apparently) polarizing Uni dish was also sent our way and I'm still really loving this dish, after having had it a couple of times now. The crispy rolls are wonderful and I think the nori and pomegranate seeds are perfect touches.

We ordered a few other dishes, a couple of which I'd had during previous visits, and enjoyed them quite a bit this time around. The 2x Fried Chicken may be the ultimate bar/comfort food. Just awesome. I was also happy to finally try the pleasantly fiberous and lightly pickled Gobo (aka burdock) Root, which is served with sesame, Asian pear and persimmon. I appreciated the sweetbreads, which could not have been cooked more perfectly -- crispy on the outside, creamy within -- but agree that the sauce coating them was just a bit too sweet for my palate.

Service was again friendly, casual, intuitive and entirely hospitable. I love watching Matthias watch over every detail of his restaurant. He's as 'old skool' as they come. Chef de Cuisine Jennifer Petrusky, a fellow Trotter's alum, exhibits a comfortable command over the open kitchen, as well as the winning plates she's putting out. Yusho is so comfortable and it's quickly becoming a home away from home for me. I plan on heading back this week (with another friend who's never been) and it sounds I like definitely shouldn't skip the desserts this time around.

=R=

I was -- shockingly -- back at Yusho again earlier this week. No, I'm not obsessed! But I was again in the neighborhood and looking for some quality food after a brief session at the Whistler. The friend I was with wanted to try Yusho and I happily agreed. I'm still working my way through the ever-evolving menu. As has become tradition, we started out with a couple of Alex's cocktails . . .


Manhattan variation
Our outing being primarily a social occasion, I don't remember exactly what went into this libation (or other details about items pictured below) but it again showcased Alex Bachman's ability to create dynamic, complex flavor progression. The drink started with a measured amount of fruit, mellowed on the palate and finished dry and slightly bitter.



Pisco Punch | Don Cesar especial pisco, sencha, pineapple and umeboshi gomme syrup, lemon
My friend has this one. He's not much of a drinker but does enjoy his pisco.



Beef Tongue - garlic, sombal, daikon
One of my favorites at Yusho and the best version of it I've had there so far. The ribbons of tender tongue were lightly-crispy, moist and meaty.



Chicken Thigh, grilled - savoy cabbage, anaheim peppers, basil
I'd not tried this one before and didn't realize that the thigh meat was actually served in meatball form. The succulent meatballs were very well-made, and delicious.



Ichiro's Malt, Double Distilleries
Paired with this menu and guided by Alex's extensive knowledge, I'm finally beginning to appreciate the beauty of Japanese whisky and this expression is particularly special. This blended/vatted dram incorporates malts from Ichiro Akuto's Chichibu distillery and from the Hanyu distillery, which was built by his legendary grandfather and ceased production 2000.



Gobo Root - sesame, Asian pear, persimmon
I love how the sweet and pickled elements marry up in this dish. As I posted above, the gobo is fiberous but pleasantly so. Until Yusho, my only experience with it had been at Korean places, where it's often served as part of the panchan progression. In that form, it's usually soft and nothing like this.



Chicken Skin, grilled - Japanese mustard, pickled garlic
Crispy, crunchy, chewy and full of flavor.



Pork Shoulder Takoyaki - chile, bonito, scallions
It's always fun to see what ingredients are going to end up being takoyaki'd at Yusho. This rendition, incorporating braised pork shoulder, was very tasty and paired up especially well with the bonito flakes.



Grilled Tofu - chrysanthemum, pineapple, walnut
I loved the firm, meatiness of the grilled tofu. The dish skewed a bit sweet (pineapple) but not overly so.



2x Fried Chicken - kanzuri, matcha, lime
Oh yeah. I couldn't share a meal with a first-timer at Yusho and not order this crispy-juicy plate of heaven.



Grilled Oyster - apple cider, sake, tapioca
I liked this well-executed version but not as much as the more savory hama hama special shown upthread. This version was a bit too sweet for me.



Winter Beets - bone marrow, sesame
A really nice dish with tender beets and some well-chosen accompaniments.



Braised Short Rib - shishito peppers
Damn! I guess I'm just a sucker for tender, braised meats and grilled shishitos. I'm pretty sure this was a special on this night.



Tofu Mousse - yuzu, Thai basil
Delicious combination of flavors and textures. We were really full but managed to put away a good portion of this dessert.

After 4 visits, what I appreciate most about Yusho is that it's essentially a neighborhood spot delivering distinctive fare and superior quality on myriad levels. Every neighborhood should be so fortunate.

=R=

Ok, my non-obsession with Yusho continues.

On Saturday afternoon I was at home just minding my own business when the wife and I received word that we would not have to be around to provide a ride for my son later in the evening. So, we thought, "where can we go for a quick drink or 2 and a few bites?" Why, Yusho, of course.

I have to admit that I'd received their "specials" email moments earlier and was completely intrigued by the day's draught cocktail offering, a force-carbonated rum punch. Deerfield to Avondale in about 30 minutes and there we were, climbing once again onto the high perches overlooking the bar and kitchen. My wife had the Pisco Punch (pictured and described upthread) and obviously, I started with the rum punch . . .


Rum Punch | Lemonhart 151, El Dorado dark, fernet, lime, cane sugar, water
This was the daily draft special cocktail, which had undergone forced carbonation. The net result was a refreshing, effervescent cocktail that tasted a bit like an exotic cola. Fernet is usually my kryptonite but I thought it worked exceedingly well in this beverage.



Kitchen at work
The scene in the kitchen at Yusho just before 6 pm on Saturday evening.



Chicken Skin | Japanese mustard, garlic, togarashi
As much as I loved the previous, grilled incarnation of this dish (pictured upthread), this new, oven-roasted version may be even better. Gone are the crispy and chewy nuggets of skewered skin, which have been replaced by large pieces of skin that are seasoned, rendered and crisped via oven-roasting, and seasoned again. They're then served as crispy chips. I especially loved the addition of togarashi, which lent a nice touch of heat.



Hama Hama Oyster, grilled | bacon, ginger
We wanted to have 'just a taste,' of this special, which we really enjoyed on our last visit, so the wife and I split this lone oyster. I'm pretty sure the crispy matter was shallots but I'm not certain.



Cross-cut Short Rib | umeboshi, jalapeno
Meaty, juicy and satisfyingly chewy. I loved the hints of sweetness and heat from the umeboshi and jalapeno, respectively.



Luxardo Cherry Sangue Morlacco liqueur
A key ingredient in my next cocktail.



Blood & Sand variation | Breaking & Entering bourbon, orange juice, Luxardo Cherry Sangue Morlacco, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, acid phosphate
I thought this was a very adept take on this classic cocktail. The B&E bourbon was a great inclusion that matched up nicely with the orange and cherry notes.



Eel | brandade, hominy, wasabi mustard
I'm not sure which component in this dish was my favorite because I loved them all and they all went so well together. The tender, oily eel was rich and delicious. The croquette-like balls of brandade were out of this world. The crunchy bits of hominy delivered a perfect textural contrast and the wasabi mustard provided the perfect punch. Phenomenal.



Tuna | taro root, pine nuts, breakfast radish
This was another fantastic dish. Creamy, silky cubes of superior-quality sashimi were accented beautifully by crispy ribbons of taro root, toasty pine nuts and lightly-crunchy breakfast radish, which had been pickled. Wow!



Two Tribes & Rum Punch | Two Tribes (front): Redemption rye, palm sugar, cardamarro, barrel-aged stone fruit bitters
Our next round, compliments of Alex. Somehow he knew what we were each going to order next.



Foie Gras | kabocha squash, kombu, honey
This was a truly inspired dish by chef Jennifer Petrusky. First, the segment of foie gras could not have been cooked more perfectly. It was hard-seared and crispy on the outside and perfectly creamy on the inside. But what made the dish truly special were the accompanying elements. The roasted kabocha squash provided a muted, earthy sweetness. The briney kombu brought a spike of salty contrast and the judicious use of honey unified the dish without making it too sweet. It's been a long time since I had a foie gras dish that was so well-conceived and well-executed.



Variety of Japanese Whiskys
One thing I love about Yusho is that I learn a lot by spending time there. Case in point: Japanese whiskys. A month ago, I didn't even consider myself a fan of them. But now, having tried some truly exceptional expressions at Alex Bachman's well-curated bar, I have to say that I'm developing quite a taste for them. On this night we tried the Nikka 17 (left, above) and the Yamazaki sherry cask (center, above). I loved their complexity and depth. I really don't have the vocabulary to describe them. There was so much going on in both. As rich and multi-faceted as the Nikka was, for me, the Yamazaki trumped it. Each sip unfolded into a seemingly unending progression of flavors and aromas that I'd never experienced before in Japanese whisky. The Hakushu bourbon barrel looks quite intriguing -- and its vanilla aroma was compelling -- but that'll be for next time.

As much as I've enjoyed Yusho from my first visit, in my mind, this was the best it's been so far. The experience keeps getting tighter and tighter. No dish on the menu is safe from reconsideration, revision or reshaping. In my experience, the push to constantly improve is the lifeblood of a top kitchen. Matthias tells me that the constant tweaking is an important part of what keeps everyone at Yusho sharp. As a diner, there's not much more one can hope for. The process shows up on the plate and in the glass.

=R=

Apparently, Rick Bayless is smitten with Yusho, too. A tweet from earlier this evening:

@Rick_Bayless
Yusho just may b smartest, mst delicious resto to open in Chgo n a long time. Yakitori leeks w Marcona almonds. Go, go!

ronnie_suburban wrote:
Variety of Japanese Whiskys
One thing I love about Yusho is that I learn a lot by spending time there. Case in point: Japanese whiskys. A month ago, I didn't even consider myself a fan of them. But now, having tried some truly exceptional expressions at Alex Bachman's well-curated bar, I have to say that I'm developing quite a taste for them. On this night we tried the Nikka 17 (left, above) and the Yamazaki sherry cask (center, above). I loved their complexity and depth. I really don't have the vocabulary to describe them. There was so much going on in both. As rich and multi-faceted as the Nikka was, for me, the Yamazaki trumped it. Each sip unfolded into a seemingly unending progression of flavors and aromas that I'd never experienced before in Japanese whisky. The Hakushu bourbon barrel looks quite intriguing -- and its vanilla aroma was compelling -- but that'll be for next time.

I've never seen Nikka is the U.S. In fact, I've never seen Nikka outside of Tokyo and Paris...did you happen to notice if they had the "Nikka From the Barrel" expression?

kl1191 wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:
Variety of Japanese Whiskys
One thing I love about Yusho is that I learn a lot by spending time there. Case in point: Japanese whiskys. A month ago, I didn't even consider myself a fan of them. But now, having tried some truly exceptional expressions at Alex Bachman's well-curated bar, I have to say that I'm developing quite a taste for them. On this night we tried the Nikka 17 (left, above) and the Yamazaki sherry cask (center, above). I loved their complexity and depth. I really don't have the vocabulary to describe them. There was so much going on in both. As rich and multi-faceted as the Nikka was, for me, the Yamazaki trumped it. Each sip unfolded into a seemingly unending progression of flavors and aromas that I'd never experienced before in Japanese whisky. The Hakushu bourbon barrel looks quite intriguing -- and its vanilla aroma was compelling -- but that'll be for next time.

I've never seen Nikka is the U.S. In fact, I've never seen Nikka outside of Tokyo and Paris...did you happen to notice if they had the "Nikka From the Barrel" expression?

Interesting. I did not but I'll be sure to check next time I'm in.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

kl1191 wrote:I've never seen Nikka is the U.S. In fact, I've never seen Nikka outside of Tokyo and Paris...did you happen to notice if they had the "Nikka From the Barrel" expression?

Interesting. I did not but I'll be sure to check next time I'm in.

I just learned that they do, in fact, have the Nikka "from the barrel" at Yusho.

=R=

What's the parking situation like in the area?

grack wrote:What's the parking situation like in the area?

I had no problem finding street parking...especially if you go a block or two north on kedzie. I was there early though (6:00 - 8:00).

milz50 wrote:

grack wrote:What's the parking situation like in the area?

I had no problem finding street parking...especially if you go a block or two north on kedzie. I was there early though (6:00 - 8:00).

There are no meters on the block of Kedzie where Yusho is, which is nice. Not sure about the blocks north or south of it, though. The adjacent side streets have usually been open in my experience, too.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

milz50 wrote:

grack wrote:What's the parking situation like in the area?

I had no problem finding street parking...especially if you go a block or two north on kedzie. I was there early though (6:00 - 8:00).

There are no meters on the block of Kedzie where Yusho is, which is nice. Not sure about the blocks north or south of it, though. The adjacent side streets have usually been open in my experience, too.

=R=

Thank you both for the info.

This place sounds great-- anyone have insights on the kid-friendliness of the place? I have a 1st grader who loves Sol de Mexico, Longman & Eagle, etc.

Thx,
Jen

Pie-love wrote:This place sounds great-- anyone have insights on the kid-friendliness of the place? I have a 1st grader who loves Sol de Mexico, Longman & Eagle, etc.

Thx,
Jen

I don't recall seeing any kids in there during any of my visits but it seems like the dining room would be a reasonable destination for an adventurous-eater-type kid. I have no idea about the availability of booster seats or high-chairs.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:I don't recall seeing any kids in there during any of my visits but it seems like the dining room would be a reasonable destination for an adventurous-eater-type kid. I have no idea about the availability of booster seats or high-chairs.

=R=

Thanks-- we'll go for an early dinner in the dining room on an off day (probably Sunday) and I'll report back. No high chairs or booster required, but I will scope it out for other 'rents.

Cheers, Jen

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Pie-love wrote:This place sounds great-- anyone have insights on the kid-friendliness of the place? I have a 1st grader who loves Sol de Mexico, Longman & Eagle, etc.

Thx,
Jen

I don't recall seeing any kids in there during any of my visits but it seems like the dining room would be a reasonable destination for an adventurous-eater-type kid. I have no idea about the availability of booster seats or high-chairs.

=R=

No meters north or south. I live just two blocks away from Yusho so I am very familiar with the parking situation. Kedzie can get crowded mid day weekdays and also late on weeknights because of the nearby homes. Many of my neighbors don't have enough room in the garage for all of their cars but there's always a spot even if you may have to park a block or two away.