Kuni’s Japanese Restaurant

We first encountered Kuni-San while Kuni was the head chef at the long defunct Hatsuhana in Chicago in the 1970’s.
Later Kuni started his own restaurant in Evanston and we followed him.
Kuni, with the retirement of Katsu, is one of the last classically trained Japanese Sushi/Sashimi Chef’s in the area. Maybe the last?
No gold leaf, no fancy off the wall arrangements, just classic service with impeccable ingredients.
We took our two grand daughters yesterday for dinner.
I always sit with Kuni for service and employ the classic chef-diner ordering.
No paper menu, no wait staff, it’s Kuni and I conversing about what’s good, what’s from Japan.
The girls ordered Bento Boxes and rolls.
It’s a mistake to think Kuni just excels in Sushi and Sashimi preparation.
His Tempura is outstanding and we always get the Green Tea Noodle Roll gratis.
Probably the best thing out of the kitchen!
I managed to obtain two pieces of the Salmon Skin rolls the girls ordered and it was the hit of the evening!
My wife had a Sashimi Selection and I had the Omakase Sashimi Selection.
Ama Ebi, Hotategai (Japan) were outstanding, excellent Maguro, Chu Toro and Albacore Tuna. Sake(salmon) was soft and fatty. I followed with Uni and Ikura both in Gunkan Maki form topped with Quail egg yolks.
The girls had salads and I had Miso soup, excellent.
A large bottle of Sapporo for me also.
I drove home happy!
-Richard

Hi,

All the mentions of Kuni's since this website began and only today a dedicated thread.

Kuni's
511 Main St.
Evanston 60202-4540
847-328-2004

Thank you for righting perhaps this wrong.

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy2 wrote:All the mentions of Kuni's since this website began and only today a dedicated thread.

FWIW, Kuni's has been around since 1986, according to their website. Even more shocking, apparently the Evanston Lunch Group™ has never been there, even though they're open for lunch!

Speaking of their website, it's at kunisushi.com

In the late 80s and early 90s, when I was an undergrad at Northwestern, I joked that I took my meal plan at Kuni's. (I was probably there once a week.) I've been there a handful of times since then.

Mr. CE and I moved to Rogers Park a couple months ago, and by my estimation, Kuni's is one of the closest Japanese restaurants to our house...and we haven't been there yet! (Though we did have lunch at Lucky Platter yesterday, so we've gotten close.) Glad to hear a report that it's still a great spot. I'm going to make an effort to get there in the next couple of weeks.

budrichard wrote:Later Kuni started his own restaurant in Evanston and we followed him. Kuni, with the retirement of Katsu, is one of the last classically trained Japanese Sushi/Sashimi Chef’s in the area. Maybe the last?
No gold leaf, no fancy off the wall arrangements, just classic service with impeccable ingredients.

Agree Kuni's deserves all the accolades one cares to heap upon them but, in the same category and my favorite in the old-school run by Japanese classic is Rengi Tei in Lincolnwood. I miss Katsu like a penguin misses reruns of the Andy Griffith show but Rengi Tei more than scratches the itch.



Renga-Tei
3956 W Touhy Ave
Lincolnwood, IL 60712
847-675-5177

nsxtasy wrote:Even more shocking, apparently the Evanston Lunch Group™ has never been there, even though they're open for lunch!

We had a lunch there in the very early days ... I'm not sure we'd even officially used the name Evanston Lunch Group back then.

Kuni’s was my first experience with Japanese food. It’s been a tough act to follow for nearly all places.

nr706 wrote:

nsxtasy wrote:Even more shocking, apparently the Evanston Lunch Group™ has never been there, even though they're open for lunch!

We had a lunch there in the very early days ... I'm not sure we'd even officially used the name Evanston Lunch Group back then.

I thought so. I remember that lunch. Everyone ordered such different items, it was the honor system to pay. I did not realize it at the time, I had bronchitis. That lunch was memorable, but I cannot repeat my impressions here or I will never be allowed back at an Evanston lunch.

nr706 wrote:

nsxtasy wrote:Even more shocking, apparently the Evanston Lunch Group™ has never been there, even though they're open for lunch!

We had a lunch there in the very early days ... I'm not sure we'd even officially used the name Evanston Lunch Group back then.

You are correct; according to this post, which lists the earliest lunches, it happened back in 2005.

A search didn't turn up any other mentions on LTH of a lunch at Kuni's, which is why I didn't think there was one. Is it possible that the earliest Evanston Lunch Group™ lunches weren't posted on LTH? Or were a bunch of early posts lost at some point?

nsxtasy wrote:A search didn't turn up any other mentions on LTH of a lunch at Kuni's, which is why I didn't think there was one. Is it possible that the earliest Evanston Lunch Group™ lunches weren't posted on LTH? Or were a bunch of early posts lost at some point?

Very early on, we widdled old events off. There was enough feedback from the community to learn this was unnecessary, unwanted and thus abandoned.

The management of this board was learned one hard knock at a time!

Regards,
Cathy2, who did the early wittling.

That explains it - thanks!

And thanks to Michelle and Gale, we at least have a fairly complete list (newly updated) of the ELG™ lunches.