Five new Asian breakfasts in downtown Chicago

In the past year, Chicago has seen an explosion of Asian breakfast spots downtown.

Why it matters: As fewer people commute downtown, interest in Asian food is rising, attracting adventurous eaters who might have once opted for a doughnut and coffee.

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• Here are a few of the options.

Tary Coffee House offers traditional Kazakh foods. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

Kazakh millet porridge from Tary ($11.95) may seem like a bland cream of wheat-like mush initially, but it sings with flavor when you mix in the pomegranate seeds and pots of clarified butter and house-made raspberry preserves.

• I can't vouch for the menu's promise that the porridge delivers a cognitive boost and anti-cancer benefits, but I did feel great and calm after eating it.

Korean breakfast at Perilla Steakhouse in the Lotte L7 hotel. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

Korean breakfast at Perilla Steakhouse ($24) includes beautifully prepared grilled mackerel with fresh kimchi, pickles and seaweed soup, which you can enjoy in a serene room overlooking the river.

• I also loved the gorgeous avocado toast with gochujang, aioli, cucumbers and yolk jam. ($15).

Breakfast bing from Jianbing. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

Chinese bacon avocado bing from Jian Bing ($11.95) in Block 37 delivers possibly the best hand held breakfast wrap in the city and can be grabbed by commuters getting off the blue or red lines.

Northern Thai sausage patties, salad and rice for breakfast at Egg O Egg. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

Thai Northern sausage patty breakfast from Egg O Egg in Streeterville features garlicky sausage patties, a cabbage salad and pancake of sticky rice, great for dipping in the pungent fish sauce.

• Also check out the American breakfasts and additional Thai eye openers of rice porridge with meat, egg and crispy noodles; fried chicken, ginger rice, broth and a ginger sauce or breakfast pork skewers with sticky rice. (All $13.95)

Mini version of the breakfast sandwich at Nobu. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

Japanese brunch at Nobu : This rooftop brunch blends Asian and American flavors, featuring a decadent Wagyu slider with portobello mushrooms on a bao bun ($32) and a breakfast sandwich with kimchi potato hash and truffled eggs ($23), as well as a full sushi selection.

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