One of the best places to find hidden gem restaurants are in seemingly-innocuous strip malls, and a great example of that can be found in suburban Des Plaines, where one such mall features not one but two incredible Japanese restaurant options that are run by the same chef. “The Food Guy” Steve Dolinsky has more details.
One of the best places to find hidden gem restaurants are in seemingly-innocuous strip malls, and a great example of that can be found in suburban Des Plaines, where one such mall features not one but two incredible Japanese restaurant options that are run by the same chef.
The strip mall, located just two miles north of O’Hare, has two restaurants that dish up some of the area’s best ramen and sushi, just the way Chef Kenta Ikehata did when he lived in Tokyo.
Chicago Ramen serves up the classic Japanese comfort food, and has done so for several years now. The restaurant, located in a strip mall at the corner of Oakton and Wolf Road, serves a rich variety of offerings, including jagged egg noodles that are boiled and then topped with one of several broths – including a rich miso – along with garnishes like scallions, crunchy bamboo or wide slices of cha su pork.
The restaurant also offers the rarely-seen tsukemon.
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“Tsukemon is dipping ramen. So very famous in Tokyo,” said Ikehata. “It’s noodles and broth in separate bowls. Take noodles, dip in broth, then slurp.”
If you’re not wanting noodles, then you can head two doors down to Ikehata’s newest restaurant, Chicago Sushi. Fresh fish is delivered daily and the restaurant’s staff waste nothing, scraping every bit of flesh from everything from brightly-colored salmon to ruby-read tuna.
You’ll find all the classic standbys, including maki rolls, which are smothered in all sorts of sauces for beginners. For those with more experience in the realm of sushi, diners can request a chirashi box – containing an assortment of seafood and sea urchin – with the “uni” imported directly from Hokkaido.
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Staff begin each roll with nori, or dried seaweed, that originates from the Japan Sea.
“We use the quality nori from Japan,” he said.
Next into the dish is warm sushi rice, and then the chilled fish is added in. The warmth and moisture of the rice and fish moves quickly into the crispy nori, so Ikehata says it’s imperative to eat them immediately.
“My recommendation is you eat the handrolls very quickly. So 3…2…1…go! Just three seconds,” said Ikehata.
More information on both restaurants can be found on their respective Facebook pages, which are linked in the story above.
