Itoko restaurant chicago

CHI Review.

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Momotaro chef Gene Kato is bringing his robata grill from his old restaurant with him. Gene Kato built a loyal following at Sumi, his River North restaurant where he roasted veggies and meats over a robota grill. Sumi, at 2, square feet on each floor, was considerably smaller than the 11,square-foot Momotaro. The cavernous West Loop restaurant includes a basement izakaya that operates separate from the mothership. For a sushi restaurant, intimacy gives the chef a chance to offer different items.

Itoko restaurant chicago

Itoko , N. Southport Ave. Before Momotaro, Kato owned Sumi Robata, a popular restaurant focused on the traditional takumi experience of grilling on a robata using sumi, a Japanese white charcoal. Kato grew up in a Japanese household in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he learned to cook popular dishes in his heritage and culture, according to Boka. Itoko will have classics like nigiri, sashimi and maki, as well as temaki hand rolls served on crispy seaweed with warm rice. It will also be used for chicken teriyaki and a whole branzino in a shiso and shichimi crust. Kato also puts a unique take on Japanese favorites like ramen with a chicken broth with spicy pork, wagyu beef chahan, chirashi don with Kaluga caviar, foie gras and pork gyoza, and crispy fried chicken wings, according to Boka. To cater to nearby families, Kato created three healthy bento box kids meals, which have sushi, katsu or yakitori don, according to Boka. A post shared by Itoko itokochicago. The drink menu will focus on cocktails and highballs, and the restaurant will have a sake program designed to demystify the Japanese spirit, according to Boka. Southport Lanes, a restaurant and bowling alley in Lakeview, closed in late after months of being shut down because of the pandemic. Its owners announced in July it would remain closed for good. Southport Lanes has long been a part of Chicago lore given its history as a classic tavern that turned into a speakeasy and brothel during Prohibition. The bar was built by Schlitz Brewery around and named The Nook. But in , federal laws banned brewers from owning taverns, so its name was changed to Southport Lanes and four hand-set bowling lanes were added.

All rights reserved. Boka founders Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz stress Itoko will have its own identity, itoko restaurant chicago, but there will be a few signature items that overlap. The cavernous West Loop restaurant includes a basement izakaya that operates separate from the mothership.

Add to favorites. Located in Lakeview, Itoko occupies a modern, sleek space. Guests are welcomed into this bright space with plenty of natural light, hardwood floors and wood detailing on the ceiling with pops of gray and cream throughout. Meanwhile, the large izakaya and sushi menu offers plenty to consider. From hot and cold appetizers to handrolls, sushi and robata, the items display creative combinations with skilled execution. Start with a tom yum hand roll with sweet diced shrimp tossed in a fiery tom yum sauce or the seared mackerel, then opt for the decadent gyoza or the "slider" skewer with beef tsukune wrapped in bao buns and finished with a line of tangy miso mustard.

CHI Review. Japanese Sushi. They're all spinoffs from the same restaurant group, and of the Boka Compound residents, Itoko is the best. Reservations are fairly easy to book. The sushi is consistently good. When a neighborhood couple snags a last-minute babysitter, or when someone has to figure out where the hell to host a Monday night birthday dinner, Itoko is there. It has two elegantly designed floors, and while the second level is great for a quiet dinner, the party is on the first. The front bar is buzzing, and in the back of the dining room past the ubiquitous basket lights , busy sushi chefs are slicing raw fish and neatly rolling maki.

Itoko restaurant chicago

Itoko , N. Southport Ave. Before Momotaro, Kato owned Sumi Robata, a popular restaurant focused on the traditional takumi experience of grilling on a robata using sumi, a Japanese white charcoal. Kato grew up in a Japanese household in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he learned to cook popular dishes in his heritage and culture, according to Boka. Itoko will have classics like nigiri, sashimi and maki, as well as temaki hand rolls served on crispy seaweed with warm rice. It will also be used for chicken teriyaki and a whole branzino in a shiso and shichimi crust. Kato also puts a unique take on Japanese favorites like ramen with a chicken broth with spicy pork, wagyu beef chahan, chirashi don with Kaluga caviar, foie gras and pork gyoza, and crispy fried chicken wings, according to Boka.

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Learn more about how Michelin manages your data here. Nearby Hotels. Find Nearby Restaurant. The Latest. Located in Lakeview, Itoko occupies a modern, sleek space. Aside from a tiny selection of tasty robata skewers, most of the cooked dishes are skippable—ranging from bland wagyu fried rice to cakey fried chicken. Sources Cited As a news piece, this article cites verifiable, third-party sources which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and deemed credible by the Newsroom. Discover more:. Search a hotel in Chicago. View results. To cater to nearby families, Kato created three healthy bento box kids meals, which have sushi, katsu or yakitori don, according to Boka. The Talbott Hotel. Show Podcast Information.

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Momotaro chef Gene Kato is bringing his robata grill from his old restaurant with him.

For this hotel, Plus members will receive:. When a neighborhood couple snags a last-minute babysitter, or when someone has to figure out where the hell to host a Monday night birthday dinner, Itoko is there. When you subscribe, you consent to Michelin collecting and processing your personal data to i manage your subscription ii and measure the performance of our campaigns and analyze your interactions with our communications. Sumi, at 2, square feet on each floor, was considerably smaller than the 11,square-foot Momotaro. All the nigiri and sashimi is delicious—from cuts of mackerel to flame-seared tuna belly with yuzu and ponzu. This article contains new, firsthand information uncovered by its reporter s. We use cookies to elevate your user experience, perform audience measurement and enhance the quality of our service. You can opt out at any time. Itoko will bring Gene Kato to a more intimate space. GG's Chicken Shop. Now He Has A Gallery. But the fun ends after biting into a cakey, unevenly seasoned chicken wing. Kato grew up in a Japanese household in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he learned to cook popular dishes in his heritage and culture, according to Boka. Credibility: Original Reporting Sources Cited.