DOWNTOWN — An eight-seat omakase restaurant has opened contained in the Chicago Athletic Affiliation lodge, changing the eight-seat Milk Room bar.
Midōsuji is the primary important addition from Boka Restaurant Group since taking up administration of the Downtown lodge’s eating places and bars. The lodge at 12 S. Michigan Ave. additionally homes the Cherry Circle Room and Cindy’s Rooftop.
Named after a well-known gingko-lined avenue in Osaka, Japan, Midōsuji provide solely two every day seatings of eight company: at 6 p.m. and eight:30 p.m.
The restaurant is designed to emulate the texture of consuming in an intimate alleyway in Japan, the place omakase eating places flourish. It contains a Thirties bar with restored unique tiles, wood-beamed ceilings and cloth lanterns and Japanese influences all through: a hand-carved naguri-edge walnut bar, cherry blossom wall coverings and seaweed-green velvet stools.
Chef Brian Lockwood, who beforehand served as chef de delicacies at New York’s three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park, leads the kitchen. Midōsuji’s $195 tasting menu options 11 programs that change seasonally. Dishes purpose to mix Japanese elements with classical French method, creating what the restaurant calls nouvelle omakase.
Workers information diners by means of the meal, introducing every dish and explaining how it’s best loved.
At a media preview forward of Friday’s grand opening, Block Membership Chicago skilled the complete tasting menu, which Lockwood stated will seemingly run by means of September. The lineup included omakase staples, comparable to hand rolls with spicy tuna and tempura rock shrimp, alongside programs that depart from conference: Parmesan risotto made with sushi rice, corn and black truffles, and a dry-aged sansho pepper duck breast with recent huckleberry and citrus jus.
Different seasonal highlights included a tomato-focused course paired with a tomato gin martini — described by Lockwood as a celebration of all issues tomato — and a crab salad served with daikon, miso egg yolk and cantaloupe.
Earlier than dessert, there was a palate cleanser of honeydew shaved ice over a jelly-like shiso, which tastes like a mixture of mint, basil and anise. The meal concluded with a dessert described as a play on a Twix bar, that includes cookie crumble, honey and sobacha cream.
Diners can add a beverage pairing for a further $105 per particular person. Midōsuji’s bar program contains Japanese spirits infused with elements like shiso, lemongrass and sesame. Wine, sake and cocktails are additionally accessible.
Omakase eating places, the place diners go away the menu to the chef, have turn into in style in Chicago in recent times, with high-end counters like Kyōten in Logan Sq. and The Omakase Room at Sushi-san in River North drawing nationwide consideration.
Midōsuji is open Tuesday-Saturday. To make a reservation, click on right here.
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