Oh You Fancy, Huh? Part 4, Saw-She-Me!

Most of us feign an interest in sushi. Sure, we eat it. We even crave it occasionally and can tell a good piece of fatty tuna from a bad one. Consumption alone, however, does not a connoisseur make. Few of us, myself included, plumb the depths of this simple yet infinitely complex world of Japanese inspired seafood. What we seek, then, is that rare establishment that offers a delicious repertoire of food coupled with a spirit of education.

With this in mind I made a midweek sojourn over to the very well regarded Arami in Ukranian Village. The guys who created Small Bar  and The Exchange (Ty Fujimura and Troy Fujimura) are responsible for this understatedly stylish and well lit restaurant. They brought in Tsunami/Aria alum Byung Park to head the kitchen. The combined efforts of these esteemed men has garnished more than its fair share of critical/popular adoration and, thusly, I decided to give them the ol' up and down.

Criteria

It's sometimes hard to separate good sushi from great sushi.
My rules are simple, strong and jaunty.
1. Good sushi uses fresh fish. Great sushi uses really fresh fish that is of the highest quality (less than five days out of the water, no odor other than seawater and minor floral and fruit notes). Linguistically speaking, sushi refers to rice and sashimi refers to fish but what am I? A Japanese dictionary? No.
2. Good sushi is flavorful. Great sushi accentuates natural fish flavors without overly depending on additives like mayonnaise, tempura, wasabi or soy sauce1.
3. Good sushi uses rice. Great sushi uses high quality, sticky, and minimally seasoned short grain rice and not too much of it.
4. Good sushi can be cheap. Great sushi usually costs a bit more. Consider what you're eating: raw fish2. This stuff doesn't keep well (so chefs can't order large quantities of it in advance without damaging quality) and requires passionate and well trained people to prepare it correctly (i.e., they are usually more expensive to employ).

Shokuhin
All food and drink was ordered with expressed verbal consent of Ms. Allie Kim: former employee and good friend of Arami. Thanks, Allie.

Hot

–saké mussels–

Our ordering of mussels was directly informed by the day of the week. You see, Tuesday is the best day to eat seafood. Anywhere. Fish markets on both coasts are closed on Sundays (and sometimes Mondays) so the really fresh product usually arrives first thing Tuesday morning. These saké soaked bivalves were distinctly rich, buttery and very (get used to reading this word) fresh. The saké added a ricey flavor to a broth that typically features either wine or beer. 

Cold

–spicy tako springroll–

Vietnam found its way on to Arami's menu and, if the people have any say, it will stay firmly planted there. These surprisingly acidic and hot li'l packages were fresher than early Will Smith and packed some sneaky heat on the back end. The only let down was an overly sweet aioli that distracted from the other  flava-flavors.

–togarashi seared tuna–

If Arami had a signature dish it would be this. I'd usually frown upon using a Meyer-lemon crema on rare tuna but it added beautiful bright and rich nuances to this dish's flavor profile. The tuna was (Mannie) Fresh and the togarashi added a slowly unfolding spicy complexity that makes you think about each bite long after it's gone.

Ramen and Rice

–arami ramen–

If you come to Arami on a tight budget and want to leave full and satisfied then simply order this pork-belly-centered bowl of warmth and joy. The dynamic duo of sweet and salty play the lead parts in this soupy opera. They're joined by a wonderful supporting cast of smoky (pork belly) and rich (egg). Just for fun, the scene-stealer kimchi is thrown in the mix. If I gave out stars, this would have a bunch.

–braised short rib donburi–

If elegant, meaty simplicity is what you seek than look no further than the omnipresent short rib. The most complex bite has a good helping of the tender and rich short rib, a ring of the slightly spicy fresno chile, and healthy base of perfectly cooked rice underneath. There's not much more to say about it than that. 

Maki

–hirame spicy tako–

This fluke topped delight was the minimalist star of the food parade as far as I'm concerned. The delicate sea-ish flavors of the octopus were reflected in the fuji apple and vinaigrette that accompanied it. This is a testament to how good a clean and simple maki can be.

–shrimp tempura asparagus–

These torched kissed little devils were warm, spicy and very satisfying. The green stuff on top is dried nori which not only aids digestion but also improves eye sight and resting heart rate3. The surprise of this dish was the salmon that's snuck in where you least expect it. I won't ruin the surprise though.

–unagi maguro–

A flash fried freshwater eel was the star of this show. The savory scallions were a nice counterweight to the understatedly spiced and very fresh tuna tartare that sits proudly on top. This is another maki that is slightly warm in some places and cold in others, a trend that emerged repeatedly in Arami's food.

–zuke sake hotate–

An unabashed crowd pleaser, this creamy and homey salmon-wrapped dish lived a short but glamorous existence on our table. The spicy scallop sits inside waiting to unleash its mild heat explosion on your tongue. The salmon was beautifully marbled and perfectly marinated. The rock it was served on was inedible.

Sashimi

–chef's choice–

Pictures can't capture the show stopping nature of this piece. It belongs on a tropical island populated solely by Care Bears and spear fisherman. I was so dazzled by its presentation that all I had written in my notes about the actual food was the word "wow" followed by what I can only guess is a primitive version of sanskrit. 

–secret hamachi–

Hamachi maybe one of the most underrated fish in the sushi gamut. Truffle oil maybe one the most overrated/overused things in cooking right now. The matchup made gave me pause. Luckily, the guys on the line were reserved in their use of the highly pungent oil and the fish sang its song unencumbered. I count this as a win in the ongoing war that truffle oil is waging against my taste buds. 

–akami ankimo–

This grapefruit-looking slab of flesh is tuna. The white stuff on top is monkfish foie gras (the only edible part of monkfish are their tail muscle and their liver). The overall flavor was frosh-fresh and slightly metallic with a rich and complex overtone that I'm assuming was a direct product of the foie gras. I wasn't crazy about it but I still respect it, damnit.

–sake garlic–

The vinegar soaked salmon and delicate garlic blended as seamlessly as a seamless sock. Oh, you haven't heard of seamless socks? They are normal socks turned inside out so the seams are on the outside rather than on the inside rubbing against your feet. Didn't think you'd be getting sock advice, did you? Learn something new every day. That's my motto.

–katsuo tatake–

As you can see katsuo looks like tuna (it's sometimes called striped tuna). Its flavor is less steaky and when prepared properly it practically melts in your mouth. This version was prepared properly. The citrusy syrup coats everything but doesn't overwhelm anything and the mountain root vegetables warm as they go down your throat. Maybe that was the saké. I'd had a lot of saké at this point.

Arukōru

–beer–

What do you call the beer list at Arami? Culturally specific? Selective? Eclectic? I'm stumped. All I know is it's good. We sampled five of their rare and unique brews (from left to right):

-Baird Red Rose Amber Ale: a lager brewed ale; say what? Biscuity. Sweet. Pine-hoppy.

-Ginga Kogen Beer: Problematic nose (smells like skunked Heineken). Bananas. Silky body.

-Hitachino Classic Pale Ale: Deceptively smooth (7% ABV). Saké-ish flavor. Not hoppy.

-Hitachino White Ale: Orangey. Elegant. Thicky thick.

-Hitachino Real Ginger Brew: Ginger doesn't hide. Big Amplitude, short frequency. A novelty.

–wakatake onikoroshi–

We started out the meal with this saké–who's name means "demon slayer"–and its bold flavors of cream, almond and pineapple smack you in the face and then ask you if you want some more. You do. The mouth feel is full bodied, oily and dry. Like most quality sakés this was served cold in small cups that could be shot but are meant to be sipped. The names "junmai daiginjo"on the label indicate that this is pure rice wine with no distilled alcohol added during the brewing process. 

–Akitabare–

Akitabare means "northern sky" in Japanese. Honestly, I don't remember at what point in the meal we drank this saké. We had a about four different kinds over the course of the meal but, according to my notes, I really liked this one. It is filtered clear and had wonderfully palate cleansing properties. It was very light and thin in terms of texture. My notes stop there (did I mention we drank a lot at this dinner?). I could say it paired well with simple seafood but that would be conjecture on my part and guessing is frowned upon here at GBGB.

Kakushin

To say I was impressed with Arami would be a disservice to my experience there. I was overwhelmed. We tried almost everything on the menu and barely took time to breathe. Was it the best sushi in Chicago (like so many have written and said)? I'm not sure. What I can say for sure is that it was an event and I can say three things without hesitation:
1. Everything tasted good.
2. Nothing dissapointed.
3. Go there and try it for yourself, you'll leave happy. What more can I say?

Epilogue

This is the golden age of American sushi. We're living in it right now. There are two reasons for this. The first is choice; there are so many sushi places in this city that seafood themed Japanese (nigiri, unami, hamachi, mono, etc.) has become our official second language. The second reason is acceptance; everyday people have never been more receptive to the idea of eating uncooked fish. All of this is good because it means restaurants have to bring out good product every night because, friends, we have been to the mountain top and we have seen the light!

1.A note about creativity: sushi was never intended to be a complicated cuisine. All this heavy dosing of miso, spicy mayo, tempura crunch and sticky-sweet syrups is a result of using poor quality fish and rice. While chefs should never be restricted in terms of what ingredients they should and should not use, when it comes to sushi less is truly more.
2. If you're a responsible person, and I like to think you are, then you probably know that fish is currently an ethically tricky thing to eat. Fisheries in the Northern Atlantic and much of the Pacific have either collapsed or are in serious jeopardy of collapsing due to overfishing and environmental destruction. So, before you eat, you should check out Seafood Watch List to find out which fish are cool and which need a breather in terms of consumption.
3. These facts were made up on the spot and do not reflect the opinion of doctors or established medical research.

Arami

We're Just Ordinary People: Part 5, Longshanks (1 of 2)

It has come to my attention recently that many of you don't know about Longman and Eagle. Selfishly, I love this. But, as spreader of the good word, I hate it. This Logan Square gastro-something/share-plates1 specialist has not only been around for a couple years but they've also earned a Michelin Star in that brief time. It's not that they need your business (despite having a strict no reservations policy, L&E manages to pack 'em in night after night), it's just that if you like food you'll like eating there.

Before I get to the food I have to mention that I plan on going back to L&E again (hence the "1 of 2" bit in the title). On the this first trip I didn't order any of their very tempting entrees. I instead stuck to their small plates and bar snacks which, despite their names, can easily be made into a very satisfying meal.

Food

––Slagel Farms meatballs, polenta, parsley pesto, fonduta––

These rustic Italian knockoffs were as good as anything I ate in Italy. Each meatball was cooked with the precise attention one usually gives a prime cut of beef; a perfect medium rare. I was flabbergasted. Three sauces–the fonduta (read italian fondue), a herbaceous pesto and robust tomato–laced together beautifully. The creamy polenta, though it's good enough to stand on its own, was glad to join the mix. I would've made a meal of this dish if I didn't have so much other shit to try.

––smoked Becker Lane rillettes, cornichons, mustard––

This simple pub dish was salty. The cornichons (French for smallish pickles) helped with their acidity but were also salty. The stone ground mustard was nice and spicy but also a bit salty. Once I took a few slugs of water I was able to appreciate the prociutto-like esters of the rillettes and its creamy and gamey flavors. But, overall, it was pretty salty.

––roasted marrow bones, red onion jam, sea salt, sourdough crostinis––

The barbarically straightforward presentation of this plate took my friends by surprise and, admittedly, I remember my first bone marrow experience being a little intimidating too. But it was the the pronounced and simple flavors of the components that won the day in the end. The red onion jam tasted sweet and authentic (not like that out-of-the-can onion jam your mom used to shove down your throat) and coupled well with the saline/creamy marrow when spread across the beautifully toasted crostino (it's not a crostini!!).

––porcini agnolotti, sweet corn, crispy chicken skin, pea shoots, Grana Padano––

This dish was a dazzlingly effective marriage of southern comfort food and italian finery. The little mushroom stuffed pasta pillows were happily submerged corn infused sauce and topped with the best version of parmesan-esque cheese I know. The perfect bite was astringent up front with a middle that consisted of Church's Chicken-like crunch and fresh midwestern corn. This was all wrapped up nicely with earthy, slightly bitter notes from the porcini.

––gulf prawns and grits, george's organic egg, braised collards, black pepper shrimp gravy––

The first question I asked was what the hell is a George's organic egg? Turns out it's an organic egg that been cooked using the "one-hour" method, meaning the whole egg was cooked sous vide (for much more on this check out this NY Times piece) for an hour making the white the same creamy-firm consistency as the yolk. The shrimp tasted like they were pulled directly from the sea's of south Asia (rather than Louisiana) and their sweetness was contrasted by the bitter collards and comforting grits. To this blend of deep South and Asia I say Do Work!

––rabbit pâté, giardiniére, sourdough tartines––

With a rich and refreshing flavor that distinctly reminded me of a good summer sausage, my initial skepticism about this dish withered like I imagine the red and green peppers of the giardiniére did when introduced to their vinegar bath. This was true charcuterie and I couldn't be happier that someone at the table was bold enough to order it.

––wild boar sloppy joe, crispy sage, onion, picked jalapeño, beef fat fries––

Representing the a class of dishes that sound a lot more interesting than they taste, I could've done without this largely mediocre sandwich. On the plus side the hovering low-level heat, lovely implementation of fried sage and beef fat fries mostly made this plate disappear (none of us had enough room left to finish it off). Otherwise it was a sloppy joe. Sloppy joes can be good, sometimes, but I never crave them and no amount of fancy game meat is going to change that.

Brass Tacks
They say Little Red Riding Hood didn't get lost on her way to her grandma's place. They say she was lost long before she left her house2. The same can be said of Longman and Eagle. Actually, I'm not sure how that applies to Longman and Eagle, I just thought it sounded like a snappy lead in for this section. But I digress. Though I didn't find every plate at L&E toothsome, the items that worked really worked. I thoroughly enjoyed the cozy atmosphere and, though I didn't talk about them (because I failed to take notes on them), the craft cocktails were spot on as well. So please don't be deterred by its relative remoteness or its relish for attracting members of the ever-expanding hipster nation and give Longman and his faithful bird a try. Or don't, it's hard enough to get in as it is.

1. These days it seems like every new restaurant worth eating at has shunned the traditional appetizer-salad-entree-dessert format in favor of a tapas-like experience of everybody sharing a bunch of small plates over the course of a meal. I'm here to tell you that I'm a fan of this and you should be too. What you lose –the ability to get exactly what you want, how you want it, and not have to share it with anyone– is far outweighed by what you gain; a social experience where interaction and conversation are facilitated rather than hindered and the dining experience is marked by a series of wonderfully diverse flavors and dishes rather than one outstanding (or maybe mediocre, or maybe bad) plate. So give it a try, for Pete's Sake!
2. I'm not sure if this makes sense. I'm not willing to expand on this thought (no matter how profound it may seem). And I'm not sure who "they" are or if anyone has ever uttered this vagary before. If not then I just thought-vented it and want royalties!

Longman & Eagle

Street (Food) Fight: Part 8, Cup Tales

Lester Bangs once said, "nothing ever quite dies, it just comes back in different form." This brings two things immediately to mind: He Who Shall Not Be Named and cupcakes. We can all remember a time when cupcakes were just something the egalitarian moms served at friends' birthdays; cute, quaint, and everybody gets an equal share. I liked them, we all liked them, but I never thought they'd amount to much.

But then, out of nowhere, in New York or maybe LA... something happened. In my personal chronology it started on a fateful lazy Sunday and proceeded to explode across the country at a dizzying rate.

Fastfoward to present times. Cupcake boutiques are considered by many to be staples of contemporary urban dining and shoppes can be found everywhere white people feel safe living. The cost-per-cake has risen to roughly three dollars and the flavors range from vanilla with chocolate frosting to what-ever-the-fuck-you-can-imagine. Are they worth it? Most of the time, yes. Will this cupcake bubble eventually burst? Certainly. But, for now, I have no choice but to put to rest the question of which is best in an epic War of the C-Cakes.

The Criteria

In an unprecedented display of breadth and ambition GBGB has selected four players to take part in this showdown. Each bakery will prove their worth in three categories: One red velvet, one chocolate monstrosity, and one fruit based concoction of my choosing. The red velvet demonstrates technique, quality of ingredients and execution. The chocolate monstrosities (and, yes, I meant to use that word) tell me about the deep dark depths of the c-cake maker's soul, these creations should devastate my palate with richness and tie me in knots with stomachaches. The fruit based c-cakes show off friendliness, a trait which is necessary if the cupcakeries hope to have any staying power. Each category shall be ranked one through four (one being the best) and who ever has the best average ranking at the end will be the winner.

The Players

Molly's Cupcakes- This Lincoln Park c-cake Mecca is my go-to for all things frosted and hand held. When I first envisioned this comparo, I thought of this place and...

Sweet Mandy B's- Arguably Chicago's reigning cupcake king/queen. When people think of Chicago cupcakes, nine times out of ten they think of SMB's.

More Cupcakes- Representing the newish clique of downtown cupcake emporiums, More is the Audi of bakeries: sleek minimalism on the outside, decadent luxury on the inside.

Dinkel's- I had to include an old school Chicago bakery and Dinkel's (since 1922) fits the mold. They are the only bakery in the showdown whose main focus isn't cupcakes.

Velvety Goodness

Sweet Mandy B's overwhelming cutsiewootsiness did not (thank GAWD) extend to their red velvet. It is a very decent rendition in fact with a cream cheese frosting that borders on saline and coats the mouth like a fresh application of primer. The cake was light and airy but was lacking in richness and any outstanding flavors. Cute though, right?

Rank: 4

If the bakers at Dinkel's don't know how to make a red velvet than no one does. Their version of this old stand by is light, whimsical and a touch fruity in taste. The cake had a wonderful give and spring back with ideal moisture (not so light that it wilts under the frosting but not so heavy as to be greasy). The frosting was sweeter than most and had a more viscous texture than I expected.

Rank: 2 (tie)

The relationship between the frosting and cake on Molly's red velvet has the kind of chemistry that you only wish you and your girlfriend/boyfriend/favorite prostitute had. This may have to do with the fact that the obscenely well-put-together girls behind the counter don't frost it till you order it so there's as little cake corruption as possible. The cake is rich, sweet and has almost perfect texture. The frosting is a cream cheese classic; heavy, tangy, and with just enough sugar as to remind you that you're not actually eating cream cheese.

Rank: 2 (tie)

When you first lay eyes on More's red V, you're struck by its stark sleekness and imposingly perfect finish. Then you spot the ornately decorated white chocolate square sticking out the top and your hope is rekindled that these people actually enjoy making cupcakes and would not actually rather be in Copenhagen designing modernist furniture. The pastry itself is dense, smooth, tangy and has enough sweetness to make you happy but not enough to make you sick. The cake is so moist that it actually makes you thirsty (a behavior I still can't figure out). Obviously, I loved it.

Rank: 1

Assorted Fruits

I tried to make berries the theme of my fruity cupcake selections but ran into trouble at Sweet Mandy B's when my options were restricted to Lemon Meringue or Orange Dreamsicle. I went with orange dreamsicle in hopes of it capturing my youthful love of popsicles. What I got was something that tasted like Tang with an extra dose of sugar tossed in for good measure. The frosting was cloyingly sweet, creamy and a very small touch citrusy. The cake was a land mine of artificial orange taste that detonated in my mouth.

Rank: 4

Playing it fast and loose with wacky taste combinations and obscure fruits is not Dinkel's calling card which is why I chose the Strawberry Sophisticake as their fruit entry. The first bite I took brought to mind one word and one word only: heavy.  There's no skimping on butter in this cake, in fact it reminded me slightly of poundcake. Dinkel's strawberry filling reminds me very strongly of Smuckers strawberry jam and I wouldn't be surprised if it was. Topping it all off was a frosting that was very sweet but still light and airy. This is an old school cupcake to a tee.

Rank: 3

More's Vanilla Raspberry Cupcake is a tale of dichotomous existence. On one hand you have a silky, mildly sweet, lightly fruity frosting that, if it were offered in a bowl, I would eat by the spoonful.  On the other hand you have a cake that was a bizarre combination of angelfood and cornbread; very light, crumbly and, it sounds crazy I know, almost corny to the taste. It's a very strange matchup of sublime and slightly off putting elements. Oh, and there's a really nice candied raspberry tasting filling in the middle.

Rank: 2

Trying to contain my excitement for Molly's Mixed Berry cupcake is like asking Yogi Bear to put a leash on his urge to steal pic-a-nic baskets from unsuspecting park visitors. (Warning: what follows is me gushing over a cupcake, feel free to skip to the next entry). In a move that defies logic and the space-time-continuum this cupcake is backbreakingly rich and shining with fresh berry flavor. The frosting is heavenly with a mild blueberry essence. The cake is springy yet wonderfully moist with a lovely crunch on the upper crust. The filling is Spring-fresh, not too jammy sweet and, if you're not expecting it, can actually make you gasp with surprise. This is my favorite cupcake of all time.

Rank: 1

Chocolate Rain

Dinkel's Chocolate Sophisticake changes often, on the day I was there it had a raspberry theme which meant chocolate cake with raspberry filling and pink frosting. The frosting in question was sweet and vanilla flavored and that's all there is to say about that. The cake reminded me of my childhood, specifically the cake my friends' moms baked for their birthdays. The filling was darkly sweet and very thick. Altogether it was a proud and simple cupcake.

Rank: 4

Sweet Mandy B's has a reputation for being a frosting specialist and her Chocolate Buttercream cupcake shows why. The frosting was buttery, dreamy and slightly chocolate flavored. The cake had surprisingly boisterous bitter notes and was rough in overall flavor (not texture, but flavor). Overall the cupcake had a slightly alcoholic chocolate taste with decent moisture. As a bonus they put red, white and blue sprinkles on top so I felt like a real American. Finally!

Rank: 3

More's Chocolate Valrhona cupcake makes an entrance like that guy in that beer commercial. Dark, almost black, in appearance with a shimmering piece of edible gold place in the middle. This cupcake's quality isn't skin deep though, it is a venerable black hole of richness with a, and I can't believe I'm saying this about a cupcake but, long finish. The frosting can best be described as liquid Riesen and marries so well to the rest of the pastry that I had trouble telling where it stopped and the cake began. Speaking of that cake, it was almost flowerless in appearance and deep and dense in taste and texture. The filling was mousse smooth and slightly bitter. This is not a cupcake. It is a sexcake.

Rank: 2

Chocolate Decadence. That is the name of Molly's chocolate cupcake and it is an understatement. The topping is a cacao-triple-threat of dark ganache under a whipped chocolate frosting with chocolate shavings on top just for good measure. The cake is very dark, dense and has excellent cocoa character. The filling an oasis of milk chocolatety lightness. All this combines to make a cupcake that demonstrates multiple levels of chocexcellence. It's dark yet approachable. It's an Edgar Allan Poe story with a Disney ending. 

Rank: 1

Report Card
-With an average rank of 3.66 Sweet Mandy B's placed fourth in our comparison. They may be the cutest, most pasteled environment ever created, and you can tell they put a lot of love in their product. In the end it was just too much sweet and not enough depth and creativity. I have to point out that although their cupcakes weren't the cream of this particular crop, their prices were (as mush as a dollar cheaper than the next guy/gal).

-An average rank of 3.00 means that Dinkel's third place finish makes perfect mathematical sense. Though I just met this bakery I have a profound fondness for it. There's no hipness or chicness or even sweetness to it, it's just good baked goods in an honest Chicago setting.

-More comes in second place with an average ranking of 1.66 in this group. The quality of its stuff is undeniable. Their cupcakes are practically perfect in every way. So why didn't it place first? It came down to the spirit of the cupcake which is inherently playful and there's nothing playful about a piece of laser cut modern art. Delicious, yes. Playful/affable, not so much.

Which means the winner is...

Molly's! with an average score of 1.33 Molly's edged out More for the overall title and bragging rights on this website. Molly's not only churns out delicious and damn near flawless pastries but they do it in a way that is so overwhelmingly pleasant that you find yourself eating more than you should. Although I was more familiar with their goods than the other competitors going into the contest I did not think they would pull out the victory (I had Sweet Mandy B's and More as the favorites), but nevertheless they proved to be the best.




BONUS CUPCAKE:
1. I need to point out that More does a lot more (see what I did there?) than what I asked of them, they've been known to include foie gras, bourbon, and prociutto in their madhat creations and, if their "normal" cupcakes are any indication, I'm betting they're amazing.

2. I ordered a fourth (gasp!) cupcake from Molly's at my friend's urging. The Peach Cobbler cupcake may be the heaviest thing I've ever tried to lift and is face-slappingly good. Cinnamon whipped cream on top with a peach slice, streusel crust directly beneath and a peach compote infused coffee-cake like batter as the base. You Need To Try This Cupcake!

Sweet Mandy B's

Molly's

Dinkel's

More