LTHForum.com

Ellen and I went to Katsu for an early dinner, had starters of broiled squid w/ginger and complimentary miso. Ellen had a daily special of grilled ginger marinated tuna, good, but slightly over cooked from her standpoint.

I hit pay dirt with the last little bit of fresh wasabi in the house. Fresh grated wasabi, perfect sashimi, what a treat. Dinner, with one glass of wine was even reasonable tonight, especially given the quality of the meal.

The problem with Katsu is now I don't enjoy sashimi other places. I guess the subject line is correct, I am Katsu's bitch.

Enjoy,
Gary

Two cool things I've already noticed and taken advantage of with this software:

1) You can edit your posts. So Gary, for instance, could fix his subject line so it says Katsu instead of Kastu.

2) You can link to other pages. Okay, so that other board, whatever it was called, could do it too. But you can do it in a non-1953 way, and more than once in a post. So here are links to a couple of my Katsu pics (too big to embed):

http://www.scottphillipsauthor.com/mike/kattoro.jpg
http://www.scottphillipsauthor.com/mike/katmaguro.jpg
http://www.scottphillipsauthor.com/mike/katsaikyo.jpg

I recently had a similar dish, broiled squid with ginger, in a lovely little Japanese place in Westmont, Yokohama. I cannot remember if I posted on it, but I was happy. Not a world class place, but pretty good, and quite reasonable.

Ahh, Westmont....

_________________
d
Retired, gone fishing, and exploring my curmudgeon within

Gary,

Please let me know next time you go, we discussed on the LTH that I was not impressed with the omakase which I'm certain we had. I would like to get the "Gary Treatment".

Willie

_________________
I did absolutely nothing and it was everything I thought it could be.

LTH,

Had just a spot-on dinner tonight. Highlights was succulent, rich, deep-flavored salted/grilled yellowtail jaw, ridiculously delicious.

Had a bunch-o absolutely pristine nigari, sashimi, including some of the best sea urchin I've ever had the pleasure of eating. More like frothed essence of the ocean than anything else.

A few prepared items, Flounder Kara-age was, and I realize I am being redundant, delicious. Tender, moist flounder flesh nestled in a crisp, greaseless 'bowl' of flounder frame. Flounder skeleton as crisp as a cracker, the fins like fish potato chips, but in a good way.

Finished with Chasoba Zaru (green tea buckwheat noodles), I love Katsu's presentation with grated daikon, wasabi and raw quail egg to add to the dipping sauce. What was also nice as two, of four, were splitting the dish they brought out two separate dipping set-ups, including two quail eggs.

See subject title for further thoughts on Katsu.

Enjoy,
Gary

_________________
Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

LTH,

I neglected to note Katsu will be closed for vacation June 27 to July 5.

Enjoy,
Gary

_________________
Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Celebrated a prime-number birthday tonight at Katsu. Didn't plan ahead and order an omakase.

MrsF is taking her first baby steps into sushi. Being a non-fin-fish eater, the shrimp tempura roll (with cucumber and mayo) was perfect for a starter. Nice crunch, a great mix of textures. This was preceded by an amuse of bean sprouts in lightly vinegared dressing. Miso soup was light and flavorful, green tea spot-on.

She had the ginger pork: slices (which were really too big for chopstick eating) sauteed with very large amounts of ginger. Very tasty. The salad which accompanied it had the typical japanese-restaurant-ginger-and-sesame dressing, which was light enough on the ginger to be a good foil for the pork.

I went for the chef's special sushi and sashimi combo. The presentation was magnificent: at least three kinds of roe and gold leaf adorned the fish. The best of the bunch was the bluefin nigiri: outstanding fish flavor and texture. Second was the salmon nigiri (there was also a nice pair of hunks of smoked). The special white o-toro really didn't do much for me: it's so mild and soft that there's not much there to impress with. Flounder and tuna rounded out the sashimi, and shrimp and yellowtail the sushi.

If I have a complaint at all is that with such massive pieces of fish, I'd have liked a little more sushi rice. The rice is perfect in texture, flavor, tempurature, stickiness... I wanted more. There were only five skimpy nigiri rice balls on the plate (under the salmon, o-toro, bluefin, shrimp and yellowtail - or was the yellowtail a sashimi). A little more substance to the plate would have been good.

My bro-in-law thinks their fish pieces are too big: I bit them in half -- you're not supposed to, but I got to savor them more rather than taking shark-gulps. Still, I think the size of the fish aids in presentation and general rich appearance.

Fantastic meal. Go eat there. It's a "Great Neighborhood Restaurant" after all.

{edit} - noticed above that Gary got fresh wasabi. it was not offered to us. and gadzooks! I violated Tony Bourdain's #1 rule and ate fish on Monday!

_________________
What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
-- Lin Yutang

I feel pretty darn certain you're not going to get 6-day-old fish at Katsu any day of the week. By about 4 days, minimum.

_________________
Watch Sky Full of Bacon, the Chicago food HD podcast!
New episode: Soil, Corn, Cows and Cheese
Watch the Reader's James Beard Award-winning Key Ingredient here.

I am with you entirely. By what does one measure the greatness of sushi, if not freshness of fish and skill in cutting it? MikeG protests that the fish is no more than a few days old, but, still, it seems cut by Leatherface.

Many people whose opinions I respect respect Katsu. Only been there once. I'd probably give it another chance.

Hammond

_________________
“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

Oh, certainly the fish was fresh -- the Bourdain rule was a joke in this case.

But why can't I enjoy the rice too? Sushi chefs spend a year just making rice, it should be the best. And this was, I just wanted more. So I should have ordered the sushi combo, not the sushi/sashimi.

_________________
What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
-- Lin Yutang

Yes. If you want rice with your fish, Order sushi, not sashimi (which, by definition does not have rice). Or you could order chirashi, which is sashimi served over a bowl of sushi rice. The best of both worlds.

Chirashi as Served in Alabama

_________________
Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

Joel,

The larger size slices of fish Katsu uses for nigiri is a style choice on Katsu's part. At one time I thought the larger size was Kyoto style, but later learned it was actually Katsu style.




Far as fresh wasabi, Katsu rarely has fresh wasabi, and one typically has to ask for the fresh wasabi. It's not simply 'offered' as a general rule.

Enjoy,
Gary

_________________
Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Oh, no complaints about the fish, only pining for more rice. The fish slices were about three times a typical nigiri, but the rice ball seemed much smaller than a typical piece of sushi -- perhaps just an illusion. It was just such goooood rice. Chirashi might have been a wise selection, but I had no expectations besides outstanding fish -- which I got, even on a Monday. :wink:

_________________
What is patriotism, but the love of good things we ate in our childhood?
-- Lin Yutang

Question from a relative newcomer: is it "common knowledge" that it's dangerous to have sushi on a Monday night, because the fish markets are closed that day or something, meaning the fish won't be fresh at most places? That's what I'm "taking away" from the above comment, but I'm not sure if that's what's meant. Thanks.

No. It's common knowledge (thanks to Kitchen Confidential) about restaurants in general, but in a sushi restaurant, where freshness is paramount, it should be irrelevant, and if it isn't, you shouldn't be eating there.

_________________
Watch Sky Full of Bacon, the Chicago food HD podcast!
New episode: Soil, Corn, Cows and Cheese
Watch the Reader's James Beard Award-winning Key Ingredient here.

GWiv, thanks for clarifying that these are 'Katsu' style nigiri (I missed that when I had come across the post you linked to, must have been transfixed by the pics). Like JoelF, I too don't prefer this style of nigiri. While I don't agree that nigiri needs to be eaten whole, I tend to eat it in two bites if it is big - I do find the Katsu style is too low (for my taste as well) on the rice.
When I first saw the pics I wondered about huge slices of fish. Firsthand I ran into this 'style' at Izumi's in Milwaukee (and subsequently when I went to Katsu in Summer). It seems to be a premium-izing style** or maybe it's just catching on* - at any rate the make for incredibly fabulous photos (see MikeG's stunner).

*The nigiri served at Matsumoto too was of this 'style'. I've noted that Katsu and Matsumoto are friends (if not brothers?)

Thanks for the tip! I've lived 55 years without knowing that--but I'm glad to know it now. One reason I'm glad I found this board.

LTH,

Had quite a lovely dinner at Katsu Monday, typical Katsu pristine quality sashimi, thinly sliced broiled beef tongue accented with a spritz of lemon/dash of shichimi-togarashi, delectable veal liver sauteed with fresh garlic chives and one dish I never had before, Fresh Namako (Sea Cucumber) Mizore.

I've had Sea Cucumber 8-ways from Sunday in Chinese restaurants, but it's always started out dried, never fresh. Flavor was somewhat bland, though enhanced by grated diakon radish and ponzu, but the texture was what one took notice of, giving the impression of soft/yielding and simultaneously crunchy, in a delectably cartilaginous fashion.

It was uncharacteristically slow, though a very windy Monday, and my wife and I had the pleasure of a lengthy conversation with Katsu. Here's a little Katsu trivia, he knows Nobuko Miyamoto the actress, wife of Juzo Itami (deceased), and star of one of my favorite movies, Tampopo.

Enjoy,
Gary

_________________
Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Another bit of trivia---

One of the best novels I've read lately, 'The Time Traveler's Wife' (2004)by Chicagoan Audrey Niffeneggar, makes at least two or three references to Katsu in the book.

I'm surprised you dined there Monday. I know you love the prices much better on Tuesday and are never hesitant to invite your friends.

LTH,

Met the always affable Mike G for dinner at Katsu. Started out with typically, at least for Katsu, pristine sashimi, o-toro melting on our tongues, Alaskan king salmon so striped with richness I didn't know whether to dance with it or eat it, perfectly prepared (in-house) mackerel and terrific sea scallop from Seattle. We chatted a bit over crisp greaseless tempura, fresh Shiitaki tempura being the standout this evening, and then moved into something a little more winter is coming soon hearty.

Mike went with the good, but not earth moving, mirin/sake marinated tuna and I had Kani Ramen, spicy miso flavored broth w/crab. Quite a large portion of verging on spicy broth, loads of ramen noodle and chunks of shell-on blue crab. Never had this particular ramen before at Katsu, a real oversight on my part.

Katsu and his lovely wife Haruko were, as always, impossibly charming and gracious hosts.

Katsu is a real Chicago gem.

Enjoy,
Gary

_________________
Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

The o-toro, which looked like a brisket point, it was so marbled, is maybe the first piece of premium sashimi I thought was too fatty to be delectable. On the other hand the salmon was evanescent, transcendant, more words with -ant; and also marvelous was a scallop, topped with bright yellow roe. Mackerel was very good too, a fish I've really grown to like having eaten fresher, less fish-stinky examples recently. Now it's got just enough waterfront dive tang for me, without leaving me feel like I'm dining on a wharf rat's scraps.

The marinated tuna was a gringo dish, a disappointment in that it was like something I could have made at home, or at least had something similar in any Chinese restaurant. (Not cheap, either.) And as G Wiv pointed out, even though the tuna starts with a delicate texture, by the time it's marinated for 12 hours it's tightened up and doesn't seem as high end as it is. I settled on that after Katsu mentioned, then seem to try to talk me out of, some kind of small ocean pike type fish where, he said, I'd have had to eat the bones, the stomach, and so on. I should have taken it anyway, or ordered the marlin jaw or whatever it was I saw go by at one point, or something.

I always trust Katsu to make me up an extraordinary plate of sashimi, chef's choice, sight unseen, but when you ask someone there about cooked dishes, you sometimes get steered to the gringo stuff. So know that going in.

_________________
Watch Sky Full of Bacon, the Chicago food HD podcast!
New episode: Soil, Corn, Cows and Cheese
Watch the Reader's James Beard Award-winning Key Ingredient here.

I made marinated tuna last weekend. Got some sashimi from Matsuya, let it sit in some fresh lemon-lime juice for a while, and felt this particular preparation really wrecked for me what is probably the primary allure of fresh sashimi tuna: the gentle, toothsome texture, richly simple, which after marination, changes to something gray and much less subtle. Tuna has such a mild taste; even light marination seems to cover up its laid back flavor. Never again.

_________________
“We all have to stand before the kitchen gods.” Chef Jacob Sahaya Kumar Aruni

I celebrated my 30th birthday (for the 7th time, ) last night at Katsu.* Some years I like to try a place I've never been and others I want to go somewhere I know I won't be let down. This year was the latter and Katsu did not disappoint. I know there are a variety of opinions here on the place but I am a fan. Even beyond the food, I think what makes Katsu special is the amazing job Katsu himself and his wife do as hosts. They create an environment that is so welcoming and you feel their genuine appreciation that you chose to come and spend your money at their place. You are always greeted with a warm hello, they work the room asking if you have any questions, making suggestions, thanking you for coming, and upon your departure you are thanked once more. So many restaurants blow the opportunity to create goodwill between themselves and their guests by neglecting to do these small things that make a big difference.
On to the food - I started with the Sashimi Su which was assorted fish, including tuna and salmon last night, in a crisp cucumber vinaigrette. It was delightfully fresh and light. As my entree I had 2 rolls and 2 pieces of sushi. Roll #1 was a special of the fattiest tuna I've ever had. It glistened. I think I gained 3 pounds while eating it and it's posible I won't require any body lotion for next week, but wow was it good. Roll #2 was a "stand-by" for me - the Napoleon. I love the creamy oyster center with it's lightly crisp batter coating. I had a piece of the Fresh Salmon w/ Ikura (salmon roe.) It was beautifully presented with a touch of gold leaf on the roe and quite delicious as well. I also had a piece of Tamago which Katsu does right for my palate - I've had versions that I've found overly sweet at other places.
Husband is not a big sushi fan, but it was MY birthday afterall. On a day he's feeling adventurous he might have a California roll or even a spicy tuna roll. Last night was not one of those occasions, so he had the Gyoza Dumplings, which are fine but nothing special, and the Grilled Ginger Tuna which was mentioned above. It's a very thin piece of tuna so I can see how it would be easy to slightly overcook it. His was not overcooked but certainly was not "rare." It does have an excellent gingery-charred flavor. We passed on dessert and had some good green tea with our seasonal complimentary fruit - tangerines at the moment. All in all, a lovely birthday meal.

*Note to people in the family planning stage: perhaps March is not the best time to begin - Christmas-time birthdays stink!

While I can't say I share the extreme level of Katsu servitude to which Gary professes, my ladylove and I did have a rather excellent meal at Katsu last weekend.

It was a rare evening out for us (we're on infant time), and coupled with the fact that we hadn't had a good raw fish gorging since visiting Tokyo in May, we decided to pretty much go whole hog and let Katsu et. al. take care of us.


click to enlarge

We started with the veal liver with garlic chives which, as previously noted, is really a great dish. Very mellow as liver goes, especially for such substantial hunks. Lightly seasoned, just a touch of sweetness... very nice. We then, with a certain degree of awkwardness (I think we weren't giving our server quite as much guidance as she would have liked), asked them to bring us a sampling of sushi and sashimi for two... whatever the chef felt was particularly delicious that evening. We ended up with a rather attractive array...




click to enlarge

...about a dozen assorted nigiri pieces, as well as an expanded version of the premium tuna and hamachi platter, which in this case also included some scallops and Tasmanian salmon. The uni and scallop were both absolutely dynamite. The uni was fresh and firm and some of the cleanest-tasting I've had, and the scallop was delightfully creamy without the harshness that I find sometimes accompanies lesser product. The unagi and amaebi were also particularly good. On the latter, I found it notable that Katsu's version of the head isn't the heavily battered and tempura-fried affair I generally see elsewhere. It seems to be lightly dusted with something, but it's largely naked. I was a little surprised to see a spider roll coming from the house plate of a rather traditional establishment, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, even though there wasn't much crisp to the crab.

Less impressive were the two elements that would ordinarily comprise the evening's premium sashimi plate. The Tsukiji-sourced yellowtail was quite good, but hardly transcendent, and the Boston bluefin was, frankly, disappointing. Sadly, there was no otoro available that night in non-roll form. Between the missing otoro and the glowing praise that many have applied to this dish, I have to wonder if we simply caught an off night.


click to enlarge

We went for round two, bringing back a few extra pieces of nigiri faves, as well as an otoro scallion roll that we'd somehow missed on the first pass. The chopped otoro in the roll was really wonderful, but mostly it left me longing for a full slab of the same. It wasn't to be.

The disappointment of the night's premium sashimi aside, we really only had one complaint (not the Katsu Cut, of which I'm actually quite fond), but it was a tough one to ignore. While Katsu is extremely good, and clearly a cut above the rest of the Chicago sushi scene, I thought the price performance really left something to be desired. I don't mean to draw a comparison between Mr. Matsuhisa's neo-Japanese and Katsu's largely traditional fare, but I've fed four at Nobu for what the two of us spent at Katsu. At that price, dinner should be awesome, and while it was head and shoulders above the local competition, it wasn't the truly superlative experience that I expect at that level. I suspect we could do a better job by being a little more selective, but this is an unusually costly excursion no matter how you cut it.

I dunno. Maybe that's just the price we have to pay for good fish in Chicago.

_________________
-Dom
www.skilletdoux.com

I am going to tell my mom (loves sushi) about this place. We are going to go hog wild and order all their Toro and Uni this weekend I hope! The sushi looks so good, reminds me of those little hole in the walls in Chuo-ku Tokyo (big lumps of sushi!!!). Hows this place compare to Japonais?

_________________
Heloo!

Do they take (do you need) reservations? Thinking about going Sat. evening...

_________________
Leek
SAVING ONE DOG MAY NOT CHANGE THE WORLD, BUT IT CHANGES THE WORLD FOR THAT ONE DOG.
American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog.
http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org

They take them and you'd be better off having them, but you'd eventually get seated, I think.

_________________
Watch Sky Full of Bacon, the Chicago food HD podcast!
New episode: Soil, Corn, Cows and Cheese
Watch the Reader's James Beard Award-winning Key Ingredient here.

Assuming Japonais is anything like Mirai (same chef, many of the same items on both menus), they're not worth comparing... apples and oranges.

That reminds me, though... I haven't had Mirai's yukke toro in far too long. Ooooooo.

_________________
-Dom
www.skilletdoux.com

Not surpisingly, yukke toro is also offered at Japonais, and, IMO, it is one of the best things on the menu. While I do like Japonais quite a bit, I give the vast majority of the non-sushi/sashimi menu items a wide berth; the yukke toro and the "Tokyo drums" being the two most obivious exceptions.

E.M.

_________________
"Don't even touch my gold, I'm good."