Yuzu Sushi & Robata Grill

I've been concerned about what's happening to Chicago Avenue in East and Ukrainian Village. The intimate eclecticism of this main drag is what first drew me here in 2003 and has motivated me to stay, with just a few interruptions. Of course, I don't like empty storefronts either, so I fully support the community-driven development of Chicago Ave.

But lately, I've been worried that "my" street is heading the way of Division, with more super-sized bar-type places, lighting the street with flatscreen televisions, and another cupcake bakery. I don't necessarily oppose the likes of Chicago Bowl moving in (I do oppose the Walmart), but I've got NIMBY anxiety. So, I've felt it more important than ever to support the "quieter" places I would love to see thrive in my neighborhood, hence my recent visit to Yuzu Sushi and Robata Grill.

Located in the old Centered Chef* space, it seems Yuzu is trying to set itself apart from the other sushi restaurants on Chicago--Butterfly, Manee, Arami, OK maybe Chicago Ave. doesn't need another sushi place--with the grill component, so I'll start there. Per my server's recommendation, I ordered one skewer each of the pork shoulder with honey garlic sauce and the beef short rib with sweet miso.



The sweet sauces were overpowering, but after I scraped off as much as I could, the meat was pretty delectable with some kind of soy marinade, very tender, with just enough char for personality. Be warned that the pork was fatty; I happen to like that.

I also had the Tuna Poke, which provided nice contrast to the grilled meats and other items I ordered. This was a fairly traditional poke: a respectable cut of tuna, very lightly seasoned save too much onion. The huge avocado half underneath was less delicate but functional.



I can't adequately comment on the other two items I ordered, the spicy scallop maki and the Cantaloupe Island.





I was very hungry when I arrived at Yuzu and said "yes" to everything my server suggested. My mistake. These kinds of rolls tend to overwhelm me, so I don't usually order them. I took a few bites of scallop and brought the other roll home. Hardly visually appealing, but the next day, I smashed up the Canteloupe Island and ate it atop some beautiful Boston lettuce from my vegetable box--a fine lunch.

The bill for my dinner at Yuzu, with a pot of green tea**, came to just over $30 before tip, which seemed very reasonable. It's worth returning and trying to order more simply.

Yuzu Sushi and Robata Grill (BYO)
1715 W. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
312-666-4100
http://yuzuchicago.com/
http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurant ... grill/menu

*I know very little about Centered Chef, but I do know they offer a class that combines beginners' yoga and knife skills. Seems kind of bad-ass.
**David Hammond and Independent George: water at Yuzu comes in mason jars. Buzzz.

happy_stomach wrote:**David Hammond and Independent George: water at Yuzu comes in mason jars. Buzzz.[/size]

Add in Robata grill -- and yuzu! -- and trend-o-meter is close to redlining.

Yes, this place wants to be trendy. Manga-inspired comics murals on the walls; reclaimed-looking (but I'm pretty sure brand new) wood wainscotting; lights so dark it looks closed from the outside; and, funnily, asking our party of three if we had a reservation when we walked into the 100% empty restaurant. Uh, no, did we need one?

Trend-o-meter notwithstanding, this place puts out pretty good food -- or, I believe it does, having eaten there only once and tried a fairly safe list of foods. Between the three of us, we ordered three sushi rolls (spicy scallop, boston crunchy, and the pot river); several skewers (pork shoulder, miso tuna, chicken wing, and asparagus bacon); and assorted extras (curry puff, edamame, miso soup, cucumber salad).

The sushi was really good. The fish was fresh, the rolls were well constructed, both structurally and taste-fully. Meaning, they held together and were small enough to fit in your mouth in one bite, but also they were proportional - in none did we feel like one element overshadowed the rest, like sometimes a big piece of avocado or smear of spicy mayo can do. If you're one of those who only likes the purest, most authentic sushi, then you probably will have your nose turned up at this point might not like the sushi here. But I like all kinds of food, especially the kind that tastes good, and these were some delicious and, for the genre, understated rolls (despite 100 ingredients listed in each menu description).

On to the skewers. The pork shoulder, leaning toward too sweet though it may be, was delicious and universally favored. Tender, richly fatty, crispy caramelized on the outside, it was a winner. The miso tuna was cooked to a nice rare, but the miso flavor was lacking. The chicken wing, though purported to be curry, came with a smear of peanut sauce on it instead - not bad, but not my favorite peanut sauce either. At least the wing was moist with fairly crisp, not flabby, skin. Asparagus + bacon = what's not to like. Not inspired, but delicious nonetheless.

The rest were all good, too. Nothing extraordinary, but all meeting my personal standards for how I like the simple accompaniments of miso soup (lots of tofu, seaweed and scallions, although it should have been served hotter), cucumber salad (plentiful, tart-sweet dressing and lots of jalapenos), and edamame (perfectly cooked and salted).

The service was intense. No fewer than three waitresses came up to ask how things were, give recommendations, answer questions, and ask us how we found them. Empty when we walked in, the place filled to about 80% capacity by the time we left, so good for them.

I'll definitely be back, or at least order takeout the next time I feel like ordering sushi in the 'hood.

I've been twice for lunch and enjoyed both trips - the boxes are relatively inexpensive ($10) , filling and present a range of simple, delicious flavors. The soft shelled shrimp skewers are awesome if you're into crunching away at fresh, grilled prawns. Glad to see this spot but I still am dying for a near West side Ramen joint that isn't $20 a bowl.

I had lunch here on Monday (hurrah for places open for lunch on Mondays!) and it was satisfying and inexpensive. In fact, I ended up with some leftovers for a late afternoon snack, all for only $11 plus tax and tip. I had the "Robato Bento-D" lunch special, which was two skewers of black bean chicken, two skewers of marinated beef short rib, 8 pieces of Maki, and a large bowl of miso soup. Everything was good but the short rib was the highlight--very tender with a not-too-sweet marinade. Service was friendly, our food arrived very quickly, and the music was old school hip-hop played at an acceptable level (ie, not too loud, but not so soft as to be unrecognizable.)

This might not be a "Drive for an hour to eat here" kind of place, but for a cheap, filling meal it's better than the price point would indicate, especially at lunch.

BUMP!

Headed tonight for the first time - anyone been lately or have any suggestions?

We ate here last night after a day stuck inside working. They take reservations over the phone, and confirm by (perhaps a tad aggressively worded) text message.

I would say this is good to very good. If it were in my neighborhood, I'd be here a lot.

I'm not sure I've ever said this before about a meal I quite liked, but the Gyoza may have been the highlight. The chicken filling was juicy and actually tasted like its ingredients. Tuna Poke was okay; the tuna was good, but the avocado tasted crystalline, perhaps frozen, or maybe thrown in a bit too effective fridge for awhile.

Lots of skewers: shishito and asparagus were tasty and as expected; I liked the Tuna miso, a big hunk of tuna with a miso/Japanese mustard sauce which straddled "Panda mustard packet" and "grown-up" taste well; Salmon was well cooked, with a pungent yuzu/ginger marinade. The miss here was the short rib, which had a lot of gristle, and a marinade I found a bit too sweet.

Pot River roll was excellent; way more fish than expected, tempura flake not distracting, and all sauces on the side, artistically presented. Nice.

Did someone say they're moving in another thread?

rtb178 wrote:
Did someone say they're moving in another thread?

Yes, they are moving a few store fronts west on Chicago ave

jbrady3324 wrote:

rtb178 wrote:
Did someone say they're moving in another thread?

Yes, they are moving a few store fronts west on Chicago ave

Yuzu Sushi and Robata Grill, which opened in 2011 at 1715 W. Chicago Ave., will be closing on Tuesday and reopening just a few doors away, at 1751 W. Chicago Ave.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150209/wicker-park/yuzu-sushi-robata-grill-heads-bigger-digs-old-la-fama-bakery

This has been on my list for a few years, but never could get in on short notice. With our three daughters in town, ordered a bunch of vegan dishes to share. Every thing was very good and an awesome value, especially considering the BYO.

We will be back.

any recent intel?
they seem to be among the only well regarded sushi places in city limits serving lunch in these times...