Gaijin has been open for a few weeks. Being big, long-time fans of Paul Virant (Vie, Vistro, etc.), we were excited to check out his new okonomiyaki-focused spot in Fulton Market. Years ago, Paul's wife lived in Japan and became enamored with these savory Japanese pancakes. This is essentially the origin story of Gaijin.
I actually ran into the Virants at Mitsuwa Marketplace late last year, when I was shopping, coincidentally enough, for ingredients to make okonomiyaki. It was then that they shared their plans to open Gaijin. Of course, they swore me to secrecy. And they also, very generously, provided a bunch of tips and guidance on what to buy and how to cook them. In spite of the fact that I'd never made them before, with the extra professional help, they turned out pretty darned good. The product being turned out at Gaijin is, not surprisingly, far superior. We stopped by for a delicious lunch earlier this week. First, a few appetizers . . .
Gaijin - 950 W Lake Street, ChicagoChef/Owner Paul Virant heading up the line during lunch serviceKombu | marinated seasonal vegetables
Crudite | black garlic miso, soy, citrus
I had this dish at a previous visit and the dip component has changed. At that time, it seemed like nearly straight miso. This seemed like more of a mayo-based dip. Still delicious.
Short Ribs | marinated boneless short ribs, rice, scallions, sesame
Tender, unctuous and a wee bit sweet.
Veggie Korokke | mushroom, rice, curry, Mighty Vine tomatoes, daikon pickle, tonkatsu sauce
Very nice croquette-type packages.
Next up, the main attraction, okonomiyaki . . .
Negiyaki-style Okonomiyaki | savory scallion pancake, bacon, egg, ponzu
Complex, comforting flavors and a nice range of textures
Per Gaijin's menu, Osaka-style okonomiyaki are described as Japanese savory cabbage pancakes cooked on a griddle with customized ingredients.
Osaka-style Shrimp Okonomiyaki | fried shrimp, corn, creole butter, arare, (cheese curds, bacon)
Kind of spectacular, ok?
Per Gaijin's menu, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki are described as pancakes in which the ingredients are layered rather than mixed together and yakisoba noodles are included.
Hiroshima-style Traditional Okonomiyaki | yakisoba, bacon, egg
Loved this one, too. Just delightful.
Hiroshima-style Vegetarian Okonomiyaki | yakisoba, mushrooms, egg, yuba, fried tofu
This was someone else's order but it was sitting in the pass, so I got a shot of it. Looked damned good.
Sesame Yuzu | black sesame ice cream, yuzu syrup, strawberry compote, honey sesame brittle, snow cap
Almost peanut butter-like in flavor, the black sesame ice cream (under the snow cap) was cool, velvety and intense. The snow cap was tender, light and delicate. The rest of the components were tasty, too. The brittle would have been a great dessert on its own.
Cinnamon Gooey Buttercake Ice Cream
Channeling Vie by incorporating its most iconic dessert into an ice cream. What will they think of next?!
In case my lack of description leaves any question, this was an absolutely awesome lunch. I hope the pictures speak for themselves because the food we ate is a bit hard to describe. Gaijin is pretty busy at dinner time (based on attempted reservations) but our lunch was at 12:30 and while it was bustling, it wasn't slammed. We had a reservation for a table (counter is walk-in only) but after a few moments, 3 seats at the counter opened up, so we moved over. I can't wait to go back.
=R=
Gaijin (website)950 W Lake St
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 265-1348
Same planet, different world