Restaurant Guan - was Nine Fish Asian

I was just driving past Food for Less, and noticed a sign in the strip mall: Nine Fish, Asian and Japanese cuisine (I hope I have this right). Another sign mentions fish, Asian and French (?) It doesn't appear to be opening soon, but I'm curious if anybody knows anything about it.

Nine Fish
2438 Main St
Evanston, IL

My first reaction to seeing this opening was "Another sushi bar in Evanston?" I should mention here that I've never been to a really high-end sushi restaurant as they're not in the budget, but as I was alone, I decided to splurge. I felt ultra un-hip in my Momwear and ratty winter jacket as I looked around at the minimalist decor and uber-hip goldfish in swank giant wineglasses eyed me back. I was immediately swept inside by the gracious sushi chef, and I asked to sit at the bar - which either afforded me some credibility, or (more likely) they're extremely gracious to everyone. I ordered a Japanese green tea (there were several tea options) which came in the appropriate black teapot. I think all the lunch options come as a 9.95 bento. I chose the sashimi bento as it had the greatest variety of fish.

I apologize for not taking pictures or notes, but I'll try to remember. First, I was presented a very good matchsticked granny smith apple with a raisin garnish. This was followed by miso soup, which was better than what I'm used to (but what do I know) Then the sashimi: tuna, yellowtail, salmon, and one other that I don't remember (hirame?). The chef prepared them in front of me with deliberate flair; each was panstakingly painted with soy and topped with a tiny garnish: the first with scallion, the tuna with chive, yellowtail with five painstakingly placed grains of crunchy black salt, the salmon with machstick apple. Each garnish was a direct complement to the fish it was on; I particularly enjoyed the salt on the yellowtail and the apple with the salmon. Wasabi and ginger were placed next to a delicious sour Japanese plum (umeboshi? It seemed fresh.) My only minor complaint was that these were some big honkin chunks o' fish; I did my best petit fleur imitation, but the real me shon through while working on the salmon - the goldfish were not amused.

The chef was very friendly and, as he worked, chatted with me about his philosophy "I want to do fusion, but if you go too far it's not good. So, fusion, but still a traditional sushi restaurant..." He offered me a taste: tofu sushi - soft tofu topped with a little wasabi and yellowtail - very different, as the textures were juxtaposed - instead of the fish melting into the rice, the tofu melted into the fish. Lunch was completed with a lovely minimalist scoop of ice cream with mango sauce and a fanned strawberry.

All in all, a lovely eating-alone experience - with conversation thrown in for free.

I do appreciate the way Ninefish tries to move beyond the admittedly heated sushi accompaniments of ginger and wasabi, and they do it in a way that does not overwork the fish with complex flavors. A touch of salt here, a dab of kiwi there, I think it works.

I'm a little surprised to hear of big honkin' fish slabs -- I, too, do not favor the Katsu-style of big cuts of fish, and when I was at Ninefish, the slices were more moderate. Perhaps, YMMV by sushi chef on duty (there's a young guy and an older guy; we had the younger guy).

Hammond

No, it was decidedly the younger guy - at least, he was younger than me. It was only the salmon that got to me; the rest were somewhat big bites, but the salmon was really two. However, my basis for comparison is very limited...

Has anyone visited Nine Fish recently?

David Hammond wrote:I'm a little surprised to hear of big honkin' fish slabs -- I, too, do not favor the Katsu-style of big cuts of fish

After every "big slab" experience I have,
I say "next time, I'm going to ask if they
can cut pieces in two". Would this be
unprecedented/insulting in some way to
the sushi chef? I just find it hard to enjoy
sushi when you can barely fit it in your mouth.
And everything tends to fall apart if you just
try to bite it in half.

SCUBAchef wrote:Would this be
unprecedented/insulting in some way to
the sushi chef?

Yes

fela wrote:Has anyone visited Nine Fish recently?

I noticed that recently the outside sign has been taken down. I didn't look closely enough to see whether they are still in business.

stevez wrote:

SCUBAchef wrote:Would this be
unprecedented/insulting in some way to
the sushi chef?

Yes

Why though? A single cut through each piece
would be almost invisible and would not disturb
the presentation. Why would this be somehow
more "insulting" than some dietary request or
religious restriction?

"Sorry that my peanut allergy insults you,
I'll just suck it up..."

"But, it's just a little pork; it's Kosher-ish."

SCUBAchef wrote:

David Hammond wrote:I'm a little surprised to hear of big honkin' fish slabs -- I, too, do not favor the Katsu-style of big cuts of fish

After every "big slab" experience I have,
I say "next time, I'm going to ask if they
can cut pieces in two". Would this be
unprecedented/insulting in some way to
the sushi chef? I just find it hard to enjoy
sushi when you can barely fit it in your mouth.
And everything tends to fall apart if you just
try to bite it in half.

When I was at Yasuda he noticed that I was have some trouble fitting his sushi into my mouth in one bite (as it is intended to be eaten, at least by him) and he offered to cut smaller. Once he did, it was a much more enjoyable experience. So, I don't think it would hurt to ask for smaller pieces.

SCUBAchef wrote:

stevez wrote:

SCUBAchef wrote:Would this be
unprecedented/insulting in some way to
the sushi chef?

Yes

Why though? A single cut through each piece
would be almost invisible and would not disturb
the presentation. Why would this be somehow
more "insulting" than some dietary request or
religious restriction?

"Sorry that my peanut allergy insults you,
I'll just suck it up..."

"But, it's just a little pork; it's Kosher-ish."

Because it isn't a health or a religious issue. It's a preference that strikes at the heart of the art. It may seem a small thing, but asking a traditional sushi chef to slice his fish in half would be like asking an Italian chef to overcook the pasta so it's gummy because you like it soft, or requesting ketchup for your gaufrette potatoes at a fine French restaurant. With sushi, a good chef isn't just hacking off a piece of fish and throwing it on some rice. Some of these guys spend years -- decades -- perfecting their cut. You're perfectly within your right to do so, but you can't expect somebody who has dedicated their career to perfecting the art not to be annoyed by it.

Dmnkly wrote:like asking an Italian chef to overcook the pasta so it's gummy because you like it soft

Meh. I don't agree. It's more akin to having a sandwich cut in half.

I'm sure there are people that order their top quality steaks "well-done" (a true offense) without being made to feel they have made some grievous faux pas - even though that, absolutely, affects the quality of the intended dish.

Dmnkly wrote:Because it isn't a health or a religious issue.

And this is known how...?
Maybe it's a deep-seated...uh...Mennonite tradition.

Ahem, is it still open?!

fela wrote:Ahem, is it still open?!

(847) 328-9177

SCUBAchef wrote:

Dmnkly wrote:like asking an Italian chef to overcook the pasta so it's gummy because you like it soft

Meh. I don't agree. It's more akin to having a sandwich cut in half.

I'm sure there are people that order their top quality steaks "well-done" (a true offense) without being made to feel they have made some grievous faux pas - even though that, absolutely, affects the quality of the intended dish.

Now now, to be fair I never said a sushi chef should let his annoyance be KNOWN to you... merely that you can't expect him not to feel it

And if you really feel your average sandwich maker feels the same way about slicing a sandwich in half that your average sushi chef feels about slicing pieces of nigiri in half, might I recommend you suggest it to a few of the latter and observe the expressions on their faces. When you talk about overcooking a steak actually affecting the quality of the dish, I think you undersell the imporance of cut when it comes to sushi. Yasuda's solution, as mentioned by jesteinf above, is a world away from cleaving completed pieces in two, I assure you

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/172554/sushi_eating_etiquette_a_guide_to_how.html


Sushi Eating Etiquette: A Guide to How to Eat Sushi
By Michelle L Devon (Michy)
Published Mar 18, 2007


How to Eat Sushi Tip #2

Pop the entire piece of sushi in your mouth. Sushi is meant to be a one bit 'fast food' treat in Japan. You are not supposed to take bites from sushi and then sit it back on the plate. This is considered unclean and insulting. In Japan, only samurai and chefs wield weapons such as knives, so it is not acceptable for you to cut your sushi into pieces. If a piece of sushi is too large to put in your mouth in one bite, it is acceptable to ask the sushi chef to cut the pieces for you.

This video explains in more detail.

SCUBAchef wrote:http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/172554/sushi_eating_etiquette_a_guide_to_how.html


Sushi Eating Etiquette: A Guide to How to Eat Sushi
By Michelle L Devon (Michy)
Published Mar 18, 2007


How to Eat Sushi Tip #2

Pop the entire piece of sushi in your mouth. Sushi is meant to be a one bit 'fast food' treat in Japan. You are not supposed to take bites from sushi and then sit it back on the plate. This is considered unclean and insulting. In Japan, only samurai and chefs wield weapons such as knives, so it is not acceptable for you to cut your sushi into pieces. If a piece of sushi is too large to put in your mouth in one bite, it is acceptable to ask the sushi chef to cut the pieces for you.

This is also the woman who says "wasabi by itself doesn't have much flavor". And though bare fingers are acceptable, if not preferred, I've observed a great many folks in Japan using chopsticks. But who knows, perhaps they had horrible manners.

I'll be more than happy to say I'm wrong and defer to a more knowledgable source, but I don't think Michelle L Devon is it.

FYI, Michelle also informs us that there are very few sushi chefs licensed to serve raw fish in the United States, and as such most sushi served here is either steamed or cured. She goes on to inform us that most restaurants use "fresh kelp"... not dried.

But, sadly, it looks like there is little debate
that breaking out your "Sushi Dissection Tools"™
from their very own vest-pocket carrying case,
is frowned-upon. (Though I have seen people
break out their very own chopsticks from a
carrying case; evoking and from me)

They're still serving an affordable lunch special and pan-Asian cuisine, but they now have a liquor license; wine and beer are available. The owner tells me the address is in fact 2426 Main, Evanston. The phone number is still 847-328-9177. A sign's expected to go up this week.

kates wrote:They're still serving an affordable lunch special and pan-Asian cuisine, but they now have a liquor license; wine and beer are available. The owner tells me the address is in fact 2426 Main, Evanston. The phone number is still 847-328-9177. A sign's expected to go up this week.

The new sign is now up. And it says "Restaurant Guan". (Guan Chen is the same chef-owner who originally opened the restaurant as Nine Fish.)

Any idea which one he is?

Dmnkly wrote:FYI, Michelle also informs us that there are very few sushi chefs licensed to serve raw fish in the United States, and as such most sushi served here is either steamed or cured. She goes on to inform us that most restaurants use "fresh kelp"... not dried.

You're right. I am not a sushi expert. Merely a sushi fanatic. I love the stuff.

My information was not based on personal knowledge - it was, if you read the articles (there were three of them) based on an interview with a sushi chef.

Even in Japan, culture and etiquette changes over the years. Yes, some people will use chopsticks to eat sushi - but that is not 'traditional'. The main point about using your fingers is - don't take a bite off the piece and then set it back on your plate - THAT is insulting. If using chopsticks is to your liking, then use them properly, but have the chef cut the pieces if they are too big to eat in one bite.

The wasabi having no flavor by itself I will stand behind as personal opinion - I don't think it has much flavor at all, but it does absolutely enhance the flavor of things, particularly fish. It was opinion - perhaps should have been stated as such - and you are absolutely entitled to hold a different opinion about that.

As for the dried vs. fresh kelp comment - fresh kelp is best - it can be found in saltwater packs, to preserve it and keep it wet - I'm not talking about kelp that is straight from the ocean - BUT a good Japanese restaurant will use salt water packed kelp versus the dried variety - if they don't, I won't eat at their establishment. I probably could have clarified that in the article, but it seemed mundane to explain that I didn't really mean 'fresh' as in straight from the ocean, but rather saltwater packed 'wet' kelp versus dried kelp sheets.

Unfortunately, since I live in Texas, we don't get a lot of fresh, good sushi around here, but I did find a wonderful place in California that had the most amazing sushi and another in Philadelphia of all places.

Never actually been to Chicago - so can't say with authority.

Anyway - this was a fun and interesting forum thread to stumble upon... I appreciate anyone taking the time to read my humble article offerings, even if someone disagrees with me. Again, this was mostly based off a series of interviews with a sushi chef, and not personal opinion - except the wasabi part - I just love wasabi though.

Ya'll have an awesome day!

Oh, and one more thing.

Raw fish - many state health departments do not allow restaurants to serve completely raw fish, due to certain parasites, and therefore the restaurants are required to use cured or partially cooked fish in place of the raw fish.

For a restaurant that is in a state or are where their health department requires this, they have to apply for a special license from the health department to serve raw fish, and then they have to prove they take certain precautions to prepare and store the fish properly.

I guess I could have explained that in more depth too - but it would have really made the 'generic' overview articles I was attempting to write a bit mundane.

I cannot remember where it is - and I'll probably try to look it up, but there is one restaurant in the US that actually has a fish farm where they raise their own 'parasite free' fish... they had a great review for their sashimi in one of the big magazines - I just can't off the top of my head remember which restaurant it was.

Michelleldevon wrote:My information was not based on personal knowledge - it was, if you read the articles (there were three of them) based on an interview with a sushi chef.

...

As for the dried vs. fresh kelp comment - fresh kelp is best - it can be found in saltwater packs, to preserve it and keep it wet - I'm not talking about kelp that is straight from the ocean - BUT a good Japanese restaurant will use salt water packed kelp versus the dried variety - if they don't, I won't eat at their establishment. I probably could have clarified that in the article, but it seemed mundane to explain that I didn't really mean 'fresh' as in straight from the ocean, but rather saltwater packed 'wet' kelp versus dried kelp sheets.

...

Unfortunately, since I live in Texas, we don't get a lot of fresh, good sushi around here, but I did find a wonderful place in California that had the most amazing sushi and another in Philadelphia of all places.

...

Anyway - this was a fun and interesting forum thread to stumble upon... I appreciate anyone taking the time to read my humble article offerings, even if someone disagrees with me. Again, this was mostly based off a series of interviews with a sushi chef, and not personal opinion - except the wasabi part - I just love wasabi though.

...

Raw fish - many state health departments do not allow restaurants to serve completely raw fish, due to certain parasites, and therefore the restaurants are required to use cured or partially cooked fish in place of the raw fish.

For a restaurant that is in a state or are where their health department requires this, they have to apply for a special license from the health department to serve raw fish, and then they have to prove they take certain precautions to prepare and store the fish properly.

Michelle,

I'm sure we all appreciate that you've visited the forum to elaborate on the article you wrote. But...I'm also a journalist, and I have a couple factual bones to pick with you:

Kelp: You make some statements about kelp being used in the preparation of sushi. Can you please point me to some dishes/recipes that call for kelp in the preparation of sushi? Because I think you're confusing kelp with nori, which is an entirely different ingredient. I've eaten a lot of nori when I've eaten sushi. But I can't think of many Japanese dishes--outside of some soups--where kelp was used.

Raw fish: Can you point us to a source that backs up the assertion re. raw fish being banned in restaurants by many state health departments? Also, that sushi restaurants (in the U.S.) must be licensed to serve raw fish, and if they're not, then they're serving cured or partially cooked fish? Freezing kills parasites in fish, and it's my understanding that most raw fish served in restaurants has actually been frozen first, thus rendering it free of parasites. I'm a home chef, and "curing or partially cooking" fish produces significant changes in the taste, consistency and texture. Plus, the only sushi-related licensing that I'm aware of is that chefs who prepare blowfish in Japan must first be licensed.

Thanks and welcome to LTHForum!

chgoeditor wrote:Raw fish: Can you point us to a source that backs up the assertion re. raw fish being banned in restaurants by many state health departments? Also, that sushi restaurants (in the U.S.) must be licensed to serve raw fish, and if they're not, then they're serving cured or partially cooked fish? Freezing kills parasites in fish, and it's my understanding that most raw fish served in restaurants has actually been frozen first, thus rendering it free of parasites. I'm a home chef, and "curing or partially cooking" fish produces significant changes in the taste, consistency and texture. Plus, the only sushi-related licensing that I'm aware of is that chefs who prepare blowfish in Japan must first be licensed.

I believe there are FDA guidelines that recommend (require?) freezing fish, and that's quite common. But outside of lightly cured salmon, which is quite common, I don't believe I've ever encountered a piece of cured fish in a sushi bar.

As for wasabi, Michelle, that is, of course, a matter of subjective opinion. But I must ask, when you're talking about wasabi having little flavor, are you actually talking about wasabi, or the "wasabi" dyed horseradish paste that is most often served that is in no way related to wasabi? On reconstituted horseradish paste, we might agree. But I can't believe that anybody who has tasted wasabi would say it has little flavor.

Hi there, me again.

Gosh, I hate being wrong (pout), but I must admit, in the instance of the kelp vs. nori, I stand corrected. Thank you.

Although, to make me feel a bit better about my faux pas, nori can indeed contain kelp. I do have a recipe for a California roll sushi creation that uses kelp sheets though - so it CAN be used, and that's where I got my info for the article is those recipes I have made at home, but you're right. Nori is the norm.

I apologize for that and stand duly informed and corrected!

I have the info on the health department stuff on my other computer, and have been insanely busy this month (it's NaNoWriMo month, so that's taking my time) but I WILL come back and give you the info I have on those sources.

It does vary by state, so not every state's health departments are the same. You are correct though, it DOES change the flavor of the fish, which is why I don't really care for most sushi I find in my area.

Anyway - thanks for the warm welcome, and for the discussion. I'll be the first to admit when I'm wrong, and I love to learn new things.

This has been enlightening. I'll be back with the info as soon as I find time to breathe!

ya'll have a good one!

Mhays wrote:I was just driving past Food for Less, and noticed a sign in the strip mall: Nine Fish, Asian and Japanese cuisine (I hope I have this right). Another sign mentions fish, Asian and French (?) It doesn't appear to be opening soon, but I'm curious if anybody knows anything about it.

Nine Fish
2438 Main St
Evanston, IL

Guan is the same restaurant, same owner, same chef, same menu, except now they have a liquor license. They were discouraged from using the name by Nine Corp., which claimed a copyright. The food at Guan is absolutely fabulous. The freshest fish, the most innovative flavors, and an amazing attention to detail in the service and decor. We had sushi, tempora, and fish cakes for appetizers. Then a whole red snapper, salmon and scallops, halibut and curried seafood, all of which was fantastic. Wait until you see the pictures of this food, soon to be posted on their own website. You have to check it out.