Latest news with #Chicagoan
Eater
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
Two of Chicago's Most Venerable Japanese Restaurants Unite for Omakase in Old Town
is the James Beard Award-winning regional editor for Eater's Midwest region, and in charge of coverage in Chicago, Detroit, and the Twin Cities. He's a native Chicagoan and has been with Eater since 2014. Adam Sindler and Mari Katsumura represent royalty when it comes to the rich history of Japanese restaurants in Chicago. In 1967, Sindler's family founded Kamehachi, the city's first sushi bar, before planting its flag in Old Town along Wells Street. Katsumura's parents started the pioneering Yoshi's Cafe in Lakeview with Yoshi Katsumura combining French and Japanese cuisine into something special. The restaurant was a fixture along Halsted for 39 years. 'He claimed he invented wasabi-mashed potatoes in the '90s,' Mari Katsumura says of her late father with a laugh. 'I love spreading that rumor and perpetuating that story.' Sindler has brought on Katsumura as chef to open a new restaurant along Wells Street inside the same space that housed his family's restaurant. SHŌ is scheduled to open on Tuesday, August 12, at 1533 N. Wells Street, giving the two a canvas to show Chicago their brand of omakase. Katsumura, now rejuvenated after her work at Michelin-starred Yugen in West Loop, will offer a six- to eight-course omakase for about $145. There will also be supplements. SHŌ will offer the menu both at a 12-seat sushi counter and the restaurant's four tops. The meal won't be 100 percent sushi, which is often a misnomer. When it comes to Japanese cuisine, Sindler and Katsumura admit that Chicago often lags behind the coasts. Katsumura feels it's harder to compete in the Midwest as the region is limited when it comes to fresh seafood. That's something that 2024 James Beard Award-winning chef Hajime Sato of Sozai in suburban Detroit faced before he closed his restaurant earlier this year. SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen There's also a glut of omakase restaurants opening or that have recently debuted. Katsumura points out that most of them — if any — don't have Japanese chefs or owners. She feels that '39 years of eating Japanese food' — mostly cooked by her parents — gives her a unique perspective on the cuisine, which is why courses like a reimagined chawanmushi with truffled dashi custard and cauliflower foam, accompanied by Osetera royale caviar, and shaved summer truffle will shine. Hand rolls are also making their way through Chicago. SHŌ will riff on those with a build-your-own course that emulates caviar service with numerous add-ons available. Still, the two are careful as they don't want to gatekeep culture. Sindler points out that he is both Italian and Japanese. He also mentions Sushi by Scratch's Phillip Frankland Lee, saying the chef — who isn't Japanese — presents the culture and cuisine as he sees it. At SHŌ, Sindler says while respecting tradition is important, adhering to authenticity — however that's defined — is not. 'We are inherently Japanese in terms of how we grew up,' Sindler says. 'The food is personal in that regard.' Sindler designed the space and added several nods to music. Joining them is GM Preston Smith, currently the sommelier and assistant general manager at Beity in Fulton Market. SHŌ/Mistey Nguyen SHŌ/Anthony Tahlier Entering the restaurant business wasn't a given for Sindler, who washed dishes at Kamehachi as a teen before going off to explore art and music. The latter is shown in how SHŌ approaches its food. It's not so much a progressive menu, but a mixtape. This is a collaboration between two like-minded Japanese Americans who grew up in Chicago. Although their families are from parts of Japan, the common ground was so strong that Katsumura, an award-winning pastry chef, even welcomed Sindler's input on the dessert course. Sindler ended up working at the Alinea Group's Roister before returning to the family business during COVID. Kamehachi has had numerous locations in Chicago, including one at the corner of Wells and Schiller (most recently a Broken English Taco Pub). They vacated that address in 2011 and moved to where SHŌ will debut. The new restaurant's name is a shortened version of the Japanese word 'keisho,' which translates to inheritance. The traditional lore attached to the name involves a family passing a katana down through generations. Sindler says it symbolized the torch being passed: 'It's three letters,' he says. 'I think it's powerful.' SHŌ, 1533 N. Wells Street, opening on Tuesday, August 12, reservations available via OpenTable Eater Chicago All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Traveller's clever hack can reduce waiting time at the airport 'by half'
A frequent traveller has shared an airport hack that has people stunned - and wondering why they've never thought of it before as she claims it works "90 percent of the time" A seasoned traveller has revealed their secret airport trick, leaving people baffled they hadn't thought of it themselves. Airports can be incredibly stressful environments, packed with lengthy queues, rigorous security procedures and inevitable delays. However, most travellers associate airport arrivals with anticipation for their upcoming adventure. Whilst countless people discuss strategies for smooth departures, fewer address the frustrations that arise when landing at your destination. Travel influencer Lindsay Mukaddam, known as @onegirlwandering, posted footage of herself positioned outside the terminal following her arrival in a clip that has since received over a million views. Lindsay explained: "Come to the departures level if the arrivals level is completely slammed with cars, because then the person whose picking you up can get up here with no issues and they don't have to wait in line." She noted in the caption: "I may look like crud after a 20 plus hour travel day, but at least I don't have to wait a moment longer to get home." Following the video's viral success, the travel influencer revealed to Insider that "this tactic works about 90 per cent of the time" in her experience. "When I have had a hard time using it, it has usually been during a very busy travel period, like a holiday weekend," Lindsay explained. In most instances and at most airports, passengers can actually be collected from the departures area rather than arrivals. While travellers are typically encouraged to head to the designated pick-up zone, there are no regulations preventing them from doing the opposite. Nevertheless, if you're planning to collect a loved one at departures, they can likely forget about a lengthy reunion beside the vehicle. Typically, passenger drop-off zones at departures are fast-moving, and motors aren't allowed to park, or if they are, not for extended periods. Airport officials may hand the driver a ticket for loitering. On Reddit, one user highlighted this, commenting, "If you do this, make sure they're waiting for you and not vice versa. In Nashville, if you attempt to pick someone up at departures, the airport police will probably give you a ticket, so make it as quick as possible." Some airports do offer brief parking facilities at departures. In these situations, there's no reason passengers can't be collected from this spot. One user joked: "Don't be sharing secrets like this, you're going to ruin it for us." @gwaipor wrote: "Sydney, Australia here. Doesn't work at Sydney airport. Get a fine for doing so." A Chicagoan added: "This does not work well at O'Hare."
Eater
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
The Stampede of Steakhouses Continues in West Loop
is the James Beard Award-winning regional editor for Eater's Midwest region, and in charge of coverage in Chicago, Detroit, and the Twin Cities. He's a native Chicagoan and has been with Eater since 2014. Steak is just so hot right now, whether it's in a fast-casual bowl, inside a vending machine, or in the traditional sense at a formal restaurant. Trino is the latest addition to this avalanche of beef and will open Wednesday, August 6, along Randolph Street in the West Loop. Reservations are live. Chef Stephen Sandoval has been prepping for the steakhouse's debut via a series of pop-ups at Soho House Chicago. This will be Sandoval's third project in Chicago. He launched Diego in 2023 in West Town, a tiny bar serving tacos, cured seafood, and more. Sandoval remains optimistic that Entre Sueños, his ode to Baja Med cuisine, will open later this year in West Town. The delayed project remains one of Chicago's most anticipated openings of 2025. At Trino, expect live-fire cooking with Spanish and Latin influences. Unique sauces — like huitlacoche bordelaise — will play significant roles, and there will be creative seafood and pasta dishes. Sandoval will deliver fun twists on familiar steakhouse standards. Caviar, for example, will be paired with chicharrón. Sandoval cited Argentinian pyromanic chef Francis Mallmann as an influence. Sandoval is partnering with friend Oscar Sotelo. The pair met while working at Leña Brava, the West Loop Mexican restaurant, formerly run by Rick Bayless. Together, they formed Cinco Sueños, which will operate the Trino and a speakeasy-style bar on the lower level called Laberinto. The two projects replace Komo, a sushi restaurant owned by Nils Westlind. Westlind's upper-level lounge, ESCO, will remain. A rep says that 'together, the three concepts will form a cohesive, multi-level hospitality destination under one roof.' Leaning into the speakeasy vibe, a rep didn't share much about Laberinto. The interiors of Trino and its sibling bar will be designed in collaboration with Aida Napoles of AGN Design. Chicago chefs have worked hard to show America that the city's restaurant scene is about more than meat and potatoes, often a stereotype offered by myopic coastal elites offended by Midwestern charm. But steakhouses are also a safe bet to bring in revenue. As America deals with volatility — whether it's increased wages or labor challenges furthered by changes to immigration policy — diners will see fewer risks. Although the steakhouse formula is as tried and true as it gets, any genre can be livened up. Customers will soon see if Trino is up for the challenge. Trino, 738 W. Randolph Street, planned for a Wednesday, August 6 opening; reservations available via Resy. Eater Chicago All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Steve Weinshel: Cutting parking requirements while upzoning Broadway will create a crisis
One of the key aspects of Mayor Brandon Johnson's continued push for more housing development in Chicago is eliminating the city's parking mandates for new multifamily housing construction. It is a major component in Johnson's 'Cut the Tape' initiative intended to boost more affordable housing. While many of us might hope for a utopian future in which the average Chicagoan no longer owns a car, that is distinctly not the current situation. To pretend otherwise invites chaos throughout Chicago. The Johnson administration is attempting to rush through the City Council an ill-conceived and massive upzoning of Broadway from Montrose to Devon avenues in Chicago's Uptown and Edgewater neighborhoods. This change would allow for an additional 10,000 units to be built along this stretch of Broadway in addition to the thousands of units that current zoning already allows. A cornerstone of this plan is to radically reduce the number of parking spaces required in new large-scale housing developments. All of Broadway lies within a transit-oriented development zone due to its proximity to the Red Line and several bus lines. As such, developers are required to provide only one parking space per two housing units. But this is only the city's opening hand for reduced parking requirements. Under the city's Connected Communities ordinance, developers may reduce that one parking space per two-unit requirement even further, even down to no off-street parking at all. For example, several projects currently in development or recently completed in Edgewater provide as little as one parking space per 10 units or less. As a 35-year resident of one of Chicago's densest neighborhoods, I am no stranger to high-density urban living. I live in the Kenmore-Winthrop area of Edgewater, which together with Sheridan Road immediately to the east, is home to roughly 20,000 housing units, making it among the densest census tracts not only in Chicago but also the nation. To contemplate adding 10,000 housing units along Edgewater's adjacent stretch of Broadway with minimal off-street parking requirements constitutes urban planning malpractice. Such lunacy will plague Edgewater for generations to come. Anyone familiar with the east side of Edgewater knows that street parking is already virtually nonexistent. There is also a major shortage of off-street parking for current households. Many of the buildings in the area were built long before car ownership was common and have little or even no off-street parking of their own. Residents, even in higher-end condominiums, are forced to seek off-street parking elsewhere, such as in the neighborhood's many four-plus-one apartment buildings. Historically, residents could find such spaces within a block of where they lived. But in recent years, as parking pressures have continued to increase, residents now often have to venture several blocks or more from home to find a rentable space. As a result, countless drivers now repeatedly circulate throughout the area looking to win the parking space lottery, posing great risk to pedestrian safety and compromising air quality. The Chicago Department of Planning and Development's proposed framework for Broadway is predicated on the wishful thinking that people living near mass transit are substantially less likely to own cars. But that is simply not borne out by the facts. Car ownership rate for homeowners in Edgewater is 1.3 cars per owner-occupied household, according to Ownership rates for renters in the community are somewhat lower but are still 0.9 vehicles per household. Those figures are similar for the Uptown and Rogers Park communities adjacent to Edgewater. Even data provided by the city as part of its case for the Broadway upzoning framework demonstrates the point that it's creating a parking nightmare. That means more cars will be coming to Edgewater if its 'visions' are realized. Where these vehicles will go is anyone's guess, but city bureaucrats and their housing density mouthpieces try to deny this reality. Many new residents will likely aggravate current practices of illegally parking in front of fire hydrants, in handicapped zones, blocking alley entrances and corner tow zones that are essential for the passage of school buses and emergency vehicles. As a major artery for traffic coming off of DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Broadway is already a busy, relatively narrow corridor. It currently has metered parking and numerous business loading zones, but these may soon be disappearing with increasingly dense residential development. Intensified residential development will inevitably bring even more double parking for ride-share and delivery vehicles, which have already exploded in recent years. Before the city moves forward with any additional housing in Edgewater or Uptown, it needs to carefully study the car ownership rates for residents and limit additional housing accordingly. It could also help its own housing cause by requiring developers to proactively address parking problems by establishing car-sharing programs in new properties. Most neighborhoods abutting the CTA's Red, Brown and Blue lines on the North Side are already quite dense. Substantial new housing development has already been coming to all of these neighborhoods, especially along major commercial streets such as Broadway, Clark, Ashland, Western, Milwaukee, Irving Park, Montrose and Lawrence, even under old zoning standards. But does this mean these neighborhoods have endless capacity for further densification? There is a tipping point, and too much development in these communities threatens to greatly diminish the quality of life for future residents as well as the many thousands of current residents who have worked hard for decades to eradicate urban blight in Edgewater. If the Department of Planning and Development is serious about enhancing Chicago's north lakefront neighborhoods, perhaps it ought to actually do some planning.
Eater
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
Explore This New Bucktown Tasting Menu Restaurant With a Secret Bar
is the James Beard Award-winning regional editor for Eater's Midwest region, and in charge of coverage in Chicago, Detroit, and the Twin Cities. He's a native Chicagoan and has been with Eater since 2014. Class Act, a new tasting menu restaurant in Bucktown, attempts to remove many obstacles that prevent diners from enjoying fine dining by presenting meals in a friendly, residential-like atmosphere around a 16-seat communal table, hoping diners will mingle with other parties. There's a bar component to the space, called Nightcap, a tiny speakeasy-style spot that's open to the general public without requiring reservations. Folks can enter through a side alley. Restaurant guests will eventually be whisked to the space at the end of their meals. This is the welcome room that greets guests. Chef Nicolai Mlodinow 'Bouquet' is make with zucchini flower, parmesan mousse, flowers, and honey. Chef Nicolai Mlodinow hatched his dream in college, cooking in dorms, and brought his apartment pop-up to Chicago. The restaurant's kitchen, with its marble counter facing the entrance, looks like an apartment kitchen from afar, albeit armed with sufficient gadgetry that Mlodinow hopes will allow Class Act to compete with Chicago's top-tier restaurants, mentioning restaurants like Alinea, Oriole, and Smyth. He describes the approach as modernist cuisine that taps into international influences. Mlodinow, an avid basketball player who grew up in California, is confident and wears sneakers showing off who his favorite player was growing up — a certain LA Laker who sported 'a Mamba mentality.' Mlodinow shares a story about wearing ankle weights while cooking to develop endurance strength, comparing himself to Rock Lee, a manga character from the Naruto series. The chef hopes this attitude carries through a 13-course meal over three hours that touches upon nostalgia. The opening menu is called 'Growing Up.' The communal dining seats 16. The kitchen is meant to look residential. 'The sense of connection and belonging is everything to me,' Mlodinow says. 'Bringing people together to break bread... One of the courses, they literally tear bread together. That is why I cook.' A tartlet with butter-poached shrimp and flavored with Cajun seasoning and garam masala is emblematic of what Mlodinow wants to achieve, he says. It reminds him of a blackened salmon dish his father cooked for him growing up: 'When I look at it, when I taste it, I get all those flavors,' he says. He's quick to say he isn't swapping in fancy ingredients to tried-and-true dishes just for the sake of it. For example, the thought of recklessly substituting uncured brisket in a specific dish instead of pastrami revolts him. 'Blackened Seafood' and 'Scrimps.' 'Ice Cream Truck' is made with saffron olive oil ice cream and crystalized chocolate. There's a Nordic bent in Class Act's menu, but Mlodinow calls it subtle — the use of flowers, for example. Flowers are something the chef gravitates toward: 'They're very intentional, it's not just with how pretty it is,' Mlodinow says. 'These things actually have flavor.' Guests will enter and convene in a welcome room where they can enjoy a drink and decide on a beverage pairing; perhaps some peer pressure or old-fashioned conversation can help customers decide between nonalcoholic, standard, reserve, or cocktails. Dinner costs $230 per person, which ranks as one of the pricier tasting menus in town. The top tier includes Oriole ($325), Smyth ($420), and Alinea ($325 to $395) for standard reservations. In comparison, Feld, which opened in 2024, debuted at $195. The back bar, called Nightcap, is open to the general public. The cocktails aren't mundane. The chef's business partner, Shreena Amin, met Mlodinow while she was a guest at one of his dinners. She lives in Schaumburg and grew up traveling the world and eating at fine dining restaurants. The two took a research and development trip to Copenhagen, where they visited Michelin-starred institutions like Noma, the Alchemist, Jordnær, and Geranium in one week. For Amin, opening Class Act can give Chicagoans a taste of other cultures without a passport. 'We want to be carving out our own space that is about connection and fun and whimsy and joy and the food always has to be incredible — it takes you somewhere and tells a story,' she says. 'But what you're going to take away and remember is who you sat next to, how you laugh together, that's what makes you want to come back.' Class Act and Nightcap, 1737 N. Damen Avenue, reservations via OpenTable.
