4 days ago
Malort Headquarters Serves Some of Chicago's Fanciest Sushi
Joto Sushi's beverage pairings for its sushi omakase meals do not include Jeppson's Malört. Chicago's famous bitter spirit, savored by the city's two-fisted drinkers, was made on premises at CH Distillery, where Joto opened this spring off Randolph Street in the West Loop.
In recent months, the spirit's production has shifted to Pilsen. Still, the drink's connoisseurs visit CH as a pilgrimage, but their visits reveal a surprise. The home of the nation's most polarizing liquor also serves a 14-course omakase sushi feast featuring dry-aged bluefin tuna for a relatively affordable price of $125. There's also a 19-course variation Thursday through Sunday, and they've launched a more affordable Monday omakase for $100 aimed at drawing restaurant and bar workers who have the day off.
There's feelings of anxiousness and curiosity for those who walk in, says CH Distillery General Manager Tony Frausto: 'They think we're just a bar, then they literally ask 'oh you guys do sushi?''
CH Distillery has no ties to Japanese cuisine or culture. The West Loop bar began serving sushi in March 2022 during the pandemic, using the name Jinsei Motto. It was one of those trademarked pandemic pivots to make use of its kitchen, left unused after COVID dining restrictions. After four successful years, building a strong following of regular customers, Jinsei closed in April. Co-founder and chef Patrick Bouaphanh plans on opening a new restaurant using the Jinsei name. Frausto calls the story of Jinsei a happy one, a tale of overcoming adversity and doing what he calls the best sushi in Chicago.
The founders' departures gave CH an opportunity for a reset, to reimagine the space. They've added a kitchen for yakitori, donburi, and more veggie options: 'Our biggest challenge is that not everybody likes sushi,' Frausto says.
Dry aging is the centerpiece of the menu. The process, about 32 days, imparts different flavors, and, as Frausto says, it also helps sustainability efforts. For folks who don't like salmon, Frausto estimates that about 40 percent of the population, dry aging can eliminate the oily texture some dislike, making it melt in your mouth. At Joto, they enjoy talking to customers about the process. The kitchen goes through about 250 pounds of tuna per week.
The malört business was going so swimmingly with efforts to sell the liquor across state lines. Thus, CH needed to move production to a larger facility that could handle said success. Moving distillery equipment gave management the chance to redecorate a bit. They've taken steps to make it feel more like the streets of Tokyo.
Joto Sushi , inside CH Distillery, 564 W. Randolph Street
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