Japanese Tapas in Lakeview
By Collis Hancock
Small plates are always the perfect choice for an evening with friends and Japanese izakayas offer a great spin on the trend. Chizakaya in Lakeview does a fantastic job of translating a classic izakaya into the Chicago food scene. Chef Harold Jurado is a seasoned veteran from Sunda, Japonais and Charlie Trotter’s. He seamlessly works local ingredients into exotic dishes.
The black edamame is a much more sophisticated version of the sushi side dish. The beans are fermented and covered in black salt, adding amazing depth of flavor. The hamachi with bone marrow is an elegantly presented sashimi curled around a rich but restrained smattering of bone marrow. Another dish not to be missed is the braised pork ramen, a generous portion topped with a runny poached egg.
