Critics’ choice: Beyond sushi in Japanese-mad Chicago

Yusho

Parts of Chicago have suddenly become almost overrun with Japanese-style pubs, said Mike Sula in the Chicago Reader. But this “dim, narrow” new izakaya located on the outskirts of the action has emerged as the best of the bunch. Its “ace in the hole” might be its inventive barman, Alex Bachman. But Yusho is chef Matthias Merges’s show, and the Charlie Trotter’s alum brings to his small-plates menu an attention to detail that the faux izakayas can’t muster. Skewered meats are staples in this scene, and Merges’s kitchen produces “the most thoughtfully constructed yakitori in town”—blocks of glazed pork belly topped with fermented black garlic; sweetbreads with toasted soybeans and a barbecue sauce made from Japanese dried plums. Not every dish kills, but nobody in town makes better potted chicken liver, and the $8 sea urchin plate is “devastating,” with the “nautical foaminess” of the echinoderm “offset by the complementary textures and flavors” of pomegranate seeds and sliced, pickled Buddha’s hand. 2853 N. Kedzie Ave., (773) 904-8558

Slurping Turtle

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This River North noodle shop and izakaya has been a “runaway hit” since opening its doors five months ago, said Phil Vettel in the Chicago Tribune. The frenetic pace is a change for chef Takashi Yagihashi, who earned national recognition while working at more sedate restaurants. Yagihashi calls the menu Japanese comfort food, and most dishes are no bigger than a few bites, particularly those from the high-temperature bincho grill. Cooked in “the blink of an eye” over imported charcoal, tender grilled quail, “blistered” shishito peppers, and “fork-tender” pieces of washugyu beef arrive at the communal tables in minutes. Even so, noodle dishes are the main event here, with the tonkotu, loaded with braised pork shoulder and pickled mustard greens, qualifying as the “indulgent” choice. When eating Japanese noodle dishes, your goal should be to create a slurping noise, “which the Japanese do not frown upon.” The young professionals who pack the Slurping Turtle surely won’t mind either. In this restaurant, “no one can hear you slurp.” 116 W. Hubbard St., (312) 464-0466

Chizakaya

This hip Japanese pub treats lunch hour like an insiders’ secret, said the editors of CS magazine. At midday, the front dining room is typically dark, and only a small sign out front indicates that the kitchen is even open. But walk to the back of the restaurant and you’ll find two communal tables and “a friendly host/server/cook” whipping up noodle dishes in an open kitchen. My favorite is the house ramen—“earthy broth that partners perfectly with the toothsome noodles, chunks of pork belly and shoulder, and delicate fish balls.” The poached egg on top is a perfectly cooked addition, and if the filling bowl is not enough, snag an order of the lunch-only chicken wings. Deep-fried until beautifully crisp, they get their heat from a finely chopped mix of fried garlic, jalapeños, and shallots. 3056 N. Lincoln Ave., (773) 697-4725