Very enjoyable birthday meal at the bar. Tony restaurant so outdoor seating in the summer helps. The food was not quite Japanese, but Japanese inspired with a mix of ingredients that provide refreshing variety. The bread was outstanding. The savory custard (didn’t write down the name) was perhaps best dish. Octopus ramen had great kale ash noodles and rich broth, although all the deep flavors got a little muddled together. Grilled mushroom rice bowl very good. Service fast and friendly.
![5]( "Recensione")
I'm going to start off by saying that this was one of my first forays into the finer side of dining, so my review may be a bit biased based on that.
That said, eating at Kitsune was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. I showed up near opening time for a quick dinner, so for the entirety of my meal I had the restaurant to myself which was nice. The ambiance was great. Nice and dark with alright music playing in the background (personally I'd prefer Japanese music, but that's just me). Cute Japanese decorations everywhere. Adorable depictions of the red Hokkaido fox were placed throughout the restaurant. And then in the dead center of the bar wall... Barrack Obama lmao.
Anyway, I ordered their 3-course menu which consisted of blistered shishito peppers, duck ramen, and a coconut sorbet. On top of that, they also started me off with bread and finished me off (heh) with some gummies. It goes without saying everything was absolutely wonderful. I mean as soon as I had the bread I knew it was going to be great. Served with an umami butter, I could have had a meal of just the bread to be honest. Then came the peppers which were wonderful. The waiter warned me that they tend to get the spicier shishitos which worked out nicely as I love spicy foods. They had a great bite to them and the yuzu, salt seasoning was perfect. The ramen was great as well. I've had many a ramen in my time and this was unlike anything I've had before. The fermented summer beans gave the broth a wonderful acidity that elevated the whole thing to another level. The noodles were of a rye variant I've never had before, but they were also good. And then the confit duck was absolutely succulent. To round out the meal, they served me a coconut sorbet, topped with a lime zest/leaf powder, little mochi balls, lime segments, and dried bits of persimmon. I'm usually not a dessert guy, but this was by far my favorite dish of the whole affair. The sweetness of the sorbet worked so nicely with the tartness of the lime segments. The textures were everywhere but all came together so nicely. I found myself craving more as I reached the bottom of my bowl.
Anyway, besides the amazing food, the service was also great. My waiter made sure my water and genmaicha tea (which was also amazing btw) were always topped off. He was knowledgable about all the food and answered all my questions. I'm looking forward to coming back here some time in the near future.
This meal left me with all smiles. I visited Japan recently and ached for the simplistic, outrageously delicious food. Kitsune filled this yearning -- atmosphere, drinks, service, food -- everything was full of sensory pleasures.
Drinks:
Sake martini -- balanced and not too overpowering or boozy
Beautiful unfiltered sake
Food:
Crab chawanmushi -- buttery, luscious
Wild rice and koji porridge bread -- Moist and spongy with a chewy crust
Shaved beef with egg "fudge" -- holy hell. Why isn't there more egg "fudge" in this world?
Okonomiyaki -- Nice balance of soft and crunch. Better than any I had in Japan.
Sashimi over Carolina gold rice with house miso broth -- drank the miso after we finished the dish. THAT good.
Tonkotsu ramen -- broth was velvety and silky, lingered on the tongue in the most satisfying way
Dessert:
Whiskey glazed donut -- Pillowy perfection!
Thank you for giving me a slice of Japan I fell in love with. Now I have a place to come back and indulge!
Fantastic, tasty creations - and one of the few places you can get okonomiyaki in Chicago - in a comfortable neighborhood space. My only regret is that due to the size it has been a challenge to get a table, but I'm looking forward to going back soon.
Update: still love the restaurant especially getting to sit outside in the summer; now they’ve launched a weekly meal kit delivery subscription that’s fun and delicious. See photo of November week 2.
Loved the sashimi, tartare, miso soup, and buns but the chawanmushi was a bit too fishy and the dried sardines were too unpleasant. Very cute aesthetic though. Great service. Would love to go back she check it the rest of the menu sometime.
Great food and interesting different concept. They pride themselves on showcasing midwestern ingredients and using Japanese techniques to bring them out. The brunch kaiseki is a good amount of delicious food for the price ($35/person)
Came here for the prix fixe sunday brunch kaiseki. While it was not a traditional kaiseki by any means, the dishes were unique Japanese-inspired dishes with a Midwestern twist.
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