Logan Square’s Adventurous Sushi

S@kura
2507 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL 60647

While many would not associate Logan Square with sushi, this is a much more common type of cuisine being found in our fair neighborhood. Logan Square is lucky enough that it can lay claim to one of the more adventurous sushi places that this Foodie has ever been to in Chicago. This BYOB sushi bar only adds to the diversity of restaurants in Logan Square.


Sitting on the eastern edge near Lincoln Park, some might think that the interior of this restaurant would be something you would find on that side of the river. That said, it has a very low key feel that is perfect for Logan Square. Upscale, but not stuffy. No need to dress up, but would it kill you to wear a clean shirt? Christ! They do have outdoor seating, but unfortunately, Fullerton Avenue doesn’t offer the sort of calm, inviting streetscape that begs for al fresco. Sorry, S@kura. Nice try.

In spite of S@kura’s rather cumbersome seating capacity, its food does pack in locals on most nights. This is because the menu is full of sushi bar favorites like miso soup, California Rolls and Godzilla Rolls. But dig into this rather, large menu a little deeper.


The miso soup is a good start, but you’d be better off starting with a Wakeme Salad—a bowl of seaweed that is coated in a sweet and sour sasemi vinegarette. “Seaweed??” you say? Yes. It’s an acquired taste and texture, but keep going. Eventually you will appreciate how the seaweed and vinegarette blend.

As for rolls, a very popular one is the Godzilla roll. This roll of tempura shrimp, crab with cheese cheese and wasabi mayo has a spicy, yet smooth texture. It’s a mouth full, so make sure you share it with someone else. This one a very strong choice, but S@kura offers a much more notably exciting roll that I recommend—The Tie Me Up Roll.


The Tie Me Up Roll features long, stretchy ingredients (hence the name). Which are those? Raw Octopus and Seaweed. You can’t get more adventurous than this! The flavor is outstanding. The texture, however, is rubbery. You might want to bring some sake and get a few shots under your belt if you are of the faint of heart for this one.

If you’re looking for something not quite as Fear Factor-ish (is that reference still current, or did I just date myself?) then, the P’Dodo Roll is perfect for you. Flavorful, fresh and interesting. This roll has three types of fish, a spear of asparagus, cucumber, avacado, some wasabi for heat and rolled up in soy paper (an interesting change from seaweed paper).


If you really want to go nuts with adventurous, take anything from the Sashimi or Nigiri section of the menu. These items are either raw fish (Sashimi) or raw fish on a little pillow of rice (Nigiri). Here the list goes from anything from the squid to clams to smelt roe (smelt caviar (smelt eggs)). Take your pick. I quite liked the Unagi Fresh Water Eel. This is fresh water eel on a pillow of rice with a little bit of a sweet, brown sauce on top. The texture of fresh water eel is soft and delicate. Smooth, almost.

As mentioned before, S@kura is BYOB. If you’re not looking to drink, try their Thai Iced Coffee or Tea. These are sweet and creamy. The Thai iced tea has an incredible flavor that is simply sublime. Get it.



While Logan Square may not feel like the home of sushi restaurants, this is increasingly becoming a common commodity. S@kura provides a unique menu of this cuisine by providing the neighborhood with exciting, not commonly found rolls.



Getting down to Brass Tax:

BYOB
Date place? Yes.
Friend Hang out? Yes.
Recommended dish: P’Dodo Roll
Recommended drink: Thai Iced Tea
Price Range (2 People): +/- $40