A Review of Meiji Restaurant Chicago: Hot, Elegant and Satisfying Sushi

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Meiji Restaurant. In the mood for sushi, I planned on a slightly fancy dinner. I had two ideals in mind when looking at Meiji - I wanted a restaurant that was not too Sushi-fusion, and I definitely wanted spicy food. Meiji has a Zagat rating as one of the top sushi restaurants in the United States.

Meiji is located in downtown Chicago, at 623 West Randolph. Expect to spend about $30 to $40 dollars per person, including drinks. You can reach Meiji either by public transit with a short walk or by cab; there is also a valet service.

To discuss the décor, there is a small dining area, with a lounge area and bar in the front of the restaurant. The colors of the dining area are neutral browns, grays and wood grain hues. I cannot say if Meiji is of ostensibly Japanese aesthetic; if simplicity and elegance are essential to Japanese décor, then Meiji delivers.

When I visited Meiji, there were many young professional types hanging out at the bar. No surprise; meiji exudes an urbane flair.

To the rear of the restaurant, the sushi bar has seating for a few individuals. The sushi chefs display their talents relentlessly. There is a sense of duty watching these professionals at work.

The wait-staff was pleasant and seated us immediately; we went on a Friday night, and the restaurant was not too crowded.

We attempted to order the most popular appetizer, the Oysters Kampai ($12), oysters and house sauces served with a quail egg). At that point of the night, they had already sold out. Next time I visit Meiji, I hope they have it available.

We instead went with the standard tempura ($9) with daikon radish. The pieces of tempura were crisp, clean, and cooked to perfection. At most restaurants, tempura is cooked unceremoniously; there are pieces of over-fried, or over-battered vegetables or shrimp. At Meiji, the tempura was well defined. I could actually taste the food inside the batter!

Many times I have had tempura and it was just a mess of batter and flakes without any flavor. Meiji's tempura was definitely a cut above the rest.

For drinks, I ordered the "Sake Flight"($14). This is a sampling of three different types of sake: unfiltered sweet sake, filtered sake, and dark plum sake. I really enjoyed this drink, the three flavors of sake complimented the meal. The sweet sake tastes a bit like rice milk. The filtered sake was definitely high-quality, with a crisp finish and a slight warming sensation in my mouth. The plum sake was incredibly dark tasting and had a high alcohol content. The waitress actually warned us that the plum sake had a strong taste. I like dark chocolate and coffee, so I enjoyed the plum sake.

We began the entrees with the "White Dragon" ($14). This makimono dish is a restaurant favorite. It is a roll composed of unagi (eel), tasted almonds and tuna, and avocado, topped with a slice of jalapeno. I have to admit that this dish was one of the best sushi-fusion rolls I have experienced. The almonds combined well with the tuna and unagi, and the jalapeno on top gave it an extra kick. When combined with a dash of wasabi, and a slice of ginger, the "White Dragon" was heavenly. I highly recommend this dish if you visit Meiji.

Next, we sampled the "ichigo" ($13). This is unagi, with masago (roe), tempura jalapeno, tuna and strawberries. This dish was surprisingly more subdued that the "White Dragon". The heat crept up on my taste buds. It was as if the roll was slowly turning on a burner - it was a gradual incline towards spicy flavor. I think that this dish would be favored by people who enjoy a little more subdued and complex palate.

After the night was finished, the bill came to about $80 with tip. In my opinion, it was a worthy dinner. I wanted a spicy dinner; I wanted a more traditional sushi experience, and Meiji delivered.

I loved the sushi and the menu, and I would definitely try Meiji again in the future. I am curious to taste the rest of the menu - and I want to try that Oysters Kampai!