Last night we had dinner at Japonais.
(photo from Gusto.com)
Japonais is a popular Japanese restaurant here in Chicago. So popular in fact that they have opened new posts in NYC and Las Vegas. Although I hear that Chicago is still their best location.
I had been there a few times before, once for dinner and a few times to have drinks in the lounge downstairs. The lounge is actually fabulous for drinks especially in the summer with the patio opening up to the Chicago River, although the drinks tend to be pricey for Chicago.
But the restaurant?
Not my favorite place to have sushi, or other dishes for that matter. It's not that the dishes are bad. Because most dishes are pretty tasty, and the sushi is good (although not great). In fact, the spring rolls we had with lobster yesterday were some of the best spring rolls we had were some of the best spring rolls I have had and the filet mignon with the uni butter was cooked to perfection and enhanced with the scrumptuous sauce.
It might be that dishes feel overpriced? I know that for the exact same dish, I can get the same dish from Mirai (another Japanese place from the same owners) for cheaper. Especially, in terms of sushi, I can get it better and cheaper at Mirai (and other sushi joints such as my fav Katsu). It might be that the dishes usually feel gimicky (like "The Rock") and over-sauced (like the oyster appetizer). But more than anything, I think it has to do with the fact that they are too trendy, seemingly caring too much about cool decor rather than service or the food.
Is it a sign that I am getting old that I am not liking the super-trendy restaurants?
600 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL
(312)822-9600
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