Sushi in Style: KATSU

I'll admit it, I'm a sushi whore. I always enjoyed sushi, but my obsession and increasing need for it has kind of gotten out of control lately. What was once a "couple times a month" habit has turned into me browsing the prepared sushi rolls at Whole Foods (almost daily), walking 1.5 miles to Water Tower Place to get made-to-order rolls from Foodease for lunch, and I've even began to contemplate ordering the packaged sushi from Trader Joe's since I carry a TJs gift card with me at all times while attempting to ball on a budget (haven't reached that level of obsession and necessity QUITE yet). And does it suck when you love fresh raw fish but live in middle America? Well, yes, kinda. And if you're especially ornery like I am, you're sometimes skeptical about the raw hamachi you just ordered from the "hot & new" sushi spot on Grubhub you've never heard of.

I have a few rules of thumb when it comes to eating sushi. Number 1.) Never order sushi on Sunday (or Monday for that matter). Despite that fact that we know our sushi is not flown in fresh from the Tsukiji Fish Market in Japan daily, the fish market there is closed on Sundays, and operationally, most major global businesses are closed on Sunday, meaning restaurants are not receiving fresh fish orders that day. 2.) If you're going to order mostly all raw rolls and pieces, spring for the more high-end sushi spot, where you know their quality is top notch. Here in Chicago if I want quality rolls for delivery or pick up, I'll usually order from Arami. Their elegant options offer light and delicate flavors completely void of all that cream cheese and tempura crunch crap (don't get me wrong, there is always a time and place for tempura crunch) and I always feel fulfilled after, and not like I need to walk to Taco Bell Cantina for a soft shell chicken taco to fully satisfy my hunger.

But let's get to those photos at the top, and the ultimate point of this piece. If you want the best sushi in Chicago, and what I'll go ahead and consider the best sushi in the Midwest, head up to the northside to Katsu. At Katsu, you WILL get fresh fish flown in from Japan's acclaimed Tsukiji Fish Market, but you'll also get Salmon freshly flown in from Scotland, Scallops straight from Seattle, and so on. Taking the fresh fish up a notch or twelve, Chef Katsu uses premium ingredients including Burgundy truffles and oscietra caviar, adding his own interpretation of Japanese sushi. Extending beyond the food, what makes Katsu a serious gem of a restaurant are the people who run it. Take my tip and request a seat at the sushi bar so you can watch Katsu do his thang, and if you're lucky, he'll probably crack a couple jokes for you and your guest. His wife is probably one of the sweetest humans I've had the pleasure of meeting, is attentive, and basically runs the entire dining room. In an industry where nearly every mainstream or hyped restaurant is being run by a hospitality or restaurant group juggernaut, Katsu proves that simplicity, inclusivity, and a small business can not only be successful, but can be the best in their class.