The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of Spoon University.
Famous for Michelin-starred Mako and top-ranked Juno, Chef BK Park has made his mark on the sushi scene in Chicago. However, he didn’t stop there. Almost a year ago, BK Park opened Tamu, a two-concept restaurant featuring both a sushi bar and omakase. Alongside Chef Joon Kim, BK Park imagined Tamu as a neighborhood restaurant. I made the trip all the way to Tamu from Evanston, and I left knowing I would have to come back very soon.
Tamu means “multiple dreams” in Japanese, hence its two-concept structure. The restaurant has a ten-seat sushi bar that serves a range of classic and signature temaki, or hand rolls, and a ten-seat table with small plates, “roll it yourself” hand rolls and kaisendon– a Japanese dish with rice and fish. In the back room, Tamu also offers an eight-person, semi-private omakase, focusing primarily on nigiri. This omakase is intended to be less formal and lengthy than the traditional model.
I decided to test out the first concept and tried out the sushi bar. I like to keep it classic with sushi– I always prefer sashimi or nigiri over more complicated rolls. The simplicity yet dynamicness of a hand roll is my perfect combination. To me, a hand roll is nigiri’s older, cooler and more chic sister, and I am the younger sister forever chasing after her.
Tamu exceeded my highest expectations. The smaller space gives the restaurant a comfortable and intimate feel. Fabric fish adorn the walls behind the sushi bar, while the orb lights on the ceiling bathe the room in a light glow.
The menu features 12 classic hand rolls, seven signature hand rolls, three premium hand rolls, small plates and dessert. With prices starting as low as $5 per hand roll and a range of flavors, both sushi lovers and sushi novices can find their sweet spot on Tamu’s menu.
I started with the spicy edamame. Bathed in sauce and sprinkled with crispy garlic, this dish was so flavorful. The sauce had a subtle sweetness to it and just the right amount of spice – enough to add a kick without overpowering the freshness of the edamame. This was the perfect way to begin the meal and prepare for the hand rolls ahead of me.
But truly nothing could have prepared me for how delicious these hand rolls were. Each roll had the perfect combination of crispy nori, warm rice and cold fish.
I began with the sake hand roll, made with just soy-marinated salmon and sweet onion. This roll was quite simple, but the flavor left me wowed. The salmon itself was perfectly fluffy without being chewy. The sweet onion and soy flavors married perfectly together and added a tanginess to the roll without dominating. I found myself scraping up the salmon that had fallen out of my roll once I had finished it. I couldn’t waste that last bite.
Next, I had the kani hand roll. Featuring blue crab, yuzu kewpie and masago, this roll truly blew my mind. The slight citrus flavor in the kewpie mayonnaise worked so well with the tender crab. Each bite left me in awe, and I licked my fingers to get every last bit of the citrussy crab I could.
I followed the kani with the spicy akami. This roll had spicy minced bluefin tuna and masago. Unlike most spicy tuna hand rolls I’ve had, this roll had a smokiness to it. Although I typically don’t enjoy a smoky flavor, this taste added another layer to the spice and increased its complexity in a way I really loved.
Finally, I took my waitress’s suggestion and tried the otoro hand roll. Unlike the other hand rolls, which the chefs placed in front of me from behind the sushi bar, this dish was served in a cloud of smoke under a glass cloche. This smoke billowed over the rolls after the cloche was removed, creating a cascading effect. No milder presentation would have been a better precursor for this bite. Featuring fatty tuna and shredded wasabi root, this roll was a flavor explosion. They did not skimp on the fatty tuna, which I loved because it truly melted in my mouth. The richness of the fish and the lingering smoky flavor paired so well together.
I finished off the meal with mochi. This meal was phenomenal from start to finish. In need of a good sushi fix, a fun date night or looking to explore Fulton Market, definitely add Tamu to your list.