Sushi in West Town

Chef's choice sashimi at Arami

Despite a conspicuous location on a dingier stretch of Chicago Avenue, Arami's interior is bright and welcoming. We went on a busy Saturday evening in early June with a group of six that arrived piecemeal. Nevertheless, the staff was friendly and accommodating.

Bon Appetite magazine ranked Arami one of the top 10 sushi spots in the country. A very high honor that comes with equally high expectations.

On the whole, Arami didn't disappoint. After sampling some cocktails, the uni shooters were a fabulous way to start the meal. The Chef's Choice sashimi platter (top photo above) at another table caught our eye while we were still ordering drinks. Our table saved room for two and it didn't disappoint. All of the fish at Arami was very fresh and many of the rolls had a very unique flavor.

More sashimi at Arami

Unfortunately, all of this flavor and freshness comes at a prices. (Or maybe it was our ordering exuberance...) Our final tab came to more than $100 per person including drinks. And as Z said, "I'm still hungry!" With Z claiming starvation, we walked down the street and around the corner to Black Dog Gelato for a sweet end to the day. 

Lotta gelato in Ukranian Village

(Photo courtesy Black Dog Gelato)

(Photo courtesy Black Dog Gelato)

Outside of Italy, authentic, creamy, flavorful gelato is hard to find. While nothing can compete with the experience of eating gelato while strolling through the streets of Roma, Black Dog Gelato comes close to the creaminess of real Italian gelato. And its flavors are unlike any I've found.

We went to Black Dog this past weekend with my parents and each of the eight flavors we ate between the four of us was divine in its own right. I tried a Salted Peanut/Goat Cheese Cashew Caramel combination. Z tried a lighter fruit combination, while my mom went for chocolate/vanilla and my dad opted for a Salted Peanut/Bourbon Apricot combination.

Flavors change daily. Black Dog is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in the winter, with longer hours in warmer months. If you "like" the shop on Facebook, you'll get updates about new flavors and gelato-making classes.