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. 

Branchin' Out at Branch 27

Friends Kelley and Peter (mentioned in the previous post) had been raving about Branch 27 for months. I felt like I was missing out, so when my friend Arianne came into town and we needed a dinner spot in a location that was accessible to both downtown and the interstate, I picked Branch 27.

The space itself was enough to peak my interest. Branch 27 is located in the former 27th ward Chicago Public Library building. Hence the name, Branch 27. As a lifelong nerd and bookworm, anything related to a library has a special place in my heart.

Branch 27's cocktail menu is particularly intriguing, but on a cold and rainy Wednesday night, Arianne, our friend Alicia and I decided that a bottle of Four Vines Zinfandel was our best bet.

In keeping with the need for comfort food on stormy night, we all ordered a bowl of flavorful, creamy tomato soup. (Branch 27 changes its menu from time-to-time and the tomato soup is no longer on the standard menu.)

Delicious tomato soup at Branch 27

I ordered the rib eye sandwich (also no longer on the menu), while Alicia ordered the PEI Mussels and Arianne opted for the Housemade Tagliatelle. They both enjoyed their dishes. My sandwich had a really nice flavor, but could have been split between two people. 

Rib eye sandwich at Branch 27

If a large portion size is my only complaint, I'd say dinner at Branch 27 was a success! During the week you probably won't need it, but you can make a reservation on OpenTable.