CHI: Niu Japanese Fusion Lounge

First blog post! Can’t wait to tear up my two favorite cities with my unquenchable thirst for decadent living.

My favorite dining partner has been raving about Niu for a while and I’ve been eager to check out the swanky pan-Asian lounge after my restaurant-writing stint at StyleChicago last summer. So on a warm spring evening before a night of barhopping, Niu seemed like a good pick for an impromptu date.

Good pick was an understatement. The main dining area was full (testament to how popular the chic sushi joint is) so the waitress seated us at the smaller entrance lounge. I started off with a Coconut Mojito,which was hands down the most scrumptious cocktail I’ve ever had. I could barely taste the alcohol and the taste of coconut was sweet and subtle – my type of cocktail!

For appetizers, we opted for the Sesame Crispy Calamari, which was a great salty supplement to my mojito buzz! I couldn’t taste much of the jalapeno and spice the menu promised, but the calamari was still tasty – not too rubbery or chewy.

The sushi took a while to arrive, but boy was it worth it. I had been forewarned me that two sushi dishes were MORE than enough, which was a nice plus, considering sushi normally leaves me craving more. We picked the Salmon Delight and the Sexy Mexican, which the waitress told us is a popular choice. I wasn’t surprised at all; the shrimp and crab sushi had a delicious spicy kick to it thanks to the jalapeno and sriracha sauce. People are wary of fusion foods, but here’s an example of fusion sushi done extremely well.

Even better than the Mexican was the Salmon Delight. Topped with a thin slice of lemon peel, this was literally the best sushi I’ve ever had, granted my experience of gourmet sushi is limited. The rice was topped with scallop and a generous helping of the most flavorful fresh salmon I’ve tasted. I recommend trying Niu JUST for this one.

I’ll return to Niu at least once before the summer – for the drinks, the reasonably-priced sushi, and the casual glam atmosphere. Next time, I’m going for a martini, a Mellow Yellow (sushi with mango? I’m intrigued!), and a dessert or two Nicely done, Niu.

Deets: 332 E. Illinois, www.niusushi.com

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