The BF and I recently stopped by a Japanese restaurant,
Lure Izakaya, in our Lakeview 'hood which opened in late July. Modeled after a traditional Japanese izakaya pub with small plates and plenty of drinks, chef owners Kee Chan of Strings Ramen, and Macku Chan of Macku Sushi, decided to blend the izakaya format with kaiseki, or Japanese haute cuisine. The result? A mix of casual and fine dining. The space is sleek and modern, which also is reflected in the cuisine's presentation.
The menu is split up by cooking styles including Nimomo (steamed), Yakimono (grilled), Kobachi (cold), Shiru Mono (soup), Ko-No Mono (pickled), and Agemono (fried). There also is an iPad list of chef specials featuring different preparations of fresh fish. The fish even are on display at the front of the restaurant when you walk in. Our server suggested we order 3-6 dishes per person to share and we tried to pick items from across the menu's sections. There's also a full menu of Sake, beer, wine and craft cocktails.
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| Lure Izakaya Menu |
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| Chef Specials |
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| Fresh Fish on Display |
It was nice that we could order at our own pace and the dishes would arrive when ready. We started with several cold items including oysters with spicy radish and a tangy vinaigrette, as well as the tuna poke with black truffle, avocado and black sesame.
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| Oysters |
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| Tuna Poke |
We also tried the wagyu beef carpaccio served with a crab aioli. The meat was slightly chewy but had a nice garlic flavor.
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| Wagyu Carpaccio |
Our server recommended we try the red snapper, which was one of the fresh fish specials. It was served in a light tempura batter with a side of ponzu sauce. We both loved this dish, especially because it's served with the meat already removed from the fish, rather than requiring us to pick out the meat from the whole fish. The ponzu sauce's acidity was a nice contrast to the tempura batter, and the fish was super fresh and tender.
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| Fried Red Snapper |
From the pickled section of the menu, we tried the mixed pickles with mountain root, daikon, cucumber, eggplant, beet cucumber, and fresh cucumber with bonito flakes. While I normally love anything pickled, I wasn't a fan of any of these. The BF did enjoy them and typically doesn't like pickles!
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| Mixed Pickles |
Our last two dishes both were suggested by our server, the pork belly from the steamed section of the menu, and the Scottish salmon from the grilled section. The Pork belly was so tender, we were able to eat it just with our chopsticks. It featured a slightly sweet sauce with an Asian pear on top. This dish was so comforting and tasty that it was our favorite by far.
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| Pork Belly |
The Scottish salmon was simply prepared with soy sauce and lemon which really let the flavor of the fish shine.
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| Scottish Salmon |
Overall, we really enjoyed the variety of dishes we tried and was impressed with the price point. Everything is priced affordably, including the drinks, ensuring you'll be able to try several items without breaking the bank. This also is a great spot for larger groups so you can try and share many dishes, and there are several communal seating options. This was our first izakaya experience and certainly won't be our last!
Note: my meal at Lure Izakaya was complimentary; however, the opinions expressed herein are my own.
Lure Izakaya
2929 N. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL 60657
773.360.8816
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