RESTAURANT REVIEW – WABI SABI

Wabi Sabi is a brand new sushi spot in Uptown. It opened at the beginning of November in the Windsor Center shopping strip, near the Sheridan/Windsor intersection. What makes Wabi Sabi unique? A rotary sushi bar that runs the length of the restaurant. Small signs near each booth describe the color coded plate system, with red plates coming in at $2.50 and the most expensive purple plates at $6.50. Simply stack your plates to the side of your table and your server will tally up your total.

The restaurant is small and quiet, with plush leather booths. If sushi isn’t your cup of tea, you can also order off of the regular menu. It includes ramen, noodles, and teriyaki bowls. I decided to only try items on the conveyor belt. One of my favorites was the Lava Stone appetizer:  a small, deep fried rice ball topped with a pile of spicy tuna and scallions. I also particularly enjoyed the Tiffany Maki. This is one of the restaurant’s signature rolls, containing tuna, yellowtail, avocado and jalapeno. It was topped with a delicious mayo and spicy chili sauce. Although I was too full to try any, some beautiful desserts whizzed past me. The green tea cheesecake and tiny macaroons were especially enticing.

With a limited number of booths, Wabi Sabi could easily fill up at peak times. It’s cozy and intimate, perfect for a date night or Sunday family dinner. Prices range from $10-$25 per person and they allow BYOB alcoholic beverages. Open Monday through Sunday, 11 am to 10 pm.

RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO