Restaurant Review: For cool tastes on a hot summer day, Gaijin delivers in West Loop

While Gaijin means ‘outsider’ in Japanese, Chicago’s first and only Okonomiyaki (savory Japanese pancake) restaurantbrings locally-sourced combinations of meats and vegetables home for a truly authentic experience. 

Gaijin is the brainchild of James Beard Award finalist and Iron Chef runner-up Paul Virant (Vie, and the upcoming Petit Vie). Their 60-seat space is anchored by a custom 12-foot griddle and chef’s counter and offers individual Hiroshima teppan griddles for table service.

As their website explains, “okonomi=have it your way  yaki=griddled.” 

The savory Japanese pancake is served Hiroshima or Osaka style. 

What does that mean? According to Samurai Tours, in Osaka style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are mixed and cooked together. In Hiroshima style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are layered almost like a cake. Soba or udon noodles are added to Hiroshima-yaki in another layer as well. (Although they do add noodles to okonomiyaki in Osaka.) The savory cakes are griddled and customizable with everything from cabbage, noodles and veggies, to pork, shrimp, fried eggs and “dancing” bonito flakes, plus lots of tasty toppings. 

For dessert, Gaijin is also  the home of Kakigori, a Japanese shaved ice dessert flavored with sweet sauces and syrups…amazing on hot summer days! 

 But for starters, try KOMBU MARINATED VEGETABLES, made with celery, fermented green beans, radish and sesame. VEGGIE KOROKKE has mushrooms, rice, curry,  tomatoes, and daikon pickle in  tonkatsu sauce.

Gaijin embraces more than just the savory Japanese pancake on their menu, with an assortment of Yakisoba, the Japanese noodle dish that first appeared in food stalls in the 1930s. VEGGIE YAKISOBA has spinach, mushrooms, sweet corn, cabbage, scallions,  carrots, sauce, and sesame, while SHRIMP YAKISOBA combines shrimp, cabbage, scallions, carrots, bean sprouts, sauce, and sesame. For something completely different, try OCTOPUS YAKISOBA, combiningoctopus, cabbage, scallions, carrots, bean sprouts, sauce and sesame.

OSAKA-STYLE OKONOMIYAKI offerings include VEGETABLE OKONOMIYAKI combined tempura-fried vegetables and arare (savory Japanese crackers), CHICKEN OKONOMIYAKI is a blend of Amish chicken confit and bonito. TOFU OKONOMIYAKI hasphoenix bean tofu, shichimi togarashi (Japanese spice blend,)  mushrooms, spinach, and arare.

HIROSHIMA-STYLE OKONOMIYAKI, where the ingredients are layered (rather than mixed), with the addition of yakisoba noodles, include a TRADITIONAL HIROSHIMA, with yakisoba, bacon, egg  and bonito, and a MUSHROOM AND YUBA HIROSHIMA, with yakisoba, mushrooms, egg,  yuba (tofu skin,) and shio kombu (seasoned kelp.)

If it’s tough to make up your mind, you can opt for a flight of three mini Osaka-style okonomiyaki of your choice for $25 per person (available Monday – Thursday. NOTE:  octopus and smoked fish are not included.)

As we say when it’s appropriate…save room for dessert! The dessert menu features kakigori, the aforementioned shaved ice dessert, along with mochi donuts and other Japanese-inspired treats. Try the SHIRO KUMA, with buttermilk pineapple sherbet,  coconut syrup, cherries, sugar cookies, and chocolate coffee beans. SESAME YUZU pairs black sesame ice cream, yuzu syrup, strawberry compote,  honey sesame brittle, and snowcaps. Gluten-free UJIKINTOKI pairs matcha ice cream with red bean paste,  matcha syrup, and coffee jelly, along with ube mochi and  snowcaps.

GAIJIN BY PAUL VIRANT is located at 950 W. Lake Street. Their hours are Monday – Friday  4pm to 10pm, and Saturday – Sunday, 11am to 10pm. Happy Hours are Monday – Thursday 4pm – 6pm. For information and reservations, click here.

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago