Everybody loves Yoshi's

Yoshi's Cafe, my favorite restaurant in Chicago, serves a backdrop for a very important story the character of Charlie tells in the U.S. Version of "Tables and Beds, an unromantic comedy." (Now playing at Stage773)

During a night of drunkenness, Charlie tells his best friend Thomas about a beautiful, platonic dinner (with French wine) that took place at Yoshi's circa 1997. And Thomas replies: " Yoshi's existed already? God, that guy has been around forever!!!!"

That line gets a healthy laugh every single night... because at this point, in real life, Yoshi's restaurant has served as backdrop for thousands of romantic dates, friends and family gatherings for several generations of Chicagoans.

In the last year, I've had the immense fortune to join the ranks of a group of hardcore fans of Yoshi's, lead by Edmund Paszylk. My friends have a very hard time finding an excuse NOT to go to Yoshi's.

What makes Yoshi's Cafe so special?

For me there are two things: the consistency of the quality, you can randomly chose a dish and never be disappointed, and the warm, professional service team, lead by Nobuko, whose kindness and elegance make her the soul of restaurant. Once my friends from out of town asked me who was Yoshi, and I replied: "He's Nobuko's husband. Duh!"

Last Tuesday, to celebrate I'm-not-sure-what, I came back to Yoshi's. What I can't forget is what I ate. A brand new dish on the menu: a combination of lamb (I ordered on the pink side) with a croquette made of oxtail and Chinese forbidden rice. The entree was served with sweet mashed potatoes and gobo, a delicious Japanese root that usually comes in the Yoshi's bento boxes. 

Because I continue to forget to buy a smartphone, I asked somebody to take a photo for me...

Online, I stole another photo: one of the luscious Japanese breakfast dish one can order for Sunday brunch.



                                     


And then, there is the oyster shooter on sake, and the tuna tartar, and the octopus, and the crab cakes, and the award winning hamburger, and the hen and duck combination, and the red snapper, and.. and.. and...

Well, you get the point!

Emilio Williams