A Handroll Shop Hidden Inside a BBQ Spot – Noriko 🍣✨

Chicago’s dining scene has finally turned its gaze toward Japanese cuisine. In just the past few years, Japanese restaurants have been popping up everywhere — even dedicated handroll spots are now a thing. I wasn’t interested in sister restaurants of so-called Michelin spots (their sushi places aren’t great anyway), but when I heard there was a handroll bar hidden in the basement of Perilla Fare, I had to check it out. 🍣 Doshi Doshi – Rich otoro + sweet uni + a little caviar. Melted in the mouth — delicious and easily top 3 of the night. 🍣 Edamame Purée Handroll – The purée was tasty, but the nori wasn’t freshly fried, so it lacked crispness. 🍣 Salmon Crudo – Salmon slices with salmon roe and avocado, lightly marinated in soy — a bit salty but nice. 🍣 Complimentary Tuna Tartare Nigiri with Caviar – More subtle than the handrolls; the caviar overpowered the fish. 🍣 Yellowtail Handroll – Made by mistake but given to me — seasoning was just right. 🍣 Sweet Shrimp Handroll – Came earlier than expected. Firm, fresh, whole shrimp — very satisfying. 🍣 Akami (Lean Tuna) + Seared Tuna Tartare Handroll – I’ve always preferred akami over otoro — more about the fish flavor than just fat. This hit all the right notes for me. 🍣 Bay Scallop Dynamite – Loaded with roe, so the roe flavor stood out more than the scallop — but it was oddly delicious (?), like fish tofu with fish roe. A totally new texture and taste. 🍣 Crab Motoyaki – Spicy with pickled onions on top. Generous crab meat, slightly Americanized seasoning but still tasty. 📸 Last pic shows the staircase leading down to the basement — feels kind of trippy. The best part: you can order à la carte or omakase, adjust fish and rice amounts, and the chefs are friendly. A great handroll spot! Noriko Handroll Bar 401 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60654 #FoodieCatSummer #Chicago #ChicagoEats #ChicagoLife #ChicagoFood #GlobalFoodieReview