An 18-Course Feast｜A Top-Tier Japanese Dining Experience in Chicago 🍣

The Omakase Room at Sushi-San — hidden upstairs in the restaurant, finally checked it off my list after much anticipation! 📍 63 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654 We were led upstairs to a lounge area and served sweet coconut tea to refresh before the meal began. Once the curtain was drawn, the chef and ingredients were ready. 18 courses in total, each explained personally by the chef. Every ingredient was incredibly fresh — no off flavors at all. 🍽️ Main Courses: Mategai – Razor clam with cucumber vinegar and mint blossom — bright and refreshing. Toro Tartare – Bluefin tuna belly with quail egg and generous caviar, served with crispy crackers — perfection! Sashimi Platter – Hokkaido scallop, octopus, skipjack tuna with miso, garlic chips, and uni — each bite richly layered. Awabi – Abalone with its liver sauce — savory with a hint of pleasant bitterness. Aka Amadai – Red tilefish in a delicate bonito broth — tender and subtly sweet. Purple Asparagus – With lobster and truffle sauce — rich and decadent. Kinmedai – Splendid alfonsino with a hint of lemon leaf. Kohada – Gizzard shad with ginger and chives — lightly spicy. Nodoguro – Blackthroat seaperch with pufferfish liver — rich and fatty. Tachiuo – Belt fish with cherry tomato — tender and balanced. Uni – A huge portion of sea urchin wrapped in nori with freshly grated wasabi — luxuriously creamy. Hamachi Namero – Yellowtail hand roll with house soy sauce and sansho pepper — like a Japanese taco! 🍣 The Tuna Trio — the chef said this tuna weighed 900 lbs! 13. Akami – Lean bluefin with Tokyo scallion — simple yet memorable. 14. Chutoro Tataki – Seared medium-fatty tuna with truffle oil, garlic sauce, and black pepper — melted instantly. 15. Kama Toro – Bluefin cheek meat with caviar — unctuous and textured. 🥩 & 🍰 16. Wagyu – Hokkaido snow beef — delicious but quite rich. 17. Tamago – Japanese omelette wrapped around eel — softly sweet. 18. Uni Ice Cream – Sea urchin ice cream coated in crispy rice and mint — savory-sweet and a surprising finish (by then, I was beyond full!). The whole experience lasted about two hours — my mom and I kept whispering, “Now this is real Japanese cuisine.” #Omakase #ChicagoEats #SushiSan #JapaneseFineDining #SpecialOccasion #FoodExperience