South Kawa Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Chicago

On a self-care day, I chose to dine at South Kawa Japanese Restaurant and was not disappointed. The food was delicious and curated with care, and the service was excellent.

My Ratings: House Salad with Ginger Dressing (3/5) The lettuce was fresh and crunchy, though the pieces were a bit too large for a single bite. I also would like to see more variety of vegetables in the appetizer. However, the ginger dressing was divine. Seafood Ramen (4/5) The texture of the mussels, scallops, fish cakes, and egg was fresh and tasty. I savored each bite, appreciating the care taken in preparing the ingredients. The broth was thick and milky with a pleasant, savory flavor profile. I did add a little soy sauce to enhance the saltiness and bring out more of the broth's depth. As for the flavor, it was a solid, classic Japanese style ramen, but executed well. This was my first time having seafood ramen, which added to the originality of the experience for me. The dish also looked visually appealing upon serving. Sake Sashimi (Salmon) (5/5) This was the clear highlight of my meal. The two slices of fatty salmon were served perfectly fresh and light. The texture was excellent—upon gentle pressure, the salmon would regain its original shape, a true sign of freshness. The sashimi melted in my mouth, and I savored every tender bite. The decorative sliced carrot on the side was unfortunately quite bitter, but its flavor can often be unpredictable.

Environment I visited during an early dinner, so the restaurant was quiet. I inferred that many in Bridgeport order online, so the staff seemed a little surprised that I wanted to dine in. It's a sign of our current culture, but I'd love to see the dining room fully seated. It's a wonderful place that deserves to be enjoyed in person. I will attend a later dinner hour to conclude my opinions about...

My experience was wonderful. I was craving sushi so bad and I was all by myself so,I felt a little weird. When I walked in I was greeted as if they knew me already. They said, "come sit down ". Like people do when you visit them at home. I appreciated that, it made me feel very comfortable! All of the people around me looked very happy to be there. I had the sweetest server and she was a good one. She was able to serve several tables at once, Always getting it right. I ordered the edamame for starters and I loved the big portion(all for me he he) they were perfect tasting. For my sushi roll I just went with my usual the Philadelphia witch was supper tasty. It was the best one I've tried to date. The salmon was perfectly smoked and that made the whole difference. I also ordered the Mexican roll and it was so unique, tasty, crispy and full of flavor! Idk if the sauce that they put on it was a combination of salsa verde and lime but, it went perfect with the tuna. I almost feel like going back for more tonight and this time taking my boyfriend with me. I will definitely be back for more of...

Good Sushi, Great Ramen

The atmosphere lends a nice cozy and serene feel to the dining experience. The faux warmly lit latern style lighting contributes to the Japanese decor of the dining room.

The sushi was good and freshly prepared as you order. Chefs are in view behind the sushi bar. I ordered a Chicago Fire signature roll and a Spicy Crab cucumber roll. The Chicago fire roll is semi-sweet with a slight kick. With 12 pieces there is plenty even for the hungry. The crab and salmon within was flavorful and deliciously blended with the avacado and cucumber. The Spicy Crab roll looked to be typical maki roll. There was a good amount of spiciness and paired well with the wasabi-laden soy sauce blend I mixed for it.

I ordered a Tonkotsu Ramen to finish and was quite surprised. The chashu was tender, juicy, and savory. There was a good amount of fat along with the crisped skin and tender meat. This paired with the sunny side up egg (yolk is gooey perfection) and the slices of seafood and the noodles was great!

I will definitely come back and be ordering the...