“We got pegged as a noodle shop initially, but we’re actually an izakaya.” That was the hedge a server offered on a recent visit to Takashi Yagihashi’s Slurping Turtle, a bit off-message, since the chef himself disavowed a direct connection to the traditional Japanese pub in the preopening hype of his River North . . . whatever it is. Much of the anticipation for Slurping Turtle has centered on the prospect of a menu that channels Takashi’s signature bowl (served only during Sunday lunch at his eponymous upscale Bucktown restaurant) or an improvement on his noodle shop in Macy’s. That only confuses its identity further.
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Ramen is, for a certain breed, the unattainable holy grail of soups—particularly in Chicago, where Second City insecurities are reinforced by the contention that most $13 bowls are never quite as good as those that can be had at New York’s Ippudo, or LA’s Mottainai Ramen, or that nameless street stall you stumbled across in Tokyo. For these soup nazis the Arlington Heights branch of the Santouka chain sets a grudging high standard. (I know one of these characters, who insists he can produce a better ramen from a seasoning packet off the shelf at Mitsuwa.)
Beyond that, there’s a pholike soup with rice noodle and tiger shrimp and a couple of stir-fries. That’s it for noodles, a small offering relative to the charcoal-fired skewers, side dishes, “tapas,” and raw appetizers.
116 W. Hubbard 312-464-0466slurpingturtle.com/home.php
