It’s weirdly mesmerizing to watch Gene Kato at work behind the grill at Sumi Robata Bar, where the lanky, deceptively youthful-looking former Japonais chef methodically seasons bits of skewered flesh and vegetable and carefully tends to them on a pair of charcoal grills until they’re sizzling, fat-slicked, and ready to be gnawed off the sticks. If you sit at the bar, he’s separated from you by a wall of protective glass like the boy in the bubble, and he’s so concentrated on his work you could be watching him on television. It’s the sole aspect of this new River North Japanese grill that feels alienating, and yet if it weren’t for the glass your eyebrows would singe off from the heat of the burning charcoal.
It features a simple menu, too: hot and cold appetizers, and skewers from the barbecue. The latter half lists almost two dozen choices ranging from blistered, salted shisito peppers and heat-wilted stretches of charred romaine ($3 each) to a buttered Australian lobster tail for $18. This range isn’t so lopsided, however—apart from a must-order shredded king crab claw bound with spicy mayo and topped with crunchy panko, which will set you back $16. Long, salted shrimp, their heads packed full of rich, red viscera, run a mere $5.
Overall this is drinking food, and apart from a selection of teas served in tiny, clear pots on illuminated LED lights and paired with black sesame madeleines and pressed sugar florets, there are a dozen or so sakes (if you’re in a group go for the high-value, 1,800-millileter Trendy), eight wines, and a half-dozen beers, including a crisp Japanese stout that will have you rethinking your assumptions about how such a heavy brew pairs with food.
702 N. Wells 312-988-7864sumirobatabar.com
