Kamehachi

Kamehachi Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar
1320 Shermer Road Northbrook, IL 60062 (847) 562-0064

So, last week when I went to pick up the fan (yay, I found the fan store all by my little lonesome without getting lost once) and then Tony (both being on Lake Cook Road, which made it easy) we then went out to dinner at Kamehachi.

I had to take a set of their matches with me so I could remember how to spell the darn name. They didn't have any menus or cards you could take. What's up with that?

Anyway, they actually have a few different locations, some being in the city. I can't speak for any of those, but the one in Northbrook is excellent.

We sat at the sushi bar (and for anyone who goes to a good sushi restaurant and sits at a table -- you don't know what you're missing). Carlo was our sushi dude. He'd been a sushi chef for 7 years and seemed to be the go-to guy for any special orders that came in, even though he seemed to be younger than some of the other chefs (though he did know what that old TV show Good Times was -- or whatever it was -- I never watched it and I don't even remember how it came up in conversation).

We didn't order anything off of the menu. He just made us stuff. Well, he did kind of ask first on some things, but some stuff he just made. My only regret is that we went early and weren't super hungry yet. Next time I need to go late and be starving because it was all awesome. Some of what he made us wasn't on the menu at all.

Tony's favorite was probably this martini glass filled with various chunks of sashimi (tuna, yellowtail, who knows what all) in different sauces mixed in with seaweed and other un-identifiable things. I'm not sure what my favorite was. It was all good. The deluxe dragon roll (or something to that effect) was especially good.

Even our waiter, Peter, was really nice. He gave me some good recommedations of other Asian restaurants to try. And some free green tea ice cream. :-) It always pays to talk to people and treat them how you'd like to be treated. Or maybe I'm just chatty.

We'll definitely be back. Tony had actually been once or twice before when he'd been up here for work. Maybe we'll try out one of their event nights. They do sake tastings and wine tastings every now and again.

The places Peter recommended are Gumrai Thai at Arlington Heights Road & N.W. Hywy. (found an online review of it at Harvard Avenue) and Three Happiness (for dim sum) in the city (209 W Cermak Rd) and if we're looking for good duck, he said we should check out the New Chinatown area around Broadway and Argyle in the city. Also good Vietnamese there. Now I just need to figure out the whole train / el situation so I can get me some dim sum. I haven't had good dim sum in years.