Toro Sushi and Dortmunder Gold

It was a warm day and nothing sounded better than some cold beer and a light meal and that’s exactly what we were expecting when we walked into Toro Sushi with a six-pack of Dortmunder Gold Lager (Great Lakes Brewing Company).
Knowing that Toro Sushi in Lincoln Park almost always has a line out the door (even on weekdays), we decided to arrive as soon as it opened. A good decision since within minutes of opening the small restaurant was packed. We chose to sit at the bar so we could watch the magic happen.
To start I ordered a ginger salad and James ordered the miso soup, standard sushi starters. Then, we dove into the extensive menu and tried to decide on some maki to share. James, the brave one, went ahead and told the server to bring him “the most obscure thing on the menu” which we later discovered was a roll called the Tiger Eye – two types of roe wrapped in rice and salmon with a raw quail egg yolk on top. Me, playing it safe, went for the Crunchy California Roll – a crunchy version of the California roll warmed up with spicy mayo. For our third roll, we chose the Three Amigos – a Mexican-style roll filled with tilapia, jalapeño peppers, avocado, cream cheese, and cilantro. In addition to the maki we ordered, Mitch, the chef, sent out two complimentary rolls, making out light meal a full-out Japanese feast.
The fish and vegetables were perfectly fresh and each roll contained a delightful combination of flavors. There wasn’t a roll I disliked. I even enjoyed the Tiger Eye despite its unusual ingredients. I was quickly filling up and was ready to call it quits when James reminded me that in Japanese culture it’s rude not finish everything you’re served. So, we did our best Kobayashi impressions and cleaned our plates.
I would highly recommend Toro Sushi to anyone looking for high quality, fresh sushi at a reasonable price. The staff is very friendly and, in the words of my sushi connoisseur cousin, “Mitch is a gem”.
-Rachel