There’s nothing more primeval than impaling meat on a stick and cooking it over fire, and with the proliferation of gimmicky Japanese-style robata joints in River North, along with the increasing idiocracy of the general area, it’s easy to imagine the neighborhood as a portal to prehistoric times. That’s until you step into the clean, blond corridor of Sumi, where chef Gene Kato stands serenely before two binchotan-fueled grills, calmly basting and turning sizzling morsels of chicken butt, beef heart, and pork jowl. One bite of beef tongue followed by a custardy mouthful of cold silky tofu and you’ll see that his cooking is as civilized as it gets.
Best Refuge in River North, Casual
Sumi Robata Bar
