Sweet Willie

Got out of the site late this evening and missed the FT get together at Lou Malnati's downtown

So I headed to True World Market for their 8pc M-F sushi special for $10. More on that later though.

The NW suburbs of Chicago have a large Japanese presence, as a result we have some pretty darn good Japanese restaurants and markets in the area.

Very close to one another are two Japanese markets w/food offerings.

The largest and the one most westerners not familiar w/Japanese cuisine will feel comfortable in is Mitsuwa Marketplace. Mitsuwa is large and has everything! A regular good buy for me is USDA Prime Rib Eye steaks for $7.69 per lb. and also organic chicken thighs for $2.99 per pound (breasts $3.99lb.) The flavor of the organic chicken is incredible! You won’t buy the typical “pumped” chicken in your usual store again.
Mitsuwa also sells all sliced meats for your sukiyaki, shabu shabu etc.

Mitsuwa has a food court w/5 different vendors who sell typical Japanese selections. You can even purchase Okonomiyaki (easiest description is a non-tomato based Japanese Pizza, but that really does not do it justice) that is the best I’ve had outside of Osaka. Like many restaurants in Japan, there are plastic replicas of the dishes so all you have to do is point and ask what is this? Very easy.

Mitsuwa also has a bakery that serves exquisite pastries, top shelf baking, teriffic.

Mitsuwa is located in Arlington Hts, IL more store info can be found at: http://www.mitsuwa.com/ I was unaware that there was more than one Mitsuwa in the US.

The second Japanese Market w/a food offering is True Word Market located at 3 S. Arlington Hts Rd. (corner of Higgins & Arlington Hts which is ½ mile south of the Arlington Hts Rd exit off of 90), in Elk Grove Village. True World Market is open from 9am-8pm.

True World Market is much smaller and less showy than Mitsuwa. It is where I buy my Japanese cooking staples such as Ponzu, Sweet/hot Chilli Sauce, Yakisoba noodles, Sukiyaki sauce, Japanese salad dressings because True World Market sells these items for less than Mitsuwa.

True World Market has a small 4 table area where you sit after you have ordered at the sushi bar. They offer a $10 special M-F of 8 pieces (you choose) of sushi. Quite a decent deal, I had it this evening.

True World Market’s website is: http://www.atom21.co.jp/okusama/True...%20Market.html (but I don’t read Japanese)

I really urge you to go to one of these markets, you will have lots of fun and yum. ( I would go to Mitsuwa first)

ORD Finn

Good recommendations, Willie,

I have visited Mitsuwa several times. You can indeed get some good dishes at the food court at very reasonable prices. The bakery is excellent. The grocery store is a really good place to get Japanese and other Asian specialties. The liquor store has some decent sake in stock. And all the Asian women I know like the cosmetics selection (directed to Asian clientele).

essxjay

This is good to know. If I end up at law school in Chicago (my fondest hope) I'll be looking for a replacement for my beloved Uwajimaya, a massive Asian supermaket and gift store just outside of Portland proper. The original is in Seattle w/ a food court to die for. Talk about having everything: Japanese, Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, Korean, Hawaiian ... you name it.

I love to go just to gawk at the seafood section. Huge tanks of live crab, lobster and tiapila; at least half a dozen bins of live clams and oysters; and huge refridgerated and frozen sections of every kind of seafood and roe imaginable. (God, I'm going to miss it! )

At the Beaverton, Oregon, store I kept asking for poke and within about a month they started making it on-site. ****ed if it wasn't every bit as good as what I got on the island. Heaven!

Sweet Willie

True World Market has changed their name to Tensuke Market. Still great sushi and cheap prices.

Sweet Willie

The Mitsuwa food court now has Jockey as one of the food court vendors.

Jockey (mentioned in this thread: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ghlight=Jockey ) serves some great dim sum items. ^

I've been going to the food court recently for lunch and some dinners, it is humming. The food court vendors have stepped up the quality of their offerings.

Sweet Willie

Tensuke Market (corner of Higgins & Arlington Heights Rd) now has vastly expanded their hot food offerings. Beef teriyaki, udon, tempura, just to name a few.
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Sweet Willie

The okonomiyaki vendor has shut down, bummer.

At Noon on Nov 14 & 15 (2009) Mitsuwa will be cutting up a giant Blue Fin Tuna which has been flown in fresh, for those who would like a little taste of Tsukiji.

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