Went to the Murasaki Sake Lounge.

neat concept and I was really looking forward to it as I love sake but they couldn't execute.

Bartender couldn't communicate well enough to give me confidence to order a flight of sake.

Food:
Kurabota pork bites: I think wow, Kurabota, nice. it was nothing more than a Kurabota hot dog cut up the way some Chinese places cut up calamari pieces.
Spicy Chicken Yakatori: mushy chicken, rolled in Japanese snack mix

211 E Ontario
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 266-2280

I've been hoping to get over there as I, too, loved to concept.

Hope they get their act together soon!

Thanks for the post.

Thanks Willie. Your "alert" is much appreciated!

Hubby had been wanting to go there so we did last weekend.

The sake is pricey, but we split a bottle of Wandering Poet (which may have contributed to our positive view of the place. There were some loud partiers by the bar but we were promptly seated in the back quieter area. A Japanese film (I think it was Zaitochi) was playing.

We decided to make the bar snacks a light supper.

Hubby had edamame, which he said was typical. We had the pork gyoza, which were some of the best we've had. Then we shared a bowl of soba, which was also good.

The waitress, a student from Osaka, was delightful. She came by and chatted when she could. We've been to Japan so it fun to reminisce and share notes with her.

We had an enjoyable evening there and plan to return. Hubby (who loves Pokari Sweat-ugh!) needs to try the Pokari-tini

nice, I ended up taking most my bottle home. Your post made me realize I never posted which sake I had purchased, it was Masumi Arabashiri a nama (unpasturized) sake. It was fantastic & as you state, pricey.

I don't know what time of year you went to Japan but we went in July and it was HOT HOT HOT, Pokari Sweat out of the many vending machines was quite a welcome treat.

Did your waitress know her sake?

I wouldn't mind paying a bit more for the sake if there was someone there who could walk me through their thoughts on sake and the sake that Murasaki stocks. On the night I went, there was no one who could do so.

We went to Japan in August and it was beyond HOT...and humid! Miserable weather... I kept thinking, this is why there are no other tourists around.

Hubby and sons lived on the Pocari. I kept drinking anything in the vending machines that was not Pocari Of course, as an American, it was freaky to see them selling beer in the vending machines on the street!


Back to Murasaki, I can't really confirm waitress's knowledge as hubby ordered--but I do recall she seemed to describe it quite accurately.