A little bit of ika shiokara goes a long way. At Izakaya Mita in Bucktown, the little strips of cold squid flesh, marinated in salted, fermented squid guts, come in a dainty dish. But with the outsize intensity of their briny funkiness and their slippery and wormy texture, they seem to come alive in your mouth—and really can’t be washed down with anything less potent than whiskey. This is drinking food, every bit as challenging as balut or hakarl. In Japan it’s known as chime, or “rare taste,” something only old men and Bourdain wannabes eat.
But you can build a more varied meal choosing among items like crunchy deep-fried squid legs or sweet pickled onions, cucumbers, and daikon. The custardy chawanmushi is light and piping hot, brightened with citrus zest and embedded with bits of shrimp, chicken, and the processed fish cake known as kamaboko. A medley of buttery soy-drenched shiitake, enoki, and king mushrooms is almost too umami-rich to conquer. And Okonomiyaki, the gooey savory pancake that’s perhaps the most effective alcohol sponge in the world, is laced with ropes of Kewpie mayo and sweet brown teriyaki sauce and topped with plump shrimp, chicken, fish cakes, and shimmering bonito flakes.
Izakaya Mita is the Japanese pub the city’s been waiting for: simple, honest, and welcoming, with a great variety of interesting things to drink. Every neighborhood should have one.
1960 N. Damen 773-799-8677izakayamita.com
