Hot Woks Cool Sushi

"I'd like to see the Japanese take on the club sandwich. I bet it's smaller and more efficient." - Marge Simpson

Some Basho influenced haiku to kick us off this week...

Grey skies                         Satisfied                                    Spira
Hungry men devour            On Michigan Avenue                  So much more than
The Loop                           Bento Box                                 A gentleman

At 30 S Michigan Avenue - nestled between two shops that specialize in selling overpriced novelty beer shirts to morons - is Hot Woks Cool Sushi, Dan Spira's selection as the 6th LLC2 location. Having skipped dinner the previous night I arrived early in hopes of sitting down for a light sushi appetizer to tide me over until lunch. However, I was told I couldn't be seated without the rest of The Loop Lunch Club and so allowed the rhythmic growling of my empty stomach to slowly lure me into blissful unconsciousness (see below).

(I considered making a comparison between my hunger and discomfort and that of Louis Zamperini, but there's no way to do that where I don't come out looking bad)

After snapping back to reality I discovered, through a thorough perusal of the carryout menu, that Hot Woks is conducting an ongoing effort to minimize their carbon footprint by using sugar and starch based substitutes for their plastic containers. Unfortunately they also double the amount of energy used to wash cutlery by providing unsolicited forks to customers such as myself, who possess the sure handed motor skills necessary for chopstick competency. While the menu discussed Hot Woks' effort to go green it failed to offer me the chance to save green through the standard lunch box special I'm accustomed to seeing at Japanese restaurants.

I should have been sitting here for a while

"I'm seeing a lot of 180s today," said an emotionally taxed and blog-bitter Dan Spira upon entering. Spira would forego ordering avocado rolls at this outing but claims it wasn't a premeditated omission. The original LLC members were seated in the back section of Hot Woks while we waited on Bert and Ernie to arrive. Given how hungry I was as well as my family history of befriending sushi chefs I truly regretted missing my chance to wait at the sushi bar for the preceding half hour.

Hot Woks Cool Sushi stresses a multicultural atmosphere of flavor and art in both the kitchen and the decor. The balanced philosophy of the yin yang symbol is on display everywhere from the logo to the soy sauce dishes to the blended Oriental products cooked up hot (or cool) and fresh each day.  Along the walls are various paintings by who I assume to be local artists, each listed under a different gallery heading. Among the paintings is a longwinded definition (including dictionary pronunciation guide)  for the term "cultural evolution." Personally, I would build my philosophy around a term less reminiscent of Mao Zedong, though the only great leap forward I made during lunch was lunging across the table for a spicy tuna roll.

If you wear glasses, I suggest looking at this photo without
them to see if it's any clearer

At the table Rob Anderson picked up a specials menu. "Lunch menu?" He said, "This could be right up my alley." Sure enough, the lunch box special did exist and I would go on to order the Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box. Once our orders were placed Danny Rubenstein and Steve "Late" Lake arrived and as usual began complaining about location.

"Shocking speed!" Said Spira as plates of chicken (hot) and sushi (cool) were placed on the table. Dan Ofman's fried rice dish brought about a positive reaction from Lake. "Nice presentation," said the defending champion of the Ofman Invitational Golf Scramble (4th annual coming this summer).

So many options in just one Bento Box!

I find that meals like this always satisfy me. Perhaps it's the constant craving I have for teriyaki and sushi, or maybe it's because there are so many options on my plate, but I simply can't slow down when eating this stuff. The Asian style slaw was crunchy and creamy, the tempura crisp, and the chicken to sauce ratio was perfect after the addition of some steamed rice. Speaking about the quality of his eel roll Anderson said, "It has a sort of fishy aftertaste." Oddly enough, my rice had a rice like aftertaste, too.

Between polarizing discussions of The Voice (with Anderson) and upcoming MMA fight cards (with Rubenstein, who I noticed engaging in pretty enthusiastic chair dancing when "I'm Every Woman" came on) Dan Ofman stated that he felt his food was better suited for dinner than lunch. Spira quickly observed that Ofman simply doesn't understand which foods are meant to be consumed during which meals and suggested that Ofman "order a denver omelet." Joke of the day, I thought.

Great choice Spira!

Hot Woks Notes:

• Spira's diet Coke was served in a can (no refills) and with a straw (I consider myself pretty childlike and even I have outgrown straws).
• Insane amount of parenthetical asides today.
• Guest appearance from Eric Moore. I didn't hear a word he said but I think he called me Tim.