WICKER PARK — Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya, Wicker Park's third dedicated ramen shop, officially opens March 4, but it is taking a small number reservations for lunch and dinner from Thursday through Sunday.
In addition to ramen, the 85-seat restaurant at 1482 N. Milwaukee Avenue offers several Japanese snacks such as chicken wings and pork buns as well as many varieties of sake in a fine-dining setting with affordable prices, with most items under $12.
About two blocks south of the Milwaukee, Damen and North avenues intersection, the first Midwest location for the Japan-based ramen shop that operates four United States outposts is in the former MAX's Wine Dive storefront, between Umami Burger and Native Foods.
The preopening reservation opportunity is expected to be announced over the restaurant's Facebook page on Thursday and will be limited to 20 diners per seating, co-owner Kevin Yu said.
Yu said the restaurant's team of about 30 are in the last week of a rigorous three-week training that required three chefs from the Seattle eateries to come out to help the Wicker Park outpost get started.
The ramen menu offers 11 different kinds of ramen with four different broths, as well as the option of customizing your own bowls.
Traditional pork broth serves as the base for most dishes but gluten-free, vegetarian, and chicken broths are also available.
Jasmine Neosh, an Avondale resident who previously worked at Izakaya Mita in Bucktown, described her position at Kizuki as a Japanese beverage specialist.
Neosh selected the four Japanese beers on draft (Kirin, Sapporo, Asahi and Coedo) and some 20 varieties of sake, including a sparkling sake.
About 12 sakes are available by the glass and others in individual cups with a paper cover that is peeled off to enjoy.
"In Japan, these [cups] are sold in vending machines. Chicago is really getting into sake. There's many varieties, some unpasteurized and undiluted," Neosh said.
Neosh said the cocktail menu, based on primarily Japanese spirits, will include shochu, a distilled spirit similar to vodka, and Akashi, a white oak whiskey.
Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya will be Wicker Park's third dedicated ramen joint on Milwaukee Avenue, joining Furious Spoon, 1571 N. Milwaukee Ave., which opened last winter and Oiistar, which debuted in December 2012 at 1385 N. Milwaukee Ave.
"I think all business is good for the neighborhood. Hopefully [Kizuki] brings even more attention to ramen and more customers to the street," Mangal said.
Though Furious Spoon and Oiistar do not offer delivery, Yu said both takeout and delivery are in Kizuki's pipeline.
“Delivery is a very important part of our business as we want everyone to have the chance to try our food. As we prepare to open, our priority is to take care of every customer who physically visits our restaurant first. However, we do plan to expand our services into offering delivery and takeout in the very near future," Yu said.
Kizuki Ramen & Izaka, 1482 N. Milwaukee Ave. Phone: 773-270-4150. Hours are 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays. Email wickerpark@kizuki.com for more info, or follow the restaurant on Twitter at @KizukiChicago.
Extra rich shoyu-flavored pork broth with lots of garlic and a slice of pork in it. [Photos by DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser]
Chicken wings, a small plate or Izakaya appetizer.
Open kitchen at Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya.
Japanese beverage specialist Jasmine Neosh, with sake.
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