West Loop - Inside CH Distillery
14-course | $125 | tableside reservation
We are so excited to finally bring you our Jinsei Motto (Jinsei) Review. To truly understand the unique offerings and location of Jinsei, we will start from the very beginning. Jinsei Motto started out as a takeout/delivery only service, offering sushi platters and even handroll kits. We had our first taste of Jinsei when they partnered with CH Distillery in West Loop for a pop-up handroll experience. To say we love handrolls would be an understatement, and that very night, we became hooked on Jinsei. For such a large and food-centric city, Chicago is extremely lacking in the handroll space. Jinsei Motto has filled that void in our eyes and encouraged our handroll cravings. After such a successful pop-up, Jinsei Motto and CH Distillery (CH) have continued their partnership and provide a space for Jinsei to serve their sushi offerings alongside the distillery’s impressive drink and food menu. Each visit we have made to Jinsei/CH has been better than the last as Chef Patrick continues to experiment with different flavor profiles and very high-quality fish.
After countless visits for their a-la-cart sushi, we were excited to hear that an omakase had been developed and would now be offered tableside. With our family visiting for the weekend and a new puppy learning the ways of outdoor dining, we found it the perfect opportunity to try out the omakase on the CH patio.
Upon arrival we were greeted by their friendly staff and shown to our table. Arriving to customized menus was an amazing touch that did not go unnoticed. The Jinsei Motto omakase is a 14 course, “Nigiri focused concept with refined, yet traditional techniques and presentation”. The tasting started off with a generous portion of madai (snapper) and then headed straight to the nigiri. We have never had a less than delicious piece of nigiri at Jinsei, and the omakase proved no different. We loved each piece of their nigiri but were especially impressed with the Steak & Eggs dish consisting of A5 miyazaki wagyu.
To summarize, we had a wonderful experience at Jinsei Motto. Their passion and dedication for providing the best ingredients and a unique experience is why we continue to come back for more. With extraordinary fresh fish and a great knowledge of flavor combinations and fish preparations, the Jinsei Motto experience has only gotten better and better. Our only critique would be that the omakase offerings are very comparable to the a-la-cart items, but with time and demand, we predict Jinsei will have the ability to expand on their menu and find even more creative offerings. Additionally, it is important to note that without a sushi bar, Jinsei is limited to the confinements of tableside offerings. While there are a lot of perks to this, such as patio omakase during Chicago’s beautiful summer months, there will always be something to be said about the intimate experience at a sushi bar between a chef and his guests. We look forward to watching Jinsei grow as a concept and continue to be their biggest fans.
Jinsei Motto Omakase at a glance
Rice: Great rice and decent temperature for a tableside experience
Fish: The fish at Jinsei is top notch. Great purveyor and preparation.
Vibe: Maybe we are partial but we LOVE the CH Distillery vibe. GREAT music, and a fun,lively environment. Very different than your traditional omakase environment.
Experience: A great time and great food. Not your typical experience but sometimes that can be a great thing. A fun night out in Chicago with some delicious sushi.
Value: We think the value of the omakase is comprable to ordering a-la-cart so it really depends what you are in the mood for and how much sushi you are willing to eat.
Click HERE to make your reservation.
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