Craving sushi on a random Wednesday afternoon, my boyfriend, his brother, and I decided to check out Sushi Thaime. Located near the intersection of 95th and Cicero, it's definitely a hidden gem.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is very cozy. As it was a cold and bitter Chicago afternoon, the streets and sidewalks outside were quite nasty. Stepping inside to the cool interior, we were pretty impressed and didn't expect it to be so nice. Although it only seats about 30 guests (excluding the bar), Sushi Thaime has a cozy, comfortable feel.
Their lunch special was SUCH a deal - $1 nigiri and $4 maki. We paid $4 for a dragon roll! I was completely in shock when I saw the price, but figured we'd be getting a tiny version or 1/2 the pieces of a real dragon roll. When our server came out with a full dragon roll, therefore, I pretty much died and went to heaven.
My two fellow diners are not as keen on sushi as I am, and were a bit weary on experimenting with the different tastes. I ordered safely: spicy salmon, ebi tempura, and a dragon roll to begin, as well as octopus + clam nigiri. (see below)
After taking their first bites, they were hooked. As I took in their reactions, I judged the quality of the fish on my own. The rolls were definitely substantial, nothing miniscule (which I sort of expected based on the price), and the fish inside was very fresh.
The only downside to the restaurant is the service. We awkwardly stood for almost 5 minutes, waiting to be seated, but no server or hostess greeted us. We finally sat ourselves (with permission from the sushi chef) at the nearest table. We also had to wait about 15 minutes for the server to pick up our bill, and we were the only customers left in the restaurant by that time. When I looked over, she was sitting in the corner with a co-worker, eating lunch.
But despite that, I DO believe the quality of the food, as well as the bargain we paid for lunch, is well worth the trip to experience a new sushi bar.
To check it out for yourself, visit their website,
or
give them a call 708-425-8228.
