“Sherry seems unable to shake off
the Old World image of a sweet tipple
favored by grandmothers,” said Dave
McIntyre in The Washington Post. That’s
a shame, because the fortifi ed wine from
southwestern Spain comes in a wide va-
riety of styles—most of them dry—and
many pair beautifully with food. It is as
fi ne a wine as white Burgundy but “at a
third of the price.”
Emilio Hidalgo Fino Seco ($15). This
dry, nutty fi no seco is “a fi ne stage-
setter for a meal” and also partners
well with soups and shellfi sh.
Hijos de Rainera Perez Marin ‘La
Guita’ ($17). In this lovely manza-
nilla, “a fi ligree of salty brine accents
bright citrus fl avors.” It’s “great by it-
self,” but also with jamón or ceviche.
Diez-Merito Pemartin Amontillado
($21). Save richer amontillado for
savory dishes. This creamy-textured
example “tastes of smoked meat,
roasted hazelnuts, and wild herbs.”LEISURE^29
Food & Drink
Mako Chicago
If you haven’t visited us in 12 months,
you haven’t tried our city’s best
sushi restaurant, said Phil Vettel in
the Chicago Tribune. Though chef
B.K. Park has been “virtually syn-
onymous” with sushi excellence in
Chicago for two decades, he opened
Mako only last March, and it’s next-
level for Park. “He calls it his dream
restaurant, and it’s easy to see why.” In
a minimalist, “gloriously quiet” setting,
up to 22 lucky patrons at a time gather
to enjoy Park’s dazzling 16-course
$175 oma kase menu. “A quartet
of tastes makes a powerful opening
statement”: smoked bonito, king crab
dabbed with butter, akami tuna with osetra
caviar, and Japanese yam dusted with sea-
weed powder. Sashimi follows, then various
nigiri and composed plates, including “per-
fectly grilled squab bearing a smoked-soy
glaze.” Park and his polished servers deliver
each bite, describing each one in hushed,
fittingly reverent tones. “I don’t remem-
ber being this blown away, from opening
course to finale, by a meal in quite some
time.” 731 W. Lake St., (312) 988-0687Sushi Nakazawa New York City
The Manhattan sushi temple that “changed
the sushi landscape” may never be quite
the same, said Pete Wells in The New York
Times. Five years ago, when Daisuke Naka-Critics’ choice: Three omakase experiences you shouldn’t miss
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Sherry: A forgotten great
On the Greek Island of Ikaria, the traditional way of eating “puts vegetables at
the center of the plate,” said Albert Stumm in Milk Street. One favored technique is
to braise legumes in olive oil and tomato, as in this delightful main, brightened
by fresh orange juice. Try it with crusty bread and feta on the side.Recipe of the week
- In a large Dutch oven over medium
heat, combine oil, tomato paste and
1 tbsp honey. Cook, stirring often, until
tomato paste begins to brown,
6 to 7 minutes. Stir in chick-
peas, then tomatoes with their
juices. Bring to a simmer over
medium-high and cook, stir-
ring occasionally, until liquid
has evaporated, 10 to 12 min-
utes. Stir in next fi ve ingredi-
ents plus 1½ tsp each salt and
pepper, and reserved chickpea liquid.- Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook
over medium-low, stirring occasionally,
until onion has softened,
12 to 15 minutes. Remove
from heat; adjust salt and
pepper. Stir in oregano
and orange zest. Transfer
to a serving bowl, sprinkle
with parsley, and drizzle
with more olive oil and
1 tbsp honey. Serves 4.
Greek-style braised chickpeas with tomatoes and orange
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil • 2 tbsp tomato paste • 2 tbsp honey • 3 (15½-oz)
cans chickpeas, drained, ¼ cup liquid reserved • 28-oz can diced tomatoes - 1 medium red onion, halved, thinly sliced • 3 medium garlic cloves, thinly
sliced • 5 bay leaves • 1 sprig fresh rosemary • ¼ cup fresh orange juice - kosher salt and black pepper • 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano • 1 tsp grated
orange zest • 1 tbsp chopped fresh fl at-leaf parsley
zawa made his debut in New York, the
young sushi master’s innovation was to
serve a world-class omakase in a setting
that put Amer i can diners at ease. Beyond
that, “no other omakase meal lobbed out
so many thrilling pieces of sushi, or was
quite as entertaining.” Since then, imitators
have sprung up everywhere, and Naka zawa
has opened a spin-off at Donald Trump’s
Wash ing ton, D.C., hotel. Meanwhile, his
flagship has sacrificed a bit of its edge to
the admirable mission of remaining rela-
tively accessible. Space has been added
and hours expanded, which means the
charismatic Naka zawa can no longer work
every service. And his spot prawns aren’t
nearly as good, because he’s stopped kill-ing them live while diners watch.
His golden-eyed snapper “still
took me on a quick thrill ride,”
though, and you can’t beat the
price. While his imitators charge
up to $400 for an omakase, he
asks only $150. 23 Commerce St.,
(212) 924-2212Shin Sushi Los Angeles
L.A.’s next great sushi destina-
tion offers a sushi experience
“stripped to its essence,” said
Bill Addison in the Los Angeles
Times. Take toshi Azumi is a
second-generation sushi master,
“a head-down kind of chef” who
usually works solo in his small, year-old
restaurant in a nondescript Encino mini-
mall. But he has earned a Michelin Guide
star and he “certainly has the attention of
sushi devotees.” Despite his intense focus
and reservations-only dinner policy, Azumi
is a jolly figure who keeps the atmosphere
light as he trots out a nigiri-focused 12- or
14-course omakase, usually to a crowd
that fits in the eight counter seats. Most
of the fish is slightly aged in dashi- or soy-
based marinades. Every night, the meal
is “a reminder that unions of fish and
rice can be riveting—particularly in their
subtle gradations of texture—with minimal
embellishment.” 16573 Ventura Blvd.,
(818) 616-4148The show goes on at Sushi Nakazawa.