Event Details
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Gaijin by Paul Virant
950 W Lake St,
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 265-1348
Attire:
Dressy Summer Casual
Sponsoring Member:
Brett August
Gaijin by Chef Paul Virant is Chicago’s first okonomiyaki restaurant, offering both Hiroshima and Osaka styles of the savory Japanese pancake. A self-described gaijin, or “outsider” in Japanese, Virant playfully embraces this perspective and honors traditional preparations and techniques, as well as his well-known passion for pickling and preserving. Designed to deliver a lively and interactive culinary experience, the 60-seat space is anchored by a custom 12-foot griddle and chef’s counter and offers individual Hiroshima teppan griddles for table service.
Menu for the Gaijin Dinner
April 23, 2025
First Course
kombu-marinated vegetables:
celery / fermented green beans / radish / sesame
VEGGIE KOROKKE:
mushrooms / rice / curry / tomatoes / daikon pickle / tonkatsu sauce
N.V. Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé, Burgundy, fr
Second Course
bok choy
sesame / garlic / shoyu / fried shallots
twice-cooked garlic
shoyu / rayu / senbei crackers
2019 Domaine des Baumard Savennières, loire valley, fr
Third Course
VEGGIE YAKISOBA
spinach / mushrooms / sweet corn / cabbage / scallions / carrots / sauce / sesame
marinated beef ribs
cdk boneless korean cut ribs / smoked shoyu / scallions / furikake rice
2006 Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Reserva Rioja, es
Fourth Course
osaka-style okonomiyaki
beef: cdk 21-day dry-aged slow-cooked beef / roasted garlic / scallions / bonito
octopus: honey chili gastrique / bonito / sriracha mayo
kimchi and TSUKEMONO TRIO
a selection of chef paul’s japanese-inspired pickled vegetables
2019 Domaine Saint-Damien “Les Souteyrades” Gigondas, fr
Fifth Course
MOCHI DONUT HOLES
strawberry and pandan-coconut
SESAME YUZU KAKIGORI
black sesame ice cream / yuzu syrup / strawberry compote / honey sesame brittle / snowcap
N.V. Domaine de la Dentelle Bugey Cerdon, Savoie, fr
Wine List
N.V. Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé, Burgundy, fr
Parker Rating
2019 Domaine des Baumard Savennières 2019, Loire Valley, fr
Parker Rating
2006 Lopez de Heredia Tondonia Reserva Rioja, es
Parker Rating
2019 Domaine Saint-Damien “Les Souteyrades” Gigondas, fr
Parker Rating
N.V. Domaine de la Dentelle Bugey Cerdon, Savoie, fr
Parker Rating
Gallery
