Do you love sushi and ramen but want to try some other Japanese classics? Are you wondering what all the fuss is about Japanese whisky? Read on as this week I chatted with Momotaro’s executive chef Mark Hellyar and beverage manager Lance Gresak about all things Japanese.

Hello and Happy New Year! I hope everyone had wonderful holidays and you are all hungry for some new episodes.

Hello! “Roister” means to enjoy oneself or celebrate in a noisy, boisterous way, and the restaurant by that name fits right into the bustling Fulton Market area of the trendy West Loop. Unpretentious, yet serious about standards of excellence, it was awarded a Michelin star in its first year and has retained it since. Chef Andrew Brochu has spent time in some of Chicago’s most illustrious kitchens, but Roister is where you see his creative culinary point of view flourish. I spoke to Andrew to learn about his influences and inspiration.

Hello! Ravenswood Corridor has been dubbed “Malt Row” due to the proliferation of breweries and distilleries opening in the area. While many of these breweries are traditional in nature, Band of Bohemia is a brewhouse with a twist. Billed as a “culinary brewhouse” and the first brewpub to be awarded a Michelin star, it will take only one visit to realize this is not your grandpa’s pub. This week I spoke to the Band of Bohemia team to learn about their inspiration.

Hello! The suburban restaurant scene has sometimes gotten a bad rap for being stale, full of chains, or just unoriginal.