Chicago restaurant owners, chefs put a twist on Latin cuisines through unique takes on food

El mejor lugar para cobertura bilingüe de noticias y cultura latina en Chicago. | The place for bilingual coverage of Latino news and culture in Chicago.

When Jessy and Sam Baydoun took over Tsukiji in West Town in June 2020, it was a traditional Japanese restaurant.

Two years later when the restaurant was fully reopened for dining in, they had a decision to make.

“Do we close, give up on this business because it’s not growing the way we want it to? Or do we try something new?” Sam recalled.

Jessy hails from the Jalisco state in Mexico, so they decided to spice up the rolls with Latin flavors, introducing ingredients like jalapenos and cilantro, and pair their fusion take on sushi.

The change paid off; now “we’re doing great,” says Sam, who made a career switch from engineering to open the restaurant, and they’re attracting a new clientele, with many of their new customers trying sushi for the first time.

“Here at Tsukiji, we want to offer an experience, something very unique, something very different. So we have big dreams for Tsukiji,” Jessy said.

The Baydouns are among several other restaurant owners in Chicago putting a unique twist on their food by melding Latin American flavors with other cuisines.

Rodolfo Cuadros grew up in Queens, New York, which is home “to people from every country, every culture,” he said. “It made me feel like I’m a part of everything.”

Amaru in Wicker Park “is a representation of a wider range of cultures,” Cuadros said, adding the restaurant “brings all these cultures together a little more seamlessly. I often say to people when you eat at Amaru, you can pretty much be from any country and you’re eating food that is not necessarily from your country, but when you eat it, you get the soul [of the dish].”

Where to go in Chicago for Latin fusion

Here’s a sample of where in the city to find unique interpretations of Latin cuisine.

Amaru

Where: 1904 W. North Ave.
What: Inspired by his upbringing in New York and wanting to uplift and celebrate Hispanic cultures, Chef Rodolfo Cuadros celebrates Latin flavors through dishes like yuca frita, fried yuca with mojo verde; piononos, sweet plantains and chorizo wrapped in bacon, and Cuban Oxtail: Malanga goat cheese ravioli, Cuban style oxtail stew, charred sweet corn and kale.

Amaru

Provided

Savanna

Where: 3334 N. Halsted Ave., Chicago; 4111 N. Lincoln Ave., and 5657 N. Lincoln Ave.

What: Enrique Calderon, who owns Savanna with his brother, Luis, came to Chicago from Ecuador in 2006. He worked in several restaurants, including breakfast institution Ina’s Restaurant. Those experiences inspired Calderon and his brother to open Savanna.
The signature dish is Llapingachos Benedict: poached eggs atop llapingachos, or potato cakes, an Ecuadorian favorite. On the sweet side, other popular dishes include the Savanna Banana, banana bread covered with caramelized banana, creme anglaise and berries, and the Chocolate Abuelita Pancake, served with Mexican-style hot chocolate, creme anglaise, chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

Tabu

Where: 401 N. Morgan St.

What: Drawing influence from Mexico, Spain, Colombia and more, Tabu in the West Loop offers playful takes on familiar dishes. Think Jicama “Burrito” Salad with cotija cheese, kale and a creamy vinaigrette made of calamansi, a Filipino citrus; Korean Sticky Mushroom with roasted portobello and kimchi on a hand-pressed tortilla, and Mexican Pizza, with adobo beans, white cheddar and enchilada sauce. The vast craft cocktail list is equally creative, with cocktails such as the Tabu Old-Fashioned with Jim Beam Black whiskey, blue corn, mezcal, hoja santa (a Mexican herb) and cacao bitters.

Tsukiji

Where: 1156 W. Grand Ave.

What: “Our focus is Japanese culture, with a little twist of the Latin vibe,” says co-owner Jessy Baydoun. Some of the signature rolls include the Guacamole Fusion, shrimp tempura topped with guacamole and adorned with wonton chips; Rumba, spicy tuna with sliced avocado, fried plantain, unagi sauce and tobiko, and Tropical, another roll boasting fried plantain, with cream cheese, avocado and choice of fresh salmon or shrimp tempura with unagi sauce and spicy mayo.

Courtesy of Jessy Baydoun

Tzuco

Where: 720 N. State St.

Where: This River North restaurant helmed by Michelin-starred chef Carlos Gaytán marries Mexican flavors with French techniques, showcased by dishes like Carne Asada, which comes with your choice of Angus New York strip steak or dry-aged rib-eye served with oven-roasted tomato, roasted fingerling potatoes and chipotle goat cheese fondue.