ALL BOTTLED UP: Butterfly Sushi
The spot: The modest storefront of Butterfly Sushi Bar and Thai Cuisine
belies the sexy orange-and-black, Monarch-esque color scheme of the
long, narrow dining room within. If you savor sashimi but the thought
of raw fish makes your date squirm, this two-year-old restaurant may be
the perfect compromise. Anti-sushi types can play it safe with Thai
favorites such as spicy panang noodles ($7 with chicken, beef or tofu;
$8 with shrimp), while sushi lovers relish in a full menu of nigiri and
maki. We like the crunchy spicy tuna rolls ($6), a slightly creative
take on traditional spicy tuna maki that incorporates avocado and
tempura crumbs.
The bottle: Just across the expressway from Butterfly, Juicy Wine Company (694 N. Milwaukee Ave. 312-492-6620) is the best spot in the neighborhood to find eclectic sakes and wines to accompany sushi and Thai cuisine. Owner Rodney Alex suggests “thinking pink” when selecting a bottle; Hana HouHouShu sparkling rosé sake, a rosé rice wine with rose hips and hibiscus ($18 for 300 milliliters), fits the bill. Alex also recommends Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling from Washington’s Columbia River Valley ($15) to complement the heat of spicy Thai cuisine. “It’s like biting into a really freezing cold, Granny Smith apple,” he says.
--Emily Hiser Lobdell, Metromix special contributor
The bottle: Just across the expressway from Butterfly, Juicy Wine Company (694 N. Milwaukee Ave. 312-492-6620) is the best spot in the neighborhood to find eclectic sakes and wines to accompany sushi and Thai cuisine. Owner Rodney Alex suggests “thinking pink” when selecting a bottle; Hana HouHouShu sparkling rosé sake, a rosé rice wine with rose hips and hibiscus ($18 for 300 milliliters), fits the bill. Alex also recommends Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling from Washington’s Columbia River Valley ($15) to complement the heat of spicy Thai cuisine. “It’s like biting into a really freezing cold, Granny Smith apple,” he says.
--Emily Hiser Lobdell, Metromix special contributor
October 03, 2007 10:51 AM |
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