Awestruck and mind-blown, Bruce Sherman's North Pond is unbelievably creative and technical. The flavor combinations created from seasonal ingredients are truly reflective of the master craft and research taken to create such mind tingling dishes. The degustation experience left us in tears of joy as we were bombarded with the superbly executed dishes, one after another.

Contact Info:
(773) 477-5845
 ​http://northpondrestaurant.com/

While spring never seems to truly arrive (in Chicago), it is not too early to enjoy the spring sweet treat. That’s right, it's time for Hanami Dango!! <花見団子> or Flower Viewing Dango. In Japan, these dumpling are usually enjoyed in early spring, and as the name suggest, during the flower viewing picnic. Hanami Dango usually come in three colors (red, white and green) For this recipe, we are going to use all natural coloring. However, it may be more convenient for some to use artificial color.

While Izakaya is the moment of indulgence (usually accompanied by panting busting food and generous amount of drinks), there are some menu that could considered to be on a healthier and yet still be flavorful.

​One of such dish is the Japanese style Rapini Salad. Although the traditional version called for flowering mustard leaves, in the USA that could be hard to come by. A good substitute for this is found in a form of Rapini Broccoli, which has more leaves than flower when compare to broccoli.

This refreshing dish offers a lighter alternative to the usually heavy and oily food typically serve in izakaya restaurant. An who said Izakaya food can’t be healthy, may be?