CHICAGO (CBS) – A new kitchen-less eatery brings a unique fusion of Peruvian and Japanese flavors to the Magnificent Mile.
Between the prime cuts of seafood and steaming cocktails, you might not even notice that Casa Chi, a new addition to the downtown Intercontinental Hotel, has no kitchen.
“Obviously, we have to be very creative since we don’t have a kitchen, right? So we wanted to make sure that people, you know, have a nice experience with, you know, some hot dishes.”
At the helm is Chef Richard Sandoval and Casa Chi is the latest in his more than 60 restaurants worldwide, which have opened in most major cities, including Chicago.
Although it is not his first restaurant in Chicago, it is his first attempt at running one without a real kitchen, and he decided to create a kitchen that could function with limited resources.
“Nikkei Bar Lounge, do you know what is Nikkei? Nikkei means that there was an influx of Japanese to Peru after World War II.”
And they brought their culture with them.
“So they’ve fused both cultures together. We have this amazing fusion of flavors and ingredients,” Sandoval said.
From the tuna ponzu guacamole to the fresh ceviche, two cuisines blend seamlessly and rely heavily on raw fish – no kitchen required.
“The only challenge I mentioned was the hot thing, you know, how do we get hot things when we don’t have a kitchen?”
This is where the stones come into play.
“I heat the stones to about 500 degrees, you know, in a little oven, and then we cook our different cuts of beef so you can buy them by the ounce,” he said.
Sizzling pieces of prime beef served directly on the table are dinner and a show at the same time, but it’s not just the menu that’s meant to entertain.
“When I opened 30 years ago, everything was about food. 80% of it was food.”
Today, Sandoval says, guests expect to be wowed from start to finish, with food taking center stage alongside everything else.
“I mean, restaurants are lifestyles and people expect to see all those elements. Here, I think we’ve succeeded,” he said.
