Kitaro Owners Share Love of Sushi with Local Diners

Chef John Yi and his wife, Carrie, have a passion for sushi—and they want their customers to love it, too.

The couple opened in Lemont in 2009 with hopes of sharing their love of Japanese food and culture. Earlier this month they celebrated the restaurant's third anniversary, and are now expanding their services to provide lessons on making sushi.

For John Yi, a chef of nearly 30 years, Kitaro has been a labor of love.

"He loves what he does, and he's very good," Carrie Yi says of her husband.

Patch spoke with Carrie on Thursday about Kitaro's third anniversary, and how she and John have built a loyal base of customers in Lemont.

PATCH: Why did you decide to open a sushi restaurant in Lemont?

YI: A lot of people thought we were crazy at first. They told us Lemont was a "steak and potatoes town." But we wanted to bring something different, and I think we've done pretty well.

PATCH: You celebrated your third anniversary earlier this month. What have you learned and how has the restaurant changed?

YI: After three years, I'd say the best thing about Lemont is the people. The people that visit the restaurant are so friendly and so nice. We've made a lot of good memories with our customers.

PATCH: It seems like sushi has become more mainstream in recent years? Have you seen an increased interest since you opened in 2009?

YI: Oh, definitely. Many of the people who come here for the first time have never had sushi, but they're willing to try. We have a big menu with plenty of options, so they're able to experiment and try some of the basic rolls to get started. Then we have our regulars that come in all the time because they love it so much.

PATCH: How do you help the customers that have never eaten sushi before or the ones who are nervous to try it?

YI: Our servers are all very experienced, so they're able to help customers find something to start out with. They ask a lot of questions, like whether they like spicy food or if they eat fish. Some people don't want to eat anything raw, so we can suggest some of our vegetarian or tempura rolls. We're able to make a good suggestion for them after we get to know their tastes.

PATCH: Some of your sushi options have really unique names ("White Sox," "Snoopy," "Shrek 2011" and "Sex in the City" are some of our favorites). How did you come up with those dishes?

YI: Some of them have been customers' ideas, and some we just did for fun. We have maki named after different movies, like Avatar and The Hangover. It's funny because the movie ones are some of our most popular—like the customers order them because they recognize the name.

We also did a Facebook contest once to name one of our new creations. Someone suggested "Lemontster," and that stuck. It's made with a lot of different ingredients—octopus, shrimp, tuna, scallops. So the name fits.

PATCH: What about the guests that really don't want to try sushi?

YI: I'd say about 40 percent of our customers don't eat sushi, but we have something for everyone. This winter, one of our specials is an 18 oz. steak. We also have noodle and rice dishes.

We try to change our menu every two or three months to keep it fresh. We also do chef tasting menus on special occasions, like Valentine's Day. We did a seven-course meal, and had a record turnout.

PATCH: Tell us a little bit about the classes you're now offering.

YI: First it started with a demonstration we did at the , which was a big success. Then we had a lot of customers tell us they wanted to learn how to make sushi themselves, so we had the idea to offer classes. We're doing one Wednesday (Feb. 29) and a couple in March. We would like to do one every other Wednesday, if there are enough people interested.

PATCH: How much does the class cost and what does it include?

YI: The cost is $35 per person for a two-hour class and dinner. We're keeping the classes small so we can get to know the customers—about eight students is ideal.

We start by offering four of our signature rolls for the students to try. Then John will give them a lesson in making two Maki rolls of their choice (California, Philadelphia, tuna avocado, vegetable, or shrimp tempura). Once everything is made, they get to eat. We provide hot sake for adults and Japanese soda for kids, plus Japanese mochi ice cream for dessert.

is located at 1224 State St. in Lemont. For more information, check out their website or Facebook page. To reserve a spot in one of their sushi classes, call 630-257-2205.

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Every week, Patch will feature a local business or business owner as part of our "Business Spotlight." Know of a person or place you would like to see on our site? Email Lemont Patch Editor Amanda Luevano at amanda@patch.com