You love sushi. You love the holidays. Why not combine the two and create a new tradition while you're at it. Wicker Park sushi restaurant Usagi Ya has dreamed up Hotiesho's Holiday Tasting Trio, a winter tasting menu and sake flight named after the Japanese version of Santa Claus, who comes bearing gifts and romance (FYI: Christmas is considered a romantic holiday in Japan).
Usagi Ya chef Quito was inspired by both American and Japanese customs when creating the dishes for this special menu, which includes the "Decorated Tree" salad (with wakame seaweed seasoned with a sweet rice vinaigrette and marinated cucumber), the "Snowman" roll (three pieces of super white tuna pressed into rice and topped with a white truffle-scallion sauce) and the "Elf" handroll (a spicy tuna handroll with kairi sprouts and yamagobo balls). The tasting trio is $15.
Diners can add a sake flight to their meal for an additional $25. The flight includes sakes from Onikoroshi, Otokoyama and Kurosawa. You'll be saying "domo arigato, Hotiesho" in no time flat.
