A Japanese spirit, reincarnated
A Japanese spirit, reincarnated
strip mall dining in Lincolnwood
Hello, everyone!
Today’s a bit of a one-off, because we have a guest writer. Normally we would be on the paid schedule, but because it’s a special occasion, I’m letting everyone in on the fun.
So I’d like to introduce , writer of the Substack newsletter, Dig In! Whitney’s a long time Chicago resident (by way of Connecticut), and a corporate event planner by day, roadfood hunter by night, with a deep affection for regional Mexican cooking in particular. She tells me, “I’d rather eat at an off-the-beaten path, street-food stand any day than at a Michelin-starred establishment. No fuddy-duddy formality for this girl.”
That is the way Davida and I like to approach the world, which is why Whitney’s piece today is great — it’s a continued on-the-ground exploration of Chicago’s independent restaurant scene, Party Cut style.
I do pay people for their work, both from paid subscription support and a little bit out of my own pocket, so if you’d like to support Whitney, sign up for a paid subscription to this newsletter, and I’ll toss the cash her way for today’s piece.
And if you’re strapped for cash, the next best thing you can do is sign up for her newsletter, Dig In!, which travels well beyond the confines of Chicago.
This week, Whitney visits a Japanese spot in Lincolnwood, which occupies the former house of another Japanese classic that Davida and I never got a chance to visit. I pass this location every time I get my car’s emission tested, and now thanks to Whitney, you’ll all know what to expect if you pop in for a meal.
- Dennis
I always know I’m going to eat well when I walk into a restaurant and there’s a kid seated near the kitchen doing homework. Such was the scene at Tenjin when we arrived for dinner on a recent Thursday night.
Tenjin is the new incarnation of Renga-Tei, a decades-old, family-owned Japanese comfort food spot located in a strip mall on Touhy, just a few blocks east of I-94, in Lincolnwood.
I first became aware of Renga-Tei during my early days in Chicago when I spent hours scouring dining recommendations on LTHForum, yet somehow in two decades’ time I never made it to the beloved establishment.
During a recent trip to New York Bagel & Bialy for my regular bagel fix, I noticed new signage in Renga-Tei’s window. A quick search revealed that a couple from Fukuoka, Chef Naoki and his wife, Yoshimi, took over the business in 2023. After operating Renga-Tei for a year, “they decided to rename the restaurant to Tenjin [after a Fukuoka neighborhood known for its vibrant food culture], a move that felt necessary to make the long-running restaurant their own.”
With their promise of “continuing to serve old-school Japanese cuisine to the Lincolnwood community,” now was as good a time as any to try it out.
As a child of the ‘80s, I’m a sucker for suburban strip mall dining. There’s something incredibly familiar about pulling into a parking spot and walking a few feet to enjoy a meal at an unassuming storefront restaurant. Tenjin’s atmosphere is incredibly homey, from the entryway lined with potted plants to the blond-wood interior outfitted with shoji screens and noren curtains.
The restaurant has a Japanese homestyle restaurant-meets-American diner vibe; I found the cherry blossom-patterned glass lamps hanging above our vinyl-cushioned booth particularly enchanting. It was already bustling when we came through the door before 6 p.m. and yet we landed arguably the best table in the house: Within earshot of the sushi counter and with a direct view into the kitchen.
We received three menus upon being seated: the regular menu, the prix-fixe offerings (three courses for $45) and the daily specials. Not wanting to limit our options, we focused on the regular menu and the specials.
We immediately homed in on the featured sushi.
The madai nigiri (2 pieces for $9) arrived with the faintest application of house citrus soy sauce. These barely discernible dabs enhanced the mild fish, which was melt-in-your-mouth tender. Sitting atop expertly-cooked rice, it was a perfect first bite.
Next out, hot from the fryer, came the maitake mushroom tempura ($11).
Tempura is one of the hardest techniques to master — we’ve all experienced versions that are heavy, greasy and soggy — yet Chef Naoki’s execution was flawless. The coating was airy and light; as we sank our teeth into the mushrooms, they exploded with juice.
The tempura was dusted with “umami salt” and served with a swipe of hot mustard, which was slightly coarse and not too eye-watering. A mini mound of finely-grated daikon topped with a wisp of minced ginger added artistic imagery to the plate and acted as a palate refresher.
As a lover of fried chicken in every form I couldn’t not order the karaage ($10), arteries be damned.
The breading was outstanding and completely different from that of the tempura; it featured a thicker beer batter, enrobing tender chicken. The fried bites needed nothing more than a lemon squeeze but we couldn’t resist dragging them through the spicy mayo, which was velvety with pronounced sesame notes.
I wish we lived closer to Tenjin so we could walk in for happy hour on a whim (is walking even a thing in the suburbs?) to enjoy their karaage, the ultimate bar snack, with a crisp Sapporo.
Classic Japanese set meal staples (ginger dressing-topped salad and miso soup) suddenly materialized.
Even though we hadn’t realized we’d ordered them — entrees are available a la carte or as a complete dinner with soup, salad and rice for an additional $5 — they were a welcome interlude in our carb parade. Typical of Tenjin, the simplest items were exemplary: The salad included a beautiful mix of lettuces, mandoline-sliced red cabbage and blanched broccoli. A straight-from-the-bag Benihana salad this was not.
Faced with a menu in which nearly every entree appealed to us, hot noodles, cold noodles, stir-fried noodles (yakisoba), rice bowls (donburi) topped with freshwater eel or teriyaki beef, we opted for the tonkatsu curry ($20), a way to sample tonkatsu and curry, and the hamachi kama.
I developed a deep affection for Japanese curry during the pandemic.
When my plans for a five-week trip to Japan were canceled, I self-soothed by making regular runs to Mitsuwa. I fell hard for the kare pan, essentially torpedo-shaped donuts, covered in panko and fried deep brown, filled with luxurious, slightly-spiced curry, and ate them far too frequently.
Dark mahogany in color, Tenjin’s curry was richer and even more satisfying than the curry that fed my soul during the pandemic. As the first spoonful, with hints of turmeric, cumin, and other toasted spices, hit the back of my throat, sweetness from grated apple emerged along with the fermented flavors of Worcestershire and soy. Served in a two-toned French onion soup crock, it was as comforting and complex as its Gallic counterpart and something I am going to want to eat again and again once Chicago’s cold weather hits.
I appreciated that the curry arrived separately from the tonkatsu so that I could enjoy the breaded pork cutlet, rice, soft-cooked egg and beautiful assortment of tsukemono (pickled vegetables) on their own before drowning everything in brown. As we were inhaling our food, co-owner Yoshimi stopped by our table to check on us and confirmed that the exquisite scarlet-hued pickle was daikon, noting that all the accompaniments are made in house.
The hamachi kama ($22) came out of the kitchen burnished with char and glistening with fat.
We opted for the shioyaki rather than the teriyaki preparation and we were so glad we did, because the simple salt marinade on the yellowtail collar made the fish’s delicate flavoring shine. Kama (the section behind the fish's head and gills) is the fattiest cut, and when placed under the broiler it was rendered meltingly tender, with incredibly moist and slightly sweet flesh.
Though we were approaching satiety, I wanted to ensure we received the other sushi special we ordered, aburi salmon (2 pieces for $9), because I wanted to experience one of the new ownership’s “dishes with modern flair.”
The salmon belly, which was torched and dressed with ginger and a squirt of lime, was exquisite and would not have been out of place at one of the highfalutin sushi bars downtown.
Just as we were getting ready to ask for the check I realized I forgot to order the potato macaroni salad, one of my favorite yōshoku (Western-influenced dishes). I looked at BB, eyes bulging out of his head from overindulgence, and he asked, “What would Dennis and Davida do?”
Of course, they’d buck-up and order more food for journalism’s sake. [Dennis’ note: Fuck yes, we would.]
It seemed crazy to hold the table for a single appetizer so we threw in an order of yakisoba as well. Out came the potato macaroni salad ($8), studded with gleaming green peas, vinegar-soaked cucumbers, carrot and chopped egg.
Enriched with Kewpie mayo (all yolks and MSG), it was a whipped mountain of joy. I giggled at the fact that the serving was so enormous that they needed a romaine spear, not some small iceberg leaf, for support.
Our final dish of the evening, chicken yakisoba ($18), appeared with perfectly-al dente noodles twisted around a veggie mix of red pepper, cabbage and onions, that still had a delightful crunch. We loved the pepperiness of the seasoning and the tangle of electric-red marinated ginger that allowed us to further punch–up the flavor profile.
As we waited for the check, we enjoyed watching Yoshimi interact with her young son, who was working his way through a kanji practice book so he could move onto video games. While family-run restaurants are increasingly replaced by soulless chains, we’re grateful that the Renga-Tei owners sold to another Japanese family eager to continue their legacy. With high-quality ingredients, expert execution and passion for their craft, Tenjin is still cooking-up some of the best Japanese soul food in town.
Tenjin
3956 W Touhy Avenue
Lincolnwood IL 60712
(847) 675-5177
Hours:
Mon, Wed–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm
Mon, Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
Wed–Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Man, check out Tenjin’s menu, it looks incredible. I should not have edited this while I was hungry. If you enjoyed today’s piece, please support Whitney’s writing by sharing it today, however you share your media:
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Okay, I’ll be sitting here wishing I had curry and hamachi kama. Go visit Tenjin when you can. I love you guys, see you next week.
I'm imagining how amazing that hamachi kama must taste.
Tenjin is a great name. It's a food destination that's genuinely famous in Japan (that I wanted to go in 2020...) but not that well known in the US, and it also just sounds good.
Ooh I love Japanese potato salad (and curry!) so this place sounds great.