Umi Sushi Closes In West Hartford After almost exactly five years in Blue Back Square, Connecticut's first kaiten-style sushi restaurant has closed its doors.Umi Sushi and Tapas, which opened in August 2010, introduced freshly made conveyor-belt sushi to West Hartford. Chefs prepared sashimi, nigiri and sushi rolls for diners to select from the rolling belt. With the later addition of a full kitchen, Umi also served izakaya-style small plates, traditional ramen, udon noodles and curries. The restaurant was also a popular destination for karaoke nights. The restaurant bid farewell to its supporters in a final post Facebook after officially closing on Aug. 31: "So our story, a pretty darn thick story, ends here. All I can say is THANK YOU, you, you, you, you, and you. To everybody who came through our door, thank you." Umi's space may not be vacant for long, however. "There's always something new and exciting going on at our center," said Blue Back Square's marketing director Elizabeth Zigmont in an email.

"Soon we will have news to share of a tenant who will add to the great mix of merchants here at Blue Back Square." © 2017, CT Now“The conveyor belt goes around with small portions of several different dishes ranging from $1.75 to $5.75.” “I mistakenly assumed that this place in Blue Back square would be expensive given its posh interior and prime real estate.” “We loved the traditional rolls as well as the buffalo chicken and BLT rolls, definitely unusual and fun.” You Might Also ConsiderUPTOWN — Forget eating the goat or flying the W — perhaps the Chicago Cubs’ good-luck charm to claim a World Series win was the October opening of a new ramen shop in Uptown.Chaiwat Law Pattanapong opened Futatsuki Ramen in October, a few days before the Cubs began their postseason chase and a couple of years after he'd sold his former restaurant in San Francisco, where he witnessed the San Francisco Giants win World Series crowns during three of his final five years in the bay.

Since his Chicago arrival and the subsequent Cubs victory, Pattanapong has now been in the same city as four of the last six Series champions. “I never liked the World Series games because they stay at the bar drinking instead of eating,” Pattanapong said. “Then I picked Chicago, because, oh, after Sammy Sosa and everything, I thought, ‘Oh, this team is not going to win’ ... but you know, it’s good for the city.”He said that next time the Cubs make the World Series, he hopes to have his liquor license ready. For now, he’s serving up tonkotsu ramen, a style that uses a heartier broth derived from the marrow of pork bones by boiling them over low heat for a long time. Pattanapong used to cook miso-style ramen at his former shop in the Bay Area, until a contact at a soup company showed him how to cook tonkotsu. “I like it more than miso ramen, so I never ordered miso ramen again,” he said.Nor did he serve it again, either. Even though Pattanapong had already sold his restaurant, which was in escrow, he switched his menu to tonkotsu ramen full time for his last few months in business before the sale went through.

During that period, he said he was struck by a zealous response.After getting away to Thailand to relax for a couple of years — ”The thing is, if you do the restaurant, it's an everyday job,” he said —Pattanapong decided to restart his ramen career in Chicago, where his sister and her husband were working in Japanese restaurants. Together, the trio founded Futatsuki.The ramen restaurant cuts its tonkotsu ramen with chicken fat, rather than pork fat, which lessens the intense pork flavor. where can i buy smoked eel in surreyPattanapong said the back of the house is too small to make the noodles or broth in-house at the moment, but he has a trusty vendor for the broth and hopes to eventually make his own noodles. sushi making kit colesFutatsuki also uses a thinner, straighter noodle than typical ramen, which Pattanapong says is better for catching the broth.sushi bento box munich

The rest of the menu features typical Japanese fare, such as beef over rice or udon, yakisoba and various curries. As for drinks, guests should BYOB for now — thankfully the restaurant is across from the Wilson Red Line stop and a host of shops. 4621 N. Broadway, 773-561-9999.Also opened:LINCOLN PARK — If there’s one thing Lincoln Park lacks, we all know it’s a place to find some wine, right? sushi grade fish louisville kyJokes aside, J9 Wine Bar offers a new spot to grab some grape juice; sushi grade fish aberdeenthe establishment offers everyday French and Italian wines, as well as reserve options from Napa Valley. yo sushi voucher cambridgeThere are also standard cocktail options if the wine won’t cut it.

The bar aims for a homey, cozy atmosphere, with exposed brick walls and a collection of living room furniture where guest can relax. No decent wine bar would open without charcuterie and cheese, and J9 sources its noshes from local purveyor Gepperth’s Meat Market. KENWOOD — For all of Chicago’s different cuisines, Senegalese food is not one that city diners encounter much. Thanks to restaurateur Adama Ba, that's changed. As DNAInfo reports, he recently opened Goree Cuisine in Kenwood. The cafe is named for a small island off the coast of Senegal, where Ba grew up and worked in a restaurant owned and operated by his family. Folks can find traditional fare from Senegal, such as tiebu djenn, a dish that features rice, fried fish and shrimp and a plethora of veggies, all delicately spiced. /goreecuisineUPTOWN — Rotary sushi spots offer a fun DIY element — grab the dish you want as it goes by on a conveyer belt. Now residents of the city proper can do so without hitting the suburbs with the arrival of Wabi Sabi in Uptown. 

Eater first reported the opening. 4521 N. Sheridan Ave., 773-561-9000LOGAN SQUARE — Every ’hood needs a spot to watch the game, and with the upcoming addition of Park & Field to Logan Square, residents can add one more option to a small lineup of sports bars. Expect a healthy craft-beer list, a vintage gymnasium vibe and an outdoor patio that shares the backyard with a bocce ball court, reports DNAInfo. 3509 W. Fullerton Ave., no website or phone number yetLOGAN SQUARE — In order to better suit the neighborhood, Sink|Swim has been gradually taking on a more casual approach. The menu now has dishes like lobster mac and cheese, while the bar offers some fun, oversized drinks such as fishbowls. WICKER PARK — Local candy store Candyality has once again added a fourth location, this one replacing the lineup void left by the now-closed shop in the North Bridge shops on Michigan Ave. DNAInfo reports Terese McDonald picked a tidy former tanning studio on Division Street for her new place, which will be one of the two locations selling vegan chocolates.

Otherwise, expect more of the sweet same ol’. BUCKTOWN — Fast-casual Italian eatery Animale — right next to the Western Blue Line stop — will now serve breakfast on weekdays 7-10 a.m., rocking a full selection of sandwiches, pastries, pancakes, sides and coffee. RIVER NORTH — Sugar Factory American Brasserie, a national chain that is both a restaurant and a candy shop, opens its second Chicago-area location, and its first in the city proper, this week. The space is sizable at 9,000-plus square feet, with 200 dining-room seats and a full menu for all three meals. The chain is also popular among celebrities, so perhaps you’ll spot a star or two on your trip. HUMBOLDT PARK — A new Bolivian cafe and shop coming to Humboldt Park will be a family affair. The Espinoza family (mother Claribel and her three sons) hopes to open its first business, La Plaza 24 Cafe, next week, per an email to the Tribune. The restaurant will deal in coffee and a variety of traditional pastries on the restaurant side, plus gifts like hand-poured candles and other homemade items in the attached shop.

DNAInfo first reported the cafe’s plans. 2867 N. Milwaukee Ave.  LAKEVIEW — Headquarters Beercade has endured some legal difficulties in the last year. After a recent settlement was reached (terms were not disclosed), the Lakeview location will reopen as Replay Lakeview/Lincoln Park. Eater first reported the story. 2833 N. Sheffield Ave.AVONDALE — The old Hot Doug’s location has a new tenant, as Cafe Tola took on its third storefront in the legendary locale and quietly opened in late October, according to a Facebook post. 3324 N. California Ave., 773-296-6346.THE LOOP — Crain’s reports that Corned Beef Factory, which opened in the Fulton Market District in early 2015, has plans to brings its beef downtown to a second location, on Washington Street near Michigan Avenue, opening March 2017. WICKER PARK — A new Cajun restaurant, Fifolet, quietly opened in the old Division Ale House space in early November, DNAInfo reports, bringing a change of pace to Division Street’s deep row of sports bars.

It’s a flexible space for simple dinners or late-night drinking: Find New Orleans items and flavors like po’boys on your plate, then a variety of rums and absinthes for your cup. STREETERVILLE — The Albert Einstein-themed Marriott-run The Hotel EMC2, coming March 2017, will be getting an Einstein-themed restaurant to match, called The Albert, per Eater. The hotel has reportedly filed for a liquor license for an outdoor patio. 228 E. Ontario St.NORTH CENTER — Sweet teeth on the city’s North Side now have another option to sate their cravings, as Cookie Spin opened last Friday after a long wait for city inspections to be completed, DNAInfo reports. Chef and owner Joe Lamondi specializes in cookie “pies,” a hefty treat that’s almost like a muffin. PALATINE — A new barbecue restaurant promises slow-cooked goods with all the fixings. Chicago Culinary Kitchen, owned by a Marine Corps veteran and his wife, opened on Veterans Day last week. The Kitchen will also offer hands-on classes for those curious about cooking ’cue.

773 N. Quentin Road, Palatine, 847-987-0369.OAK PARK — La Notte Cafe, a popular Italian spot in Berwyn, has opened its second location. The new restaurant is going by La Notte Ristorante Italiano. 118 N. Marion St., Oak ParkOAK BROOK — District at Oakbrook, the Daily Herald reports, is a more inviting version of a food court. It's over 14,000 square feet and located at Oakbrook Center. The lineup for the formidable space will include DMK Burger, Stan’s Donuts, Nando’s Peri-Peri and nine other eateries to start. 100 Oakbrook Center, Oak BrookDEERFIELD — Legendary Chicago hot-dog and burger chain Portillo’s has expanded its empire once again, adding a new location in Deerfield this week. ICYMI: WICKER PARK — Rick Bayless has reconfigured Xoco Bistro, re-opening the restaurant with a tweaked menu under the name Fonda Frontera. EVANSTON — Amy Morton, restaurateur and daughter of Chicago steakhouse guru Arnie Morton, opened her newest restaurant in Evanston last week, a secluded spot dubbed The Barn.