111628 Tue Oct 22 09:07:57 -0700 2002 14 7 Chicago Area 0 604787 Small dinner on Sheffield/Newport. Neon sign in window says "chicken terrayaki noodles". Are they any good? Strange fare for a diner? Tue Oct 22 09:07:57 -0700 2002 0 MikeK 1 604789 Not so strange if you know that the neighborhood was settled in the 40s by Japanese leaving the internment camps on the coasts for the relative freedom of Chicago. It's one of the last remaining establishments of that period-- an authentic 40s American diner also serving Japanese food. (Isn't the bar attached to it the Nisei Lounge? Nisei are second-generation Japanese-Americans.) Tue Oct 22 09:38:26 -0700 2002 604787 0 Mike G 2 604792 Yeah, it is the place next door to Nisei Lounge. I kind of like the Hamburger King, although have only had the diner portion of their food, not the Japanese portion. I did find a small bit of a sponge in my omelette once while there for breakfast, but decided to take it as a sign that they did clean the grill occasionally and just ate around it! Tue Oct 22 09:51:13 -0700 2002 604789 0 Smokey 2 604804 Nisei are actually the first generation born in America, for some reason they are often referred to as second generation but that means living in America. Issei are Japan born, first generation living in America. Japanese were allowed to leave the camps early if they agreed to relocate away from the West Coast. For some reason Chicago attracted many of them, and Lake View in particular. Oddly, Japanese in Hawaii were never interned. They were too integral to the local economy. Tue Oct 22 12:08:53 -0700 2002 604789 0 annieb 3 604805 Some Japanese families were sent to camps outside HI. My wife's grandfather is Okinowan-Hawaiian (he later moved to Lakeview!) some of his family members were sent to camps in CA. A link on the subject follows. Link: http://www.hawaiischoolreports.com/history/internment.htm Tue Oct 22 12:21:39 -0700 2002 604804 0 JeffB 4 604831 Thanks, great link. Tue Oct 22 19:13:25 -0700 2002 604805 0 annieb 1 604794 I love Hamburger King. I've attached an earlier thread where I extolled its glories. It's the kind of place that I still drop in on if I am nearby and need a burger (who does not need a burger at the drop of a hat?). It does not take a degree in urban sociology to see how much that area has changed. The Nisei Lounge is not so much a Japanese place any more, and pretty much all the other Japanese elements are gone as well including the place that is now Texas Fajita Bar and the Star Market. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/110120#594081 Tue Oct 22 09:55:22 -0700 2002 604787 0 Vital Information 1 604863 when nisei lounge bar next store was japanese/american owned (nisei=second generation) there was a door leading to the restaurant, which is now sealed. In their heyday, the cook was joe aktugawa, an old short-order nisei cook, who i think was a cook in the military. Most old nisei at bar were in the nisei regiment in ww2. Anyway, joe had a fine hand with food and several unique dishes such as "Aktugawa" which was ground beef, scrambled eggs, been sprouts and whatever else he felt like throwing in that day. would also honor reasonable requests for onions, etc. was served over rice or potato. super cheap. i haven't eaten there since they renovated and raised their prices but greasy takeout stuff i've eaten at nisei when friends brought it in was good bar food. i ususally eat at matsuya when near there. cant beat the $9.95 price of their combos. great sushi too. yeah that hot dog place in the white building across the street was nasty! also, btw, platiyo, new place next to mia francesca is very good, spicy mex stuff Wed Oct 23 11:02:48 -0700 2002 604787 0 El Panzone 2 604865 Panzone, are you saying that Hamburger King has renovated and raised prices? That is sad news! (if true) Wed Oct 23 11:06:05 -0700 2002 604863 0 Vital Information 3 604866 renovated about two years ago, thus the teriyaki sign, to attract yuppies. btw, forgot to say there is still a door between bar and raul's internationale barber shop next door where latin cub players get their hair cut Wed Oct 23 11:09:22 -0700 2002 604865 0 el panzone 3 604867 renovated about two years ago, thus the teriyaki sign, to attract yuppies. btw, forgot to say there is still a door between bar and raul's internationale barber shop next door where latin cub players get their hair cut Wed Oct 23 11:09:48 -0700 2002 604865 0 el panzone 2 604871 I'm so disappointed to learn that the "akutagawa" was named for the chef and not for the writer best known to us gaijin for the novel that Kurosawa's Rashomon was based on. That would have been like stumbling into a diner and seeing "Eggs Henry James" on the menu or something. Wed Oct 23 12:02:01 -0700 2002 604863 0 Mike G 3 604978 Closer to Hawthorne, I think. Or Poe. Thu Oct 24 13:36:37 -0700 2002 604871 0 Harry V. 1 604898 My BIL used to eat here in the 70s and affectionately called it "Cheapo's". He said bums could get a bowl of rice and gravy for 50 cents. James Ward reviewed this on his ABC7 bit a year or two ago and extolled the "Korean" menu items. Akutagawa can also be had at North Shore Grill #2 on Clark north of Foster in Andersonville - same dish, served with potatoes OR rice and gravy. I believe they use a sausage patty in place of the beef. Wed Oct 23 13:21:19 -0700 2002 604787 0 Madd 2 604981 >>Akutagawa can also be had at North Shore Grill #2 on Clark north of Foster in Andersonville ....<< Sadly, I'm nearly certain that North Shore Grill #2 was among the establishments that were seppukued in order that the world might be provided with a second Charlie's Ale House. Thu Oct 24 13:42:23 -0700 2002 604898 0 Harry V.