Sushi sophisticates dine at Koí

By Dallas Wright

A cherub’s summer will include a lot of firsts. First trip to Chicago. First trend story. First sushi dinner.

This summer, adventurous cherubs took their curiosity and appetites to Koí.

Serving “fine Chinese cuisine, sushi and sake” in an environment dedicated to elegance and simplicity, Koí introduced new food to several cherubs.

Girls gather at Koí to celebrate cherub Nikki Friedman's 17th birthday.

Eryn Rogers, a cherub from Alpharetta, Ga., had never tried sushi before dining at Koí. Two weeks into the program, friends convinced her to branch out and taste the California rolls. Eryn instantly became a Koí enthusiast, returning three times after her initial trip.

“I love the California rolls, and sweet and sour chicken too,” Rogers said. “It’s the bomb.”

Ally Bain helped Rogers through her sushi initiation at Koí. Bain, a cherub from Vernon Hills, Ill., had also never tried sushi before coming to Evanston. By the end of her first meal, she was hooked. Bain said that whenever her parents came to campus to visit her, she took them directly to Koí.

According to some cherubs, Koí’s modern, clean-cut design is what makes it so charming. Cherubs eat in a warm, candle-lit atmosphere that, on seasonable nights, is accompanied by breezes coming through opened full-length windows.
Jazz White, 17, from New Orleans, took a liking to the diverse food selection after her first visit. Initially, she was worried about the array of unfamiliar cuisine.

“It was nice though,” White said. “They combine the ‘-neses’ nicely on the menu. Japanese, Chinese, they all work together.”

Koí is located at 624 Davis St. Hours of operation are 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends and 4:30 to 10 p.m. on Sunday. Reservations are recommended, but carry-out orders can be placed online at http://www.koievanston.com.