The menu at Chicago’s Mott St. is primarily Asian-inspired, but the two dishes that stand out to me most are the ones that remind me of Italian comfort classics. Mott St.’s celebrated mentaiko udon dish — an admittedly Japanese-style dish that gets a huge contribution from Korea’s number one ingredient: kimchi — screams carbonara pasta to me. The dish is creamy, buttery, smokey from the bonito flakes, and unlike any noodle dish I’ve had before.
Mott St. uses a local kimchi (the restaurant goes through so much that it has to outsource) for the mentaiko udon, and kimchi plays a big role in Mott St.’s signature stuffed cabbage dish, though all I’m thinking about is a plate of lasagna. The kimchi acts as the pasta, and the sticky rise on top achieves a crispy cheese quality, all drenched in kimchi butter. It’s an ingenious presentation that blends solid Korean flavors that make Mott St. one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago.
Click here for more episodes of K-Town | Like Eater on Facebook to never miss a video