nyotaimori+round a-bouts and where its at

Chicago sushi exposed!
Would you pay $500 to eat maki off a model?
By Chris LaMorte
Metromix.com
November 7, 2005

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The small fraternity of habitués that populated Kizoku Sushi's (click here for hours, maps, etc.) late-night back room, dubbed "The K Lounge," used to have a little saying: "What happens in K Lounge, stays in K Lounge."

Trite? Yes. Accurate? Not anymore.

Until recently, this River North spot was an also-ran in the competitive Chicago sushi landscape. The dishes here were generally considered solid, though perhaps not stellar. The atmosphere of the low-key lounge, which is separate from the main dining area, always felt a million miles away from the pulsating scene of Japonais or SushiSamba Rio.

Not any longer. A little more than a week ago, manager Eddy Pinto--who came on board late-summer, after serving most recently as food and liquor director of Las Vegas' Venetian Hotel--introduced "body sushi." By early Friday, not only did members of the media nearly outnumber lounge patrons, but Pinto was worn out from fielding calls from New York, St. Louis and Dallas. "It's been a nightmare," Pinto, 43, says of the attention. "I didn't know it was going to go that crazy." So what is it? Starting at $500, a party of four to six people can enjoy an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet presented on the torso of a semi-nude woman. Oyster shells and leaves cover most of her breasts. Cellophane, a G-string and bamboo leaves disguise her lower region. Bamboo leaves topped with sushi are also placed across her torso. And then, you dig in. (Pinto says he's currently interviewing for male sushi models.)

In Japan, the practice is called nyotaimori, and you've probably seen the technique most recently on VH-1's "Surreal Life," where nutsy Adrianne Curry cast herself in the role of human placemat. Pinto's first taste of nyotaimori came while on a trip to Japan in 1995. "It was the most outstanding thing I ever experienced," he says. Pinto claims Kizoku's the only restaurant in the United States currently serving sushi this way, and that he's registered a copyright for the phrase "body sushi."

Who's behind--er, underneath--all that fish? The sushi model is a 24-year-old woman who goes simply by the name Tabitha. She's a belly dancer with what look like rock-hard abs. About 10 minutes before a reservation, she lies on the table, and sushi chef Melvin Visconde strategically lays out a first course of sushi and nigiri. (A second course of signature maki rolls is presented next.) This is not a meal for the chopstick-challenged; a large dollop of pickled ginger or wasabi sits between Tabitha's breasts. A server brings drinks and other dishes, like miso soup and dessert, in traditional bowls.

Tabitha lies very still. Her breathing is slow, and she keeps conversation to a minimum. For this show of self-control, she makes $100 per 90-minute seating (two a night, five days a week)--plus tips. Pinto says, with tips, she's earned as much as $500 per shift.

He also says he hasn't heard from the city's health inspectors, and feels that, because there's no nudity and the sushi never touches Tabitha's skin, he's not in violation of any health codes.

"It doesn't sound inherently dangerous," says Chicago Department of Public Health spokesman Tim Hadac. "But, doubtless, we will talk to them about this practice the next time they're due for an inspection." Hadac says Chicago restaurants like Kizoku are inspected for health and safety violations twice a year, and that Kizoku has one more inspection slated for 2005.

What's the appeal?

"Well, I heard this place has really good sushi," says Joe Pak, 36, of Bridgeport. He and buddy Fred Vega, 37, decided to treat a friend to a body-sushi buffet as a way to celebrate another friend's birthday.

Not surprisingly, the sushi's not the only draw. "It's like [when] you were younger: It's your birthday, you'd go to the strip club," Vega says. "You get a little older, you just want to eat." Vega says body sushi presents a happy medium.

But there's a problem: The birthday boy and other members of their party are running late for the 7 p.m. reservation. You can see the sweat trickling down the side of Tabitha's breasts while the two early birds, sitting about 6 inches from her, look on, then look away. In the meantime, the sushi sits on a 98.6-degree human hot plate, eliciting more than one grossed-out comment from other patrons.

But fresh sushi isn't Vega's main concern. "It's $20 for the sushi, and the rest is for the garnish," he jokes.


Unfortunately this place is closed.

boo hoo

Have an interview tomorrow wish me luck.