Kasama Review
Author: Madeline Mahoney
Photographer: Karina Mak
Recently featured as one of two Chicago restaurants on the New York Times “The Restaurant List” for 2021, Kasama is a delight. The Filipino restaurant and bakery is located in Chicago’s Ukranian Village. Kasama was opened by chefs Genie Kwon and Timothy Flores during the pandemic in July 2020. Since then they have opened for indoor dining and are now expanding to feature a 13-course tasting menu for dinner. For a college student’s budget (or if you’re simply unable to snatch a dinner reservation) it may be better to stick to Kasama’s daytime menu which includes Filipino dishes, a variety of sweet and savory pastries, and an extensive beverage menu with both cocktails and espresso beverages.
When we arrived on a Saturday midday there was a line stretching out the door to eat inside the popular restaurant. Although they have recently added dinner reservations, the daytime menu remains first come, first serve. Fortunately the weather was quite mild, so the wait wasn’t bothersome. When we eventually made our way inside, we were asked for proof of vaccination (or a negative test result in the past 48 hours). After placing my order at the register, we were instructed to wait at the bar. The restaurant is quite small and bustling without being overcrowded. The aesthetic is simple yet trendy with plenty of plants to liven up the space. After waiting at the bar for a while, we were brought to our table by one of the friendly staff. They had a very efficient and organized process involving two sets of numbers cards for bringing waiting patrons to an open table. (Other restaurants - take note!)
While waiting for our entrees, we were served the Ube and Huckleberry Basque cake. Kasama serves many delectable sweet and savory pastries which are displayed in the front of the restaurant. We were immediately drawn to the basque cake for its unique flavor and beautiful powdered sugar design. Cutting into the crispy crust revealed the vibrant purple inside. The cake was rich without being overly sweet.
As for entrees, we tried both the mushroom and chicken adobo. Considered to be the national dish of the Philippines, adobo is a sauce made of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and other ingredients generally used to marinate meat. Both the chicken and mushrooms were served over rice with freshly pickled vegetables on the side, and the mushroom adobo was topped with a fried egg which added another layer of texture to the dish. The flavors of both dishes were phenomenal, the acidity balancing well with the savoriness of the mushroom and chicken. Even the rice had a great garlic flavor and fluffy texture.
I’ve become a big mushroom lover over the past few years, and the mushroom adobo totally hit the spot. It’s a great choice for vegetarians on a meat-heavy menu. The chicken adobo waldo packed a flavorful punch but the chicken was slightly undercooked. Both portions were large and the presentation was appealing.
Kasama is a lovely spot. If you’re able to get a reservation for their new $185 tasting menu, let me know how it goes! If not, don’t be afraid to venture up to Ukrainian Village to try their daytime menu - as long as you don’t mind a bit of a wait.
