Authentic Japanese flavors at Lake Forest’s Niku Niku Toyo

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Bringing years of traditional Japanese cuisine experience to Niku Niku Toyo in Lake Forest are owner Toyoji Kayabata, owner, Jamie Ishihara, manager, and Satoru Ishihara, head chef. | Lee Litas~Sun-Times Media

Updated: January 17, 2012 7:10PM

The name Sushi Kushi Toyo has been nearly synonymous with traditional Japanese cuisine in Lake Forest for the past 19 years, and that is a source of pride for owner Toyoji Kayabata, who, as a chef himself, has been diligent about bringing authentic flavors of his native land to the northern suburbs.

Three years ago, Kayabat a added another facet to his repertoire in the form of a Japanese steakhouse he erected just across the street from SKT, inside the Forest Square shopping nook. Opened originally as Forest Hiro and later renamed Zipangu Hiro, the restaurant’s most recent moniker, Niku Niku Toyo (literally “meat meat Toyo”), provides a variation on Kayabata’s theme.

“We wanted all the customers to realize that we are part of the same family (as Sushi Kushi Toyo),” said manager Jamie Ishihara.

But whereas Sushi Kushi was created with a clear sushi focus, Niku seeks to offer a more varied menu; one in which Japanese Teppanyaki table-top grills are featured prominently, providing for a wider variety of dishes.

“So that’s the whole purpose; over there is sushi and over here is meat,” said Ishihara. She may be oversimplifying it a bit as Niku’s extensive menu serves not only the meat and fish but can also do the full line-up of sushi/sashimi/tempura. “A little bit of everything,” said Ishihara.